Paso Robles Mayor's Vision 2023

By Steve Martin

2023 Vision

with Paso Robles City Mayor

I’ve been reading a lot about quantum mechanics (QM) lately. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have the capacity to wrap my head around this subject, but it comes to mind as I tap the computer keyboard, trying to come up with predictions for the upcoming year.

We all think we want to know what the future holds. Will the stock market go up or down? Will I find love? Lose love? Who will win the World Series? Truth be told, it’s probably best that we don’t know exactly what’s in store for us. The uncertainty, however, will produce hope or despair. Hope is a precious commodity in any age but particularly these days.

So, what does that have to do with quantum mechanics? Well, as you probably know, QM doesn’t deal with solid reality. It deals with the probability that something is real, or in a certain place, or traveling at a certain speed. In fact, this probability (or improbability) means something may happen/exist, not happen/exist, or both happen and exist.

What determines what is what? It’s the person who observes what is happening. (There’s a lot more to be said about this outrageous statement. Check out “Science Without All the Gobbledygook” with Sabine Hosenfelder on YouTube. Bring aspirin. Your head is going to hurt.)

Many years ago, I heard San Francisco Chronicle columnist Art Hoppe speak at Cuesta College. I’m sure he didn’t realize it at the time, but he was talking about quantum mechanics. For instance, he opined that the stock market is a telepathic creature. If everyone got together and believed it would go up, it went up. If they believed in would go down, it went down. He suggested we all get together and believe that it would go up and stay up. Then he confessed this probably wouldn’t work because no one believed it would.

As we peer across the event horizon dividing 2022 from 2023, it would serve us well to remember that our observations will have real impact in the future. It’s the old “glass half-full/ glass half-empty” adage (which now sounds like a QM question to me).

What do quantum mechanics, Art Hoppe, and a glass half-full/empty have to do with 2023 in our fair city? Lots. Either we can look to the future with hope and determination, prepared to see the best in our city and our neighbors; willing to do the work to increase the probability that public safety, street repairs, economic development and all of those difficult-to-specify things will improve (sometimes in ways we just can’t predict) or we can wake up each morning and let our first thought of the day be “what’s going wrong now?”

Just as Art Hoppe suggested unified confidence in the stock market might improve everyone’s finances, I would like to suggest that a city unified behind and dedicated to its primary goals will improve all of our lives: public safety, street repairs, economic development. Improved public safety means well-staffed, well-trained, well-equipped police and fire departments. It means homeless relief programs that really work and really help people out of homelessness. It means expanded mental health programs and facilities. Improved street repairs means prudent and efficient use of public funds to prioritize and fix our roads and make sure they never get into such a state of disrepair again. Economic development means finding ways to support and enhance our local shops, expand our tourism market share, and identify new industries that will provide highpaying jobs for our citizens.

How we accomplish these goals depends as much on our observations as it does on our efforts. If we look at what needs to be done, the probability we will see solutions increases. If we throw up our hands in frustration, we diminish that probability. Please don’t misunderstand. I’m not saying we all must agree on everything for the probability of a bright future to become a reality. I’m saying we all need hope. The fact that we really can’t know the future will produce hope or despair. I submit hope is the preferred observation.

Some people might call this idea naïve and those who believe it to be “Pollyannas.” In the world of quantum mechanics, however, reality is all about probability. So, as we face the upcoming year, which probabilities are you willing to support?

As your mayor, I am very hopeful for a positive, prosperous, and happy New Year. Join me, won’t you? We can make it a reality.

And always remember to stay informed, stay involved and stay strong Paso Robles.