Where's the outrage?

Talk of reforming Augusta's moribund government had been ginned up in recent months, but few residents thought anything would come of it. So when the Augusta legislative delegation slammed the door this week on any chance they'd move this session to change the structure of city government, it was greeted with a gaping yawn.

Not good. Our response should be outrage. It's only the second month of the year, and Augusta's elected leaders are saying the year's already over as far as improving government is concerned - guaranteeing at least one more year of political quicksand. That's kissing off the electorate, since most Augustans know their government is broken and want it fixed.

Yet, not all of them are cynical or apathetic. Businessman Woody Merry is making a courageous effort to spearhead a grass-roots campaign for change. He's even worked up a program for commonsense change that he's presented to the Augusta Commission and the legislative delegation, the two entities with the power to make change.

Nor is he the least bit bowed that they've both given him the back of their hand.

More power to him. If change is to come, Merry and others must continue the campaign to dispel public cynicism and fire up the grass-roots. That's the only way entrenched governing bodies become responsive to demands for change.

Rep. Henry Howard, D-Augusta, chairman of Augusta's legislative delegation, says he's putting together a committee of community leaders to study what structural changes might be needed in the local government - but that, of course, will come after the legislature adjourns, too late for anything to get done this year.

The last thing we need is more study. We've had nearly a decade of frustrations, and the incisive recommendations of civil grand juries, consultants, and others on Augusta's consolidated government. We already know what we need to know: the government is ineffectual, inefficient and too expensive. We also know what changes are necessary - for starters, giving the mayor veto authority and the city administrator hiring and firing power - and more big-picture oriented commissioners, perhaps through more countywide elections, instead of districts.

What's needed is action. The first order of business: shaking off cynicism and joining Woody Merry in firing up the grass roots.