What is this blog about?

Please excuse the surrounding state o' the blog at present. As I get the time I'll shape it up. What's going on here, you ask?

As a resident of one of the “foothill cities” in Southern California, I am fascinated by the stories, people and interests that make up the often strange and always amusing local political scene. All politics is local, as the saying goes, and by observing local politics closely one can learn a lot about what makes people and politics tick as well as fulfilling one's civic duty. And heck, its also just plain entertaining.

As our area grows, it is vital that our local governments be transparent and accountable to residents. After all, in America government exists for the common good of the individuals and communities they represent, not for the good of government officials or special interests. This good is best achieved by limited governments that foster individual freedom and allow the natural ingenuity of our diverse foothill communities to flourish—not through regulation, red tape or the dangerous assumption that only government can solve our problems.

In light of all this, my blog exists to point voters and the local officials they elect in the “foothill cities” of the San Gabriel Valley and elsewhere to local stories, information, issues, debates, and scandals of interest. I will use the best (and worst) of local media as well as doing my own research. I hope that readers like you will help me by emailing foothillcities -@- gmail -dot- com with tips, comments, and questions. What's the point of me remaining anonymous if we can't stir the pot a little bit?

Also, if I get the hankering, I'll put up restaurant reviews and other more frivolous items of local interest just for fun.

Let's get started...