Every headline right now is screaming about gerrymandering. Trump’s allies are pushing state legislatures to redraw congressional districts to guarantee Republicans keep — or expand — their grip on the U.S. House. And let’s be clear: that matters. Who controls the House decides whether voting rights are expanded or gutted, whether budgets pass or collapse, and whether the President has a Congress that will back his agenda.

But here’s the real question for the Black community: while we’re glued to the circus in Washington, who’s watching the people raising your property taxes, approving your water bill hikes, or deciding if your child’s school will stay accredited?

Local Power Hits Harder

The truth is simple — the politicians who impact your life the most are not the ones debating on Capitol Hill. They’re sitting in school board chairs, city council seats, and county commissioner offices.

• School boards decide if your kids’ schools meet accreditation standards — which directly affects whether those diplomas hold weight in college admissions or the job market.

• Commissioners and councils decide millage rates — the percentage applied to your property’s value to determine your tax bill.

• Local utility boards set your water, trash, and sewage rates.

These aren’t abstract policies. They show up as line items on your bills every month.

Federal “Wins” Don’t Trick Down Fast Enough

Yes, Congress negotiates big deals a few times a year — budgets, appropriations, “historic” investments in infrastructure. But here’s the problem: by the time federal dollars trickle down, they’re watered down, delayed, or swallowed by state-level politics.

Meanwhile, local budgets move every year. Your city can slash bus routes, approve police contracts, or underfund schools in real time. Federal politics might decide the headline, but local politics decides your household reality.

The Accountability Gap

We’ve gotten good at scrutinizing federal politicians, celebrities, and CEOs. But too many local politicians are building entire careers on the backs of uninformed voters who never check receipts.

• When’s the last time you pulled your commissioner’s voting record?

• When’s the last time your school board member got pressed on whether their promises lined up with actual policy outcomes?

We can’t keep handing out votes without audits. If we can put athletes and entertainers under a microscope, then every city council member and school board rep should face the same heat.

Time to Audit Your Local Officials

The Black community needs to start running political audits the same way we demand financial audits:

• Compare promises to outcomes. Did they deliver on accreditation, infrastructure, or tax relief?

• Track budget votes. Who voted for that water hike or against funding your schools?

• Follow the money. Who got the contracts, and why?

Too many politicians smile in the pulpit and campaign with “equity” speeches — then turn around and vote against our actual interests. That career pipeline stops when we stop letting them slide.

Call to Action: Pressure Where It Counts

Don’t just post outrage about Congress. Show up at school board meetings. Pack city hall hearings. Organize neighborhood associations, fraternities, sororities, and churches to hold monthly reviews of local officials.

Because here’s the bottom line: gerrymandering is dangerous, but it’s not the reason your water bill just jumped 15%. That’s a local vote. It’s not the reason your child’s school lost accreditation. That’s a local failure.

The media wants you fixated on Washington. I’m telling you: the fight is right here at home. And if we don’t start fighting locally with the same fire we bring to presidential debates, we’ll keep losing where it matters most.