Southern Indiana Business July-August 2020 | Page 27

community at large and represent all
students and parents.
She’s not as heavily involved in
the League now as she once was,
and has focused on other commitments.
But the school board member
said she is available for any help the
League needs.
“The League itself is very important
because they provide information
and an opportunity to give you a
voice about lots of issues,” she said,
adding that gerrymandering has been
one of the topics in recent years. “No
matter what side of the fence you’re
on, you need to understand the issue.
“You have the ability to ask questions
and give your opinions in a safe
environment.”
Anderson said she wants to protect
the future for people like her
grandchildren, and her neighbors’
grandchildren. She wants them to
understand they have a place that’s
equal.
Anderson said that as things
evolve at the local, state and national
level, so too must the League. That
includes strength in membership,
not just in numbers, but in diversity
in participants — in age, race, ethnicity,
gender and socioeconomic
background.
At its core, the League supports
people getting active in the governmental
processes that affect their
communities, state and country, while
striving to maintain a bipartisan stage
for thought. Locally, the League has
actively promoted voter education
through bipartisan candidate forums,
and members have worked to teach
the public about complex issues such
as TIF (Tax Increment Financing).
“The nice thing about the League
is that you’re part of something
larger,” Anderson said. “There’s
a connecting stream from here to
Indianapolis, from Indianapolis to
Washington.
“It gives you the ability to impact
locally from a knowledgeable standpoint.
Information is key in being
able to plan and model a community.”
Clarksville Democratic council member Mike Mustain speaks during a candidate forum held last year by the
Souther Central Indiana League of Women Voters.
Submitted photo
“There were so many changes that had to take
place in Indiana ... there were things on the books
that people didn’t realize.”
— Barb Anderson
July / August 2020
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