The editorial effectively captures our journey from the junk town of yesteryear to a thriving and vibrant community with a strong desire to create an even better future.

In Grand Valley, we have worked together and invested in education, health care, public safety and transportation to achieve the goal of the oft-quoted Athenian Oath: “In all these ways, then, we will make this city not only not smaller, but bigger and more beautiful than it was transmitted to us.”

And the work continues. With the opening of the new Grand Junction High School, our community has demonstrated its commitment to education by voting for it. To that end, we will have another opportunity to support our schools in November when School District 51 asks voters to extend the current bond and plant support schools without asking for any additional taxes. In doing so, the district will receive $190 million to address much-needed projects, such as major renovations to Central High School and Fruita Monument High School. I encourage you to support this initiative.

Speaking of work, have you heard that Mesa County and the City of Grand Junction are working to complete our long-planned transportation loop around Grand Junction? That’s right; The Interstate 70/29 Road Interchange project will complete the interconnection of a transportation system with nearly $200 million already invested in it. When completed, this will greatly improve the lives of people in the Grand Valley. Not only will it improve local and regional connectivity, but it will also reduce congestion throughout our community, improving our multi-modal transport system.

Looking forward, I see Grand Junction’s transportation system as a loop that connects our valley. This loop will include the 24 Road/I-70 intersection (supporting access to Costco/Community Hospital/Mesa Mall) to the west; 29 Road/I-70 interchange (supports access to the Community Rec Center surrounded by a beautiful 200-acre park) to the east; and the Las Colonias and Dos Rios developments along Riverside Parkway and the river to the south.

But we can’t do it without the support of our constituents. Again, this is a critical project that can be accomplished without raising taxes. While it will take some additional steps to get this on the ballot before the November election, I encourage you to support this initiative if it all comes together, which I believe it will.

The Sentinel editorial board stated the following in the editorial referenced above: “One of the pieces is that austerity is not a recipe for growth. This community should have a solid understanding that the economy is performing according to a community mindset. A bunker mentality gives no opportunities. It doesn’t allow for the kind of investment that can create jobs or grow individual wealth, which is the ultimate ‘upstream’ strategy to meet the Valley’s biggest challenges.”

I agree!

I hope you take away from this column that your voice matters. Your voice is important. Local elections matter, and I would argue that a local election has a far more significant impact on your daily life than the state or federal election. As for the impact of your vote, consider this: In the last municipal election, less than half of our city’s approximately 45,500 registered voters voted. In other words, the votes cast had twice as much power as they would otherwise have.

If you share our vision for a thriving community, please support our schools and Route 29 with your vote this November. It is up to our local community to support these efforts, and these efforts will make a significant difference in the future of Mesa County.

Speaking of voting, there will be a new municipal council election in April and I urge you to vote then as well. More than half of the seats in the municipal council will be up for re-election, and your vote matters. Your vision for the future of our community is important. But you must vote!

One last thought: Even if you don’t share this vision and don’t agree with everything I’ve written, I still hope you vote. Our management system is based on your involvement in the process.

Cody Kennedy represents District A on the Grand Junction City Council. The views expressed in this article are his own.