This election of ours

by Kathleen Petitjean

Voters in South Bend and Mishawaka inclined to forgo their democratic right to vote in this Fall’s municipal elections, please reconsider. Many of you were likely weary of the re-treaded offerings of the Republican and Democratic parties. Perhaps you were frustrated by the fact that in recent elections, many offices were uncontested as one party or the “other” simply abdicated the municipal seat to the “other” party. This carving up of the electorate is made all the worse by the lack of independent, Libertarian, or other third party candidates at the municipal and county levels. This Fall, however, in several races, local voters will have a choice that isn’t the status quo. This Fall, come to the polls and consider voting for the local Green Party candidates on November 6th.

The Green Party is part of a global movement; Greens hold over 200 municipal offices across the United States as well as hundreds of elected offices throughout the world. Locally, the St. Joe Valley Greens have run candidates for local office, been active participants in local and regional civic affairs and developed our own weekly public access television program, GreenTV, among numerous other projects and activities.

I’m a member of the Green Party because I believe social injustice and inequality are tied directly to our unsustainable relationship with the environment. The Green Party’s four key values; Social Justice, Grassroots Democracy, Ecological Wisdom and Non-Violence speak to a moral obligation to re-construct our society based on truly democratic, egalitarian principles and an ecological ethic. Recognizing the interdependence of all members of human society as well as between the human community and the wider natural world is, I believe, critical for the health and well-being of all life on our planet. Furthermore, the Green Party is unique in our principled stand against accepting corporate financial aid; the Green Party is truly a grassroots organization where everyone has a voice.

I, Kathleen Petitjean, along with three local Green Party compatriots, am running for local office in South Bend and Mishawaka. All are certified candidates whose votes the St Joe County election board has assured the public will be counted. Voters in Mishawaka can write-in David Vollrath for the at-large Common Council seat. In South Bend, voters can write-in Karl Hardy for the at-large Common Council seat and Tom Brown for mayor. I am running for the 1st district Common Council seat with my name appearing on the ballot as a Green Party candidate.

As a Green, I believe social justice exists where all citizens benefit from economic development and are protected from harm. The incumbent 1st District councilman’s vote against the amendment to protect our GLBT citizens and community from the harm of discrimination places him on the wrong side of history with respect to civil rights. I would vote in support of such an amendment; South Bend must join other communities across the country and demonstrate that we are a welcoming environment and are respectful of cultural, ethnic, racial, sexual, religious and spiritual diversity.

As a Green, I believe ecological wisdom must tie quality of life to economic development for a sustainable future. The incumbent’s opposition to striping streets with bike lanes and resistance to amending the tax abatement ordinance to encourage energy efficiency and fair wages speaks of an inability to see the bigger picture with respect to quality of life, sustainability and our children’s future. As Councilwoman, I would work to amend the current tax abatement structure to ensure community benefits for all rather than an elite few. I would also support measures that make our city a live-able, human-scale place to call home.

As a Green, I believe in grassroots participatory democracy. The fact that the first district has only had one contested election since 1991 is fundamentally undemocratic. Voters need more choices not less. Greens on the ballot and as write-in candidates offer voters another choice. As Councilwoman, I would work to facilitate instant run-off voting in municipal elections so that voters can rank candidates in order of preference, thus eliminating the prospect of a so-called ‘spoiler’ in a 3-way race. I would work to facilitate neighborhood assemblies and would attend community meetings and hold “office hours” in restaurants within the 1st district to receive citizen input with respect to services and economic development projects.

Also, because all politics are local, I would urge South Bend’s mayor to sign on to the U.S. Mayor’s Climate Protection agreement on global climate change and urge passage of a Council resolution calling for extricating our military personnel from Iraq.

If you vote for me, Kathleen Petitjean and the three other Greens running for public office, we will work to usher in responsible economic development with quality of life, sustainability and justice for all as our ultimate goals.

For more information, please visit our election website at:
http://www.votegreenmichiana.wordpress.com/