To My Generation

Since its birth at the dawn of early human civilization some untold number of years ago, government has served as the fiercely powerful leader in society. Government is the law-making force found on every body of land nestled between the gentle roar of the sea; and we, as the citizens and inhabitants of these great lands, are burdened with the responsibility of monitoring government to insure its efficiency. A government, like anything in life, should be conducted in such a way that the maximum benefit is achieved for every sacrifice made; this, unfortunately, is not always the case.
As a young, voting member of our community—and by “young” I mean 18—I find myself in an increasingly worried state concerning the functionality of government. On the national level, our debt is at an all-time high, on a county level, our taxes are at an all-time high. It doesn’t take much extrapolation to conclude that if governments continue to spend more than what’s taken in, we will be on the verge of bankruptcy within a short number of years, creating a mess so massive that it will take decades to clean up. Not only will continued irresponsibility on behalf of government affect the generations of those in office, but it will also have a tremendous impact on the upcoming generations, on my generation. My generation would suffer just as much from irresponsible spending as any other, and we would be foolish to sit back and not have a voice in this issue.
So, young voters of Cape May County, I ask a favor of you. I ask that you look around, become observant, take note of what needs to be changed, and call them to the attention of your elected officials. Do not let our youth be a handicap. Do not be afraid to see the blatantly flown flags of red. Do not be fearful to stand against the conspicuous government waste or unfair policies. Talk, speak; let your voice be heard. I encourage each and every one of you to get involved, to keep up on the news, to formulate opinions, and to exercise your right to vote every November. If enough of us show the world that we have a voice (and that we’re willing to use it), we will be heard; change will come.
Attached to this letter is a start. After compiling various budgets provided by governmental bodies throughout the county, we have thus far identified that our local governments spent approximately $746 million in 2011, which is an all-time high for the county. Take a look at where that ¾ of a billion dollars is being spent, take a look at the tax projections for 2020, and ask yourself if that is where you want your government to be in just a few short years. It’s our world and government too; let’s make sure that everyone knows that.
If you, the reader, see any possible errors in the data, additions, or have comments, please forward them to: capeissues@cmcherald.com.