RE: Best Practices, Introduction

[Rebekah Tanner <foxgull@foxgull.com>]

Jim Marxen said: "I may be stating the obvious, but if we ever regain or rebuild public trust in our decisions, it will be because we in government open the doors to our process and allow scrutiny and involvement from the public."

As I anticipated would be the case and as I said in my initial introduction to this dialog, I have mostly been lurking around in the background becaue the topic at hand is one I am generally inexperienced in. As a result, my perspective on many matters is likely less obvious than it was when I last participated in an EPA sponsored dialog (Libraries as Community Partners). There are also many more people involved in this dialog so I may be completely unknown to many.

As a result, many people may not know just how strongly I feel about the role of government (be it federal, state, local or tribal) in a free society. However, I have to question Mr. Marxen as I quote him above: he speakes of rebuilding and regaining public trust in our decisions .. who is the "our" being refered to? Is it the California Department of Toxic Substances Control, which is the agency he works for? Or the EPA? Who?

And "rebuild and regain public trust" -- I am 43 years old and in my life time I have hardly know folks to trust government. Did they ever? My mother used to speak as if folks did during World War II. I have often wondered how much that was true and how much it was the status quo of the day -- 

Again, I submit, I am one who deeply believes in the need for governmental policies and establishments to be in place which enhance our ability to strive for a peaceful, free society but when I look around ......

Rebekah