Parties or the people?

As a business organization and chamber of commerce committed to the prosperity and  sustainability of our community, we value our elected officials' skills, accessibility,  transparency, accountability, commitment to service, problem-solving abilities, integrity,  ethics, adaptability, vision and deliverables. Track records should matter.  

In recent days, we’ve seen decisions made by local political parties through their  endorsements that continue the divisiveness and make us question whether legislators should be 100% loyal to their political parties or to the constituents, people and communities they represent. 

Do decisions now and in recent years encourage and foster civic engagement, promote dialogue and compromise, and cultivate true leadership skills? Are local parties digging in and asking the right questions of new candidates and the incumbents running for re-election on platforms and achievements?