I have read all about the issues in the NY state legislature. My position on a small town legislative council does not present those opportunities for major graft. Our yearly budget is less than a day’s budget in NY. No member gets paid, we even provide/bring our own coffee, water bottles, pens, pads, etc. to meetings.
This is a town without sidewalks and no municipal garbage pickup, where neighbors help neighbors, without being asked.
@Joseph…it would be wrong in most instances, and I’ve never requested special treatment. That said the town does maintain a list of first responders and those streets are usually plowed early.
@Zahavasdad……..
Mayors don’t sign off on plows going out to plow. The department head of the Public Works Department or Highways Department authorizes crews. The money is budgeted annually. If money runs out, the streets still get plowed and that department comes before the Board of Finance for a supplemental appropriation. We don’t have a Jewish Chief Exec in our Town, but a press conference for a police issue (shooting, etc.) would be handled by the Police Chief and maybe a member of the Board of Police Commissioners (volunteer position).
No one needs the mayor for these things in big cities, they show up because they like the TV/Press attention and sound bites.
Our Town has a two day festival in the late spring. I don’t attend Shabbos, I volunteer on Sunday.
December 24th, I work a volunteer night shift handling calls in our 911 center so some non-Jewish town employee can spend the evening with his/her family.
The lower and more local the level of politics, the less of a problem it is for a frum Jew to be involved.