By: Dr. Gayle Alberda

Civic dialogue seems like a lost art, especially at the national level. But here, at the local level, civic dialogue is alive and well.

Despite the high temperatures at BRBC’s Candidate Forum, held at Fairfield University Bellarmine Campus in Bridgeport, over 140 people gathered to meet and listen to the four Democratic primary candidates for the 22nd Senate District race: Scott Burns, Bill Finch, Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox, and Tyler Mack.

As the moderator, I asked each of the candidates to discuss the most pressing issues facing the district, and more specifically, issues hindering business growth and development. The common theme among all the answers was the need for revitalization. Each candidate offered different ways to achieve this: cultivating new opportunities, increasing affordability, enhancing public education, improving fiscal responsibility, encouraging sustainability, upgrading infrastructure, and stimulating economic development. Specific to the business community, the candidates’ answers were more varied: eliminate corruption, lower property taxes, create regional governance, increase downtown investments, develop a business-friendly environment, and foster affordable housing.

None of these answers are surprising. Connecticut is one of the highest taxed and most densely populated states. While the demands from residents vary, it boils down to good governance, accountable leaders, and the delivery of goods and services to the community. Policy ends are often the same; it is the means to achieve those ends that differ. The forum underscored this; each candidate differed on how to achieve the same ends. This is the beauty, and perhaps sometimes the frustration, of democracy.

As I explain to my students, we cannot wave a magic wand to fix policy problems nor is there a one-size-fits-all solution. It is important to remember that policy matters on their surface might seem easy. But, once we deep dive into them, we become extremely aware of their nuances and complexities. Coupling this with our ideologies, finding a solution that benefits, let alone is supported, by all seems unattainable.

Yet, democracy resolves this challenge by ensuring our policy preferences are heard. Constituents can petition their government, volunteer for causes, lobby their elected officials, and so on. My favorite method to ensure one’s voice is heard is by voting. We vote for the candidates who we feel best align with our beliefs and policy stances. Our role as participants in democracy is to make informed decisions. Forums, such as this one, provide us with the information necessary to make an informed decision on Election Day. This is the part I love about US democracy: civic engagement and participation.