Why County Government Is Important to Me?

“Why County Government Is Important to Me”

By: Colby A. Pinson

        County government is important for many reasons. County government provides many assets to the lives of the people in each community. Some of the things county government provides for its citizens are transportation, law enforcement, jobs, and a more personal interaction with the people advocating for the citizens..

        The first of many things county government provides is transportation. Although there may not be buses, subways, or cabs in rural Mississippi, county supervisors work hard to ensure our roads and highways remain intact for safe, efficient transportation. Supervisors oversee the maintenance and construction of roadways, bridges, and other county facilities. County supervisors are important because they can be reached more easily because they are local, where as if they were over a broader area, they may not be as efficient.

        The second reason county government is important is because it provides local law enforcement and fire department agencies. There are not words to describe how important local law enforcement is. Law enforcement risk their lives daily to provide safety for the citizens of each county. Law enforcement and fire fighters respond to local disasters, mostly without the help of agencies from a higher government level. Without local departments, emergencies and disasters would become numerous and overwhelming for state agencies.

        Third, county government provides jobs for many of its residents. A few of the jobs county government provides are firefighters, policemen and women, court house employees, solid waste employees, and construction workers. If it were not for county government, many jobs would be nonexistent, leaving many without work, eventually increasing the poverty level.    

        Along with the job benefits of a county government, there is also a benefit of trust that comes along with local government. Ninety-five percent of the American population will never meet the President of the United States nor the governor of their own state. The same ninety-five percent know the sheriff, constable, deputies, firefighters, tax accessors, courthouse secretaries, etc. by name. This helps break down the barrier between the governing body of leaders and the working-class citizens. In most cases, the leaders of county government are our next-door neighbors, friends, and family. We have a connection, a bond, and a trust for these people.