Citizens Agenda poll guides selection of questions for interviews with candidates
By Lorrie Kaplan
What do you want Ashland City Council candidates to be talking about as they compete for votes?
That’s the question included in a “Citizens Agenda” poll available through every edition of the Ashland.news e-newsletter beginning in August. The poll closed Sept. 20.
Ashland.news received 219 responses, many showing great care and thoughtfulness. Thank you! We’ll share the results below, but first, let’s lay some groundwork.
News as Public Service
We’re fortunate to have talented professional journalists on staff at Ashland.news. Many communities no longer do. “We need local news, but it’s under threat,” says The American Journalism Project. “Local journalism keeps communities informed and holds the powerful accountable. It is the key to an informed citizenry and provides the tools to safeguard a healthy democracy — but the industry is in crisis.”
Ashland.news is part of a growing nonprofit local news sector attempting to fill the void left behind in the collapse of traditional newspapers. As a nonprofit, we are strictly nonpartisan. We do not (and cannot) endorse candidates or take positions on ballot measures. Our public service mission is to provide accurate, trustworthy and timely local news and information.
The Citizens Agenda project is based on current research into how local news organizations can help ensure that elections focus on issues that matter most to the community.
What Readers Say
Reader responses to our poll often mirrored national election issues: the cost of living and the health of our economy, the housing crisis, homelessness, the role and cost of government, and climate change.
Many readers noted how deeply intertwined these issues are. Nonetheless, we did our best to categorize the responses.
- Affordability (60 responses). Readers are concerned about the cost of living in Ashland, especially the shortage of housing for low- and middle-income individuals and working families. How can the city address these concerns?
“I’ve lived here for 49+ years, and raised my children here. They cannot afford to live in Ashland.”
“Constant [rent] increases by 10% by landlords means a lot more of us are going to move or be homeless too.”
- Homelessness (52 responses). The number of homeless individuals in Ashland has grown in recent years. Many readers express deep compassion, while others voice frustration and concerns about how homelessness affects the community at large. What strategies would you favor to address homelessness in Ashland?
“Please talk about how they support the emergency shelter on Ashland Street.”
“How and when can we provide year-round housing for Ashland’s homeless so they are not negatively impacting local businesses and/or inadvertently adding to our extreme fire risks from their camp stoves?”
- City spending (39 responses). What are your views on the financial position of our city government and the tax burdens carried by residents and businesses?
“Do you believe that our tax dollars are being spent in the wisest possible way? If not, how would you change it?”
“How to be more efficient, and productive so they can stay on or below budget while keeping the city cleaner and safer.”
- The economy (37 responses). Ashland’s economy has relied on tourism. What’s your vision for our economy and how would you work to attain it?
“Ways to help restaurants and stores remain open and profitable. There are too many places closing.”
“With global warming, excessive heat, smoke, and wildfire threats, we can no longer expect tourism alone to sustain the City. What do you propose to do to help Ashland generate revenue from sources other than tourism, so that it remains the vibrant city we all love?”
- Climate Change (25 responses). Ashland is not on track to do its part to address climate change. What action(s) should the city take to reach its climate action goals?
Do you support “continuing to invest in climate-friendly projects?”
“Preparing the entire community so that homes and businesses are minimally affected when the next major wildfire occurs is an urgent need. We need to come together in a way that is transformative and stop pretending that the little bit that we have done is enough. If the City burns we lose the community.”
- Other Issues. The issues above were the most commonly mentioned, but readers also mentioned road safety for all users; wildfire safety; whether to build a new water treatment plant; 5G and other emerging technologies; and — last but not least — deer!
Keep in mind that this is a poll, not a randomized, weighted survey. In the future, we’d like to push it out beyond our 4,700 subscribers to get more responses from across the community. We’d welcome the opportunity to partner with other community organizations.
Stay tuned for reporter Morgan Rothborne’s upcoming interviews with the candidates, asking questions guided by results of the Ashland.news Citizens Agenda poll.
Results of a separate Citizens Agenda poll on Ashland Parks & Recreation Commission issues will appear in an upcoming article.
Lorrie Kaplan is an unpaid member of the Ashland.news board of directors and serves as secretary, board recruitment committee chair, and on the Ashland.news events team. She’s also on the board of the Ashland Climate Collaborative. Her husband, Bob Kaplan, serves on the Ashland City Council. Email Lorrie Kaplan at LorrieKaplan@gmail.com.
Related story: Ashland City Council candidate forum coming up Sunday (Oct. 9, 2024)
