Muni News
VOLUME 90, ISSUE 5  - MAY Special Edition 2000

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Value of the Municipal League
Bill Massey reflects on the past and future of the League

They say you can’t go home again but you can draw from what was, to what can be. I was head of the Municipal League staff and editor of the Municipal News for nearly 20 years and I can clearly see the present and future value to the community of having an active Municipal League.

If you profile a healthy community there are basics such as a solid tax base, responsive public institutions, functional infrastructure and active arts, good health care, social services, etc. But what else? There needs to be active effective citizen groups. King County has all of these, particularly the latter, but let’s take a closer look. The economy is booming and governments have record revenues. The future looks very promising, but is the civic scene really healthy? If you want to measure by numbers and volume the answer would have to be yes. There are citizen groups behind every conceivable single special interest issue making an unbelievable din trying to drown out the other side and win at any cost. After all, this is King County.

But who is there over the long haul encouraging, cajoling, critiquing and supporting public bodies and officials to do the right things that are best for the overall community? The League does do those things because it has no special axes to grind except trying to help governments be more effective, efficient and responsive. It is much like favorite grandparents that are part of, but somewhat removed, from the day-to-day activities of the public family but always there as a conscience and to encourage the right choices when the way is confused or lost and provide a place to turn when help is needed.

We never outgrow the need to have a place where good spirited people who want to do the right thing can gather and offer their experience in order to make public life better. That is the essence of the Municipal League.

The mission is simple but, of course, the doing is more difficult. That’s where you come in. Civic life needs to be engaged by people in ways other than simply paying taxes and voting.

Rational discourse and analysis of issues is needed now more than ever. The public debate today is more often a rant that degenerates into two sides, each trying to put down and repudiate the other without any interest in trying to devise a workable solution to the problem. I am amazed at the letters to the editor columns in local papers. The vitriol with which people are attacked for honestly believing differently is appalling No wonder it’s so difficult to get our “best and brightest” to run for public office.

If ever there was a time for rational reasonable people with experience and good will to gather, it is now and if ever there was an organization that could foster it, it is the Municipal League. There are numerous ways to do this but here’s a radical thought – USE THE LEAGUE FOR YOUR OWN AGENDA. If you can get the Board to support you, give it a go. It’s been done many times in the past by individuals or groups using the League to either create or spearhead a cause: Metro, Forward Thrust, County Charter Reform, Civil Rights, Public Disclosure Initiative, Horse Patrol, West Seattle bridge investigation and on and on.

Just one strong caveat. When you’re through using it, leave it like a campsite – better than you found it. If you have an issue, or a cause you think would benefit by League support and would fit within the general parameters of the organization’s purposes, write a letter to the editor of the Muni News and see how far you can take it. Many in public life and elected office got their interest fired up and their training by getting involved in a League issue. In addition, many careers have been enhanced and many friendships developed. Use the League’s assets, which are the envy of most organizations – · Nearly a 100 years of history · An amazing legacy of accomplishments · Widespread name recognition · Solid respect for it’s work

The very capable Tom Albro and the Board of Trustees are bringing together community leadership for the upcoming Civic Awards Banquet. They would like to hear from you.

Giving something back to the community is not only the right thing to do, it also connects us and makes us part of something bigger than ourselves – it helps make us whole.

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