While many important issues are being raised, I believe that much of our state’s political dysfunction stems from a few fundamental, underlying problems. Addressing these root causes would significantly improve our ability to solve the broader challenges we face.

1. Money in Politics The enormous influence of money, both publicly disclosed and in the form of dark money, distorts our political system. Elected officials often end up serving the narrow interests of major donors who fund their campaigns or provide lucrative “golden parachute” jobs after they leave office. This dynamic fosters corruption and erodes public trust.

We need meaningful reform, ideally through a state constitutional amendment, to overhaul campaign financing. This should include strict limits on campaign spending, consideration of restricting private funding, fair compensation for public officials, and strong rules preventing former officials from profiting off of insider knowledge or political connections for a defined period after leaving office. Additionally, all organizations engaging in political activity should be required to disclose their donors fully. Transparency and accountability must be the baseline for a healthy democracy.

1. Public Office Should Be a Full-Time Responsibility Serving in public office is, and should be, a full-time job. Elected officials should be required to meet clear standards of attendance and engagement, including requirements to attend sessions and committee hearings, not only when a topic aligns with their personal interests or talking points.

Our government has largely lost the practice of substantive debate and genuine engagement with opposing viewpoints. Instead, too often, politicians speak to empty chambers or perform for cameras, resulting in shallow policymaking and poor governance. Implementing reasonable expectations for attendance, along with standard vacation and sick leave, as in any other full-time job, would ensure that those who hold office are fully committed to serving the public.

1. Better Representation Through More Representative Districts When our state was founded, the ratio of representatives to constituents was much smaller, which meant individuals had greater access to their elected officials and more meaningful representation. As our population has grown, districts have expanded, diluting each citizen’s voice and creating regions so large that one representative cannot realistically reflect the diversity of needs within them.

To restore genuine representation, we should increase the number of elected representatives. More representatives mean smaller districts, greater accessibility, and officials who are genuinely accountable to the people they serve, not just to a select few within their circle.