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‘Never’ Does Not Exist – Social Capital
“We will never have the prosperity we had in the 90’s. The people of Michigan just have to learn to live with less.â€
–Richard Ball, debate with Mike Powers, September 2004
Note: This is the sixth in a series on revitalizing Shiawassee County
Community Support — Social Capital
Building social networks in Shiawassee County has many benefits that add value to our communities. These networks help residents build trust and shared values, discover job and business opportunities, and take ownership in their communities. These networks are often only built in church or through organizations that in some way excludes particular segments of society. Social Capital will add value to our entire county, and it is important that the county government provide the leadership necessary to make our social networks as strong as possible.
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Neighborhood Associations – these grassroots organizations are essential to a well functioning community, and foster pride among the residents. Through these organizations, residents share ideas, participate in community projects, and take part in local government. Neighborhood associations can assist in the crime prevention tasks previously mentioned, and play a role in public recreation. In many communities, these associations are sponsored by local churches or businesses.
Community Visioning – These group exercises are often the starting point for community initiatives. Residents develop their own vision for their communities, share that vision with others, and eventually develop a collective vision for their neighborhood. Residents then work backwards, to determine what steps need to be taken in order to make their vision a reality. When these steps are identified, local leadership uses this information as a benchmark against which policy initiatives are measured. These exercises allow residents to participate in the governing and the development of their communities.
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Volunteer Service Incentives – through the use of financial incentives, the county can encourage more of our residents to participate in local volunteer work and public service. These financial incentives can be in the form of tax credits or limited scholarship dollars. For example, a resident donates 120 hours per year to a local non profit organization that is in need of volunteers. In exchange for this service, the resident can choose between a tax credit of $100 and a college scholarship of $100.13 The county would reimburse the taxing authority for the tax credit, or provide the student with a payment. Participation in the program by municipalities and organizations would be voluntary, and the participants would share the administration duties with the county government.
13. These figures are just used as examples to illustrate the program, and not meant to suggest a particular dollar amount
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