A Note from the Editor
Getting things back in order for this substack publication
I’d like to open this newsletter with an apology to you, my readers. I started this substack in October 2022 with the intention of creating a space for like-minded people to share their thoughts and opinions on local matters which impact their lives each and every day. The publication got off to a great start as far as I was concerned, with a few editorials posted and 60 subscribers in a short period of time (some of you kind souls even pledged to pay for a subscription if I ever decided to go that route— bless your hearts). However, I failed to maintain this site and publish regularly. There are many reasons for this which involved my own personal life and health which we do not need to dive into here, but fundamentally it all resulted in things becoming stagnant around here. And I regret that.
We are just getting this newsletter off of the ground and need as much support as we can get. Please consider subscribing to the newsletter to show your support and get regular updates as they are posted directly to your email inbox.
If you are already a subscriber, please consider sharing this publication with a relative or friend you think might be interested (and thank you!). Twitter and Facebook are always great venues to share our newsletters and add your own comment and perspective.
The importance of having a forum to share ideas and opinions on local matters cannot be overstated. Throughout modern history nearly every great political movement has started with a simple publication which was dedicated to bringing smart, like-minded and opinionated people together to hash out their perspective in public. These publications often go on to not just be melting pots for the development of sound policy ideas but also provide a space for proponents to address the claims advanced by their perceived opponents. Subscribers to these publications are more often than not also supporters or at the very least sympathetic and interested in the ideas being shared and thus the whole enterprise provides a vehicle for coordination and networking. Which is extremely important in electoral politics.
These are lofty goals for a humble substack which was created on a whim by a humble local political observer. But with your help and support I think we can make something of this little publication.
So here is what you can expect moving forward for the time being:
I will publish one regular weekly editorial that will land in your inbox on Friday mornings (this will start this Friday, 5 May with an editorial on the Fort Street AAA bike lane plans).
I will take submissions for guest editorials at my email and they will be published on a case-by-case basis as they are ready. A note on the guest editorials as this is where I could really use some help. If you have an idea or opinion you would like to write about please reach out. I am available to help through the writing process and getting it together— so there is no need to be timid if you’re not familiar with writing these sorts of things. I would love to hear from you and I know many of our readers would as well. It will also be a huge help for me to generate content on this site and provide a larger perspective beyond my own small world.
I am exploring the possibility of starting a podcast that will be hosted on this site and sent to your email inboxes just like the newsletter. My idea would be that the podcast would feature engaged citizens as guests who share their experience being involved in local politics. This is still very much in the development phase but wait and see what could happen.
I want to end this newsletter with a heartfelt thank you. Thank you for subscribing and supporting this publication. Thank you for being an engaged citizen who cares about our city and region. On our About Page it says that we started this publication because we believe that local government is the most important level of government to all citizens. The fact you are reading this now means you probably feel the same way. I look forward to sharing more with you and hearing from you all in the comments (and perhaps a guest editorial or two).
If you have any thoughts or ideas for this newsletter or topics/issues you would like to see explored around here please drop a comment below.
Eric James