Life was easier and less worrisome when I stuck to the routine of going to work, getting the kids to school, attending soccer games on the weekend and indulging in an occasional dinner on Saturday night with friends. Yes, that was easier, but I chose to make things a little more interesting by getting more involved in my community. I chose to not be one of those that sit on the sidelines Monday morning quarterbacking, and slinging pot shots at those who are in there making tough decisions, so I threw my hat in the ring and am running for Supervisor. It was a big decision for me and I stand by my decision to do so. As this campaign moves closer to November 3rd, I am reaffirmed each day that being an Independent is the right place to be. As I run into those on both sides of the aisle who subscribe to the beliefs and policies of the extreme wings of their parties, I wonder how they expect to ever get anything done. I’ve realized that with some, politics does become very personal – sadly, some being incapable of checking their politics at the door at any kind of public gathering or event. I have to wonder how some of those folks will be able to foster an environment of political compromise and goal setting if their inability to maintain the basics of civil interaction continues to be stunted.
Regardless of the outcome of this election, my hopes for this Board include gaining representatives who show respect and restraint with each other and the public - that each of us can agree to disagree even when ideologies are at their most polar opposite, and that each member can leave the Board chambers by saying “good night” rather than sounding like Lemmon and Matthau (rest their souls) in the film Grumpy Old Men. One can dream. But in the meantime, a little about me and my campaign……
I am the right candidate at the right time. I reflect the population of this county – I’m the wife of a law enforcement officer and mother of young, school-aged athletic children, a taxpayer, and the daughter of a retired widow on a fixed income. I am the daughter-in-law of a disabled, retired Marine veteran, the sister of woman who just lost her job and finally, the friend of many people who deal with the same difficult challenges I do on a daily basis. I have the experience and the availability to be the voice of my community members here in Stafford while they are spending their time commuting and working in order to make ends meet. Stafford residents can trust that they have a voice back here at home when they can’t be here.
When elected, I will concentrate on improving our parks and fields so that all Stafford children have a place to play – recreationally or competitively. I will work with our friends and colleagues on the School Board to ensure that our schools stay competitive and that we have the best teachers staying right here in Stafford. I will concentrate on making sure that every tax payer has equal fire and EMS protections no matter where they reside in the County – and that the Sheriff’s office has every available tool they need to keep our streets and our families safe. Education, safety, security and recreation make up the core of this community. It’s time to bring the focus back to our community and I’m asking the residents of the Aquia District to help me do that on November 3rd.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
(Some) Candidate's Vision
I e-mailed the Stafford and Spotsylvania Board of Supervisors candidates (except for Mr. Goss for whom I did not have an e-mail) providing them the opportunity to submit a piece of 800 words or less on any topic they felt was important for the voters to know. Six candidates acknowledged the request and three submitted posts. I would like to thank the three candidates who took the time to avail themselves of this opportunity.
Having been a candidate I understand the hesitancy to take the time to respond to a request which come from outside the jurisdiction and may be read by only a few. As an elected official I appreciate the effort to respond to a request for information regardless of the source. It's part of the job.
This area is the fourth largest fastest growing region in the Commonwealth. The impact of the decisions made in Spotsylvania and Stafford regarding such issues like growth and transportation will extend beyond those jurisdictional boundaries. Recognizing this reality should be at least a consideration in determining the outcome of these elections.
I hope that the other candidates will still consider dropping in a line or two. And again my apologies to Mr. Goss for not being able to reach him. I have posted the responses received below in the order that they were received. I encourage readers to comment and candidates to respond.
Having been a candidate I understand the hesitancy to take the time to respond to a request which come from outside the jurisdiction and may be read by only a few. As an elected official I appreciate the effort to respond to a request for information regardless of the source. It's part of the job.
This area is the fourth largest fastest growing region in the Commonwealth. The impact of the decisions made in Spotsylvania and Stafford regarding such issues like growth and transportation will extend beyond those jurisdictional boundaries. Recognizing this reality should be at least a consideration in determining the outcome of these elections.
I hope that the other candidates will still consider dropping in a line or two. And again my apologies to Mr. Goss for not being able to reach him. I have posted the responses received below in the order that they were received. I encourage readers to comment and candidates to respond.
Gary Snellings (R), Hartwood District, Stafford
I truly believe the most important reason that any individual, regardless of party affiliation, would want to run for public office is the desire to see something better come when he/she is elected. With my experience and track record of success, I will be that representative who hits the ground running and is able to restore confidence in our local government.
I served on the Stafford Board of Supervisors from 2002-2005, representing the citizens of the Hartwood District. I am proud of our accomplishments on the Board, especially on the economic side of the issues. During my tenure, Stafford experienced a 45% economic growth rate, the second highest for any locality in Virginia. Employment grew by 5% annually, resulting in 7,000 new jobs for the citizens of Stafford County. We achieved this by preserving the principles that made Stafford the Business Friendly Community that it should be. Unfortunately since I left the Board in 2005, the current majority on the Board has been extremely unfriendly to our small business men and women.
During these hard economic times that are especially tough on the small business person, the Current Majority on the Board has levied the B.P.O.L Tax and Transportation Tax on Small Business Owners. This is in addition to large increases in our property assessments.
Outside of the obvious problems with the economy, I believe we need to take a different approach to our education in Stafford, one that is based more on commonsense. We have to put more money directly into the classroom. Nothing can substitute for happy teachers, excellent resources and the most technologically up to date classrooms for our students. The only way we can prepare our next generation for their time in the workforce or continuing on to higher education is by spending money directly on them. Unfortunately, the current Board sees this differently than I.
For the first time in memory, Stafford’s teachers make less than their counterparts in Spotsylvania County. This overtaking of Stafford Teachers also came in the same year that the majority on the Board gave themselves a 22% pay raise, led by my opponent.
The other major issues that have fueled my desire to regain this position are Transportation and Public Safety, both of which touch on the overall safety of our community. We need to focus on making improvements to our primary and secondary road systems to ensure a car ride is as safe as we can possibly make it. Unfortunately, the County does not have the proper funds to undertake any monster projects or road widening, but that does not mean there is not enough to correct hazardous intersections and stretches of road.
Even with the Economy, Education, Public Safety and Transportation, the most important issue in my campaign is the voters. The citizens of Stafford County deserve a more civil, productive Board of Supervisors. That is why I invite anyone and everyone to call me, send me an email or attend any of my public functions to get to know me, my campaign and the issues. Only together can we make our community better, which is why I need your help to understand what issues are important to you, the resident of Stafford County.
If you have any questions about my campaign, please do not hesitate to contact me via email at gary@snellingsforsupervisor.com or visit my website at www.SnellingsForSupervisor.com..
I served on the Stafford Board of Supervisors from 2002-2005, representing the citizens of the Hartwood District. I am proud of our accomplishments on the Board, especially on the economic side of the issues. During my tenure, Stafford experienced a 45% economic growth rate, the second highest for any locality in Virginia. Employment grew by 5% annually, resulting in 7,000 new jobs for the citizens of Stafford County. We achieved this by preserving the principles that made Stafford the Business Friendly Community that it should be. Unfortunately since I left the Board in 2005, the current majority on the Board has been extremely unfriendly to our small business men and women.
During these hard economic times that are especially tough on the small business person, the Current Majority on the Board has levied the B.P.O.L Tax and Transportation Tax on Small Business Owners. This is in addition to large increases in our property assessments.
Outside of the obvious problems with the economy, I believe we need to take a different approach to our education in Stafford, one that is based more on commonsense. We have to put more money directly into the classroom. Nothing can substitute for happy teachers, excellent resources and the most technologically up to date classrooms for our students. The only way we can prepare our next generation for their time in the workforce or continuing on to higher education is by spending money directly on them. Unfortunately, the current Board sees this differently than I.
For the first time in memory, Stafford’s teachers make less than their counterparts in Spotsylvania County. This overtaking of Stafford Teachers also came in the same year that the majority on the Board gave themselves a 22% pay raise, led by my opponent.
The other major issues that have fueled my desire to regain this position are Transportation and Public Safety, both of which touch on the overall safety of our community. We need to focus on making improvements to our primary and secondary road systems to ensure a car ride is as safe as we can possibly make it. Unfortunately, the County does not have the proper funds to undertake any monster projects or road widening, but that does not mean there is not enough to correct hazardous intersections and stretches of road.
Even with the Economy, Education, Public Safety and Transportation, the most important issue in my campaign is the voters. The citizens of Stafford County deserve a more civil, productive Board of Supervisors. That is why I invite anyone and everyone to call me, send me an email or attend any of my public functions to get to know me, my campaign and the issues. Only together can we make our community better, which is why I need your help to understand what issues are important to you, the resident of Stafford County.
If you have any questions about my campaign, please do not hesitate to contact me via email at gary@snellingsforsupervisor.com or visit my website at www.SnellingsForSupervisor.com..
Susan Stimpson (R), Falmouth District, Stafford
I am seeking election as the Falmouth District member of the Stafford County Board of Supervisors and I’m running as the candidate of unity, opportunity and personal freedoms. I have a vision for our county of how we can create a stronger local economy by having business-friendly policies.
Of working toward creating a Science and Technology Center that would allow the many talented people who live in Stafford to work in Stafford, which allows more time for our families and community.
Of managing growth with better planned roads and making developers pay their fair share for things like transportation and schools.
Of returning to a partnership between the Board of Supervisors and the School Board. Both boards have the same constituents and it is a joint responsibility to ensure that every dollar is put to its best use. Those dollars need to find their way to the classrooms. No more hollow words that teachers deserve a raise. Let’s make it happen.
I’m a graduate of Mary Washington College and have my Masters in Public Administration but I have real-world experience of bringing people together and solving problems whether it's through my leadership as the Chairman of my homeowner's association or as the Children's Ministry Coordinator at Falmouth Baptist Church.
I married a Marine (Go Navy!) and we have lived around the country and raised our family while Dan served. But we chose to return to the area that I fell in love with during college for his retirement.
While it’s true I have enjoyed leading the Stafford GOP as their Chairman and sharing in its many successes, it has become obvious to me that good local government is not about partisan battles. There are many differences between those Democrats in DC and Stafford Republicans but this race is not about those differences.
This race is about choosing the most effective leader for Falmouth; someone who will work with the other members of the Board to move Stafford forward. It’s not about today’s partisan bickering. It’s about results for Stafford and I am ready to lead.
This is an important election because many of the things we hold dear are in jeopardy.
Our world is in unprecedented financial turmoil. Business is slow. Our savings and 401k's are shrinking. Almost every family has either had someone who lost a job or knows someone who has, or worries at night about their own job. It has affected us all. And the new majority on the Board of Supervisors is more interested in partisan infighting than they are in you and me.
The worst and last thing a leader should do in these times is prevent new jobs from being created. Yet that is exactly what the current majority has done. They have adopted anti-opportunity measures such as levying taxes on businesses that want to create jobs here in Stafford County.
The current majority believes that, having come to Stafford and achieved opportunity for themselves, they want to now cut if off from others.
They have even, in their arrogance, gone so far as to cancel the county’s membership in the Chamber of Commerce.
It’s time we had leaders who operate out of what is best for their constituency.
Secondly, where there’s arrogance there is sure to be strife. The current majority has become so politically motivated and polarized, they spend more time fighting than passing legislation that makes the lives of all of us here in Stafford better.
This doesn't make them representatives this makes them just politicians.
I want to represent the people of Falmouth because I am, quite simply, one of them. I'm the mom with the school-aged kids. As having recently completed a government contract as a Budget Analyst at the State Department, I was the commuter who wished I could work here in Stafford. I'm active in my church because I want my community to be stronger.
My commitment is to bring to the current board:
1. A vision for Stafford both long and short-term.
2. A boldness to act on behalf of the citizenry to live their lives in unfettered freedom.
3. To be a force of unity, seeking common ground inside the board and between the board and other governing bodies.
4. To return Stafford to a pro-unity stance so that new, clean safe jobs are brought to the area.
To this end, I propose to work toward the establishment of a research and technology center here in Stafford– where the jobs of the future will come from.
I have the commitment, energy and passion to make the lives of Stafford families better year by year through increased opportunity. I have the real-world experience as both a professional in the work force and as a leader in the community to take my vision for Stafford and work with other members of the Board to make Stafford the best place to live, work and raise a family.
Of working toward creating a Science and Technology Center that would allow the many talented people who live in Stafford to work in Stafford, which allows more time for our families and community.
Of managing growth with better planned roads and making developers pay their fair share for things like transportation and schools.
Of returning to a partnership between the Board of Supervisors and the School Board. Both boards have the same constituents and it is a joint responsibility to ensure that every dollar is put to its best use. Those dollars need to find their way to the classrooms. No more hollow words that teachers deserve a raise. Let’s make it happen.
I’m a graduate of Mary Washington College and have my Masters in Public Administration but I have real-world experience of bringing people together and solving problems whether it's through my leadership as the Chairman of my homeowner's association or as the Children's Ministry Coordinator at Falmouth Baptist Church.
I married a Marine (Go Navy!) and we have lived around the country and raised our family while Dan served. But we chose to return to the area that I fell in love with during college for his retirement.
While it’s true I have enjoyed leading the Stafford GOP as their Chairman and sharing in its many successes, it has become obvious to me that good local government is not about partisan battles. There are many differences between those Democrats in DC and Stafford Republicans but this race is not about those differences.
This race is about choosing the most effective leader for Falmouth; someone who will work with the other members of the Board to move Stafford forward. It’s not about today’s partisan bickering. It’s about results for Stafford and I am ready to lead.
This is an important election because many of the things we hold dear are in jeopardy.
Our world is in unprecedented financial turmoil. Business is slow. Our savings and 401k's are shrinking. Almost every family has either had someone who lost a job or knows someone who has, or worries at night about their own job. It has affected us all. And the new majority on the Board of Supervisors is more interested in partisan infighting than they are in you and me.
The worst and last thing a leader should do in these times is prevent new jobs from being created. Yet that is exactly what the current majority has done. They have adopted anti-opportunity measures such as levying taxes on businesses that want to create jobs here in Stafford County.
The current majority believes that, having come to Stafford and achieved opportunity for themselves, they want to now cut if off from others.
They have even, in their arrogance, gone so far as to cancel the county’s membership in the Chamber of Commerce.
It’s time we had leaders who operate out of what is best for their constituency.
Secondly, where there’s arrogance there is sure to be strife. The current majority has become so politically motivated and polarized, they spend more time fighting than passing legislation that makes the lives of all of us here in Stafford better.
This doesn't make them representatives this makes them just politicians.
I want to represent the people of Falmouth because I am, quite simply, one of them. I'm the mom with the school-aged kids. As having recently completed a government contract as a Budget Analyst at the State Department, I was the commuter who wished I could work here in Stafford. I'm active in my church because I want my community to be stronger.
My commitment is to bring to the current board:
1. A vision for Stafford both long and short-term.
2. A boldness to act on behalf of the citizenry to live their lives in unfettered freedom.
3. To be a force of unity, seeking common ground inside the board and between the board and other governing bodies.
4. To return Stafford to a pro-unity stance so that new, clean safe jobs are brought to the area.
To this end, I propose to work toward the establishment of a research and technology center here in Stafford– where the jobs of the future will come from.
I have the commitment, energy and passion to make the lives of Stafford families better year by year through increased opportunity. I have the real-world experience as both a professional in the work force and as a leader in the community to take my vision for Stafford and work with other members of the Board to make Stafford the best place to live, work and raise a family.
Laura Sellers (D), Garrisonville District, Stafford
I wanted to respond to your blog from September 22, 2009 regarding Mrs. Stimpson’s decision to back out of the Bloggers Forum last minute based on her concerns of fairness.
First, I should make it clear that I have never met Mrs. Stimpson and I do not believe it is appropriate for me to discuss her decision to withdraw from September 30th’s event; however, as the ONLY Democrat featured in the Blogger’s Forum and the only subject to a personal and untruthful attack by Mr. Eric Martin, I believe it is absolutely appropriate for me discuss her accusations surrounding the “fairness” of the event because it speaks directly to the integrity of the person who put the event together, Mr. Colin Brehm.
Throughout this entire process, Mr. Brehm has been upfront about what he was putting together and the forum he was hoping to create. He wanted a bi-partisan forum to discuss the issues. Most importantly, he gave each participant the opportunity to submit topics to be discussed and has since offered to accept questions from the participants to be asked throughout the evening.
If anything is unfair about this event, it is the fact that Mr. Brehm and his colleagues are expecting us, the candidates, to actually be able to discuss such an array of topics with knowledge, passion, and without the help of our party puppeteers – quite the task for those amongst us with only one issue to discuss or those running on a party platform.
Quite frankly, I look forward to Wednesday night’s Blogger’s Forum, as it provides each of the candidates an opportunity to present their positions and vision uncensored and each of the bloggers an opportunity to ask the questions we, the candidates, typically avoid. It is Democracy in its purest form!
Thank you for your time and I look forward to meeting you on Wednesday!
Sincerely,
Laura Sellers
Candidate, Garrisonville Supervisor
First, I should make it clear that I have never met Mrs. Stimpson and I do not believe it is appropriate for me to discuss her decision to withdraw from September 30th’s event; however, as the ONLY Democrat featured in the Blogger’s Forum and the only subject to a personal and untruthful attack by Mr. Eric Martin, I believe it is absolutely appropriate for me discuss her accusations surrounding the “fairness” of the event because it speaks directly to the integrity of the person who put the event together, Mr. Colin Brehm.
Throughout this entire process, Mr. Brehm has been upfront about what he was putting together and the forum he was hoping to create. He wanted a bi-partisan forum to discuss the issues. Most importantly, he gave each participant the opportunity to submit topics to be discussed and has since offered to accept questions from the participants to be asked throughout the evening.
If anything is unfair about this event, it is the fact that Mr. Brehm and his colleagues are expecting us, the candidates, to actually be able to discuss such an array of topics with knowledge, passion, and without the help of our party puppeteers – quite the task for those amongst us with only one issue to discuss or those running on a party platform.
Quite frankly, I look forward to Wednesday night’s Blogger’s Forum, as it provides each of the candidates an opportunity to present their positions and vision uncensored and each of the bloggers an opportunity to ask the questions we, the candidates, typically avoid. It is Democracy in its purest form!
Thank you for your time and I look forward to meeting you on Wednesday!
Sincerely,
Laura Sellers
Candidate, Garrisonville Supervisor
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
The Future vs Fairness
Ms. Susan Stimpson, Republican Board of Supervisors candidate for the Falmouth District, has decided not to participate in the Bloggers Forum. On the blog page http://bloggersforum09.blogspot.com/ the notation, "Quit 9/18" was posted next to her name. It was inappropriate to use such a term and it was also inappropriate not to provide an explanation of her decision. The term has been removed and below is the reason Ms. Stimpson provided for her decision:
"I have decided to withdraw from the Bloggers Forum scheduled for
September 30th. The most recent campaign finance reports, released on
the 15th, shows that two of the primary organizers of the event and
Blogger panelists are paid staff, listed as campaign managers and
consultants, to one of my opponents' (Mark Osborn) campaign. This is
an unfortunate situation which raises legitimate concern regarding the
fairness of the event. The obvious conflict of interest and ethical
ambiguities this presents has made me reconsider my participation."
Mr. Colin Brehm and Mr. Eric Martin, who are forum panelists, are working on Mr. Osborn's campaign. As for myself I have provided donations to two of the candidates in Stafford which have been publicly disclosed. If someone wants an explanation for those donations feel free to drop me a line. However, the purpose of this post is to address the issue of, "fairness."
Over the past two days I've received a crash course in the current state of Stafford politics by way of e-mail exchanges and perusing blog posts. This process brought back memories of a family vacation to New England with two pre-pubescent off-spring in the back seat going at it. Frankly, the interaction between my children was a bit more interesting but it is still not one of my fondest memories of parenthood.
The exchanges were recriminations regarding events that cannot be changed and a lot of inside baseball that Mr. & Mrs. Joe Q. Public couldn't care less about. Neither side in the exchanges discussed issues faced by Stafford County or a vision of the future. And yes they got personal.
Under the circumstances one may feel justified in questioning the "fairness" of a forum where one could expect such a line of discussion to continue. It is my hope that this level of discussion has ended and we can get back to debating issues. The fact is boycotting public forums based on the organization hosting the event; or who will be asking the questions, is not new. I get a sense that other candidates are having the same concerns. My response to all of them is welcome to politics.
There are no "fair" forums. Most groups like the Chamber of Commerce or Committee of 500 have agendas. Any person who asks a question has an agenda or a position on the subject on which they are asking the question. If elected you are to represent all your constituents, whether they supported you or not, and you had better be prepared to address concerns, answer tough questions, and face hostile audiences if you expect to get anything done.
As elected officials we do not have the opportunity to pick, when, where, who, or what kind of questions we may be asked. As a candidate any forum is an opportunity to make your case, to test your positions, and just maybe learn something new.
I addressed this point in a previous blog posting:
A dose of reality a day is a good thing--
“Illusions commend themselves to us because they save us pain and allow us to enjoy pleasure instead. We must therefore accept it without complaint when they sometimes collide with a bit of reality against which they are dashed to pieces.”
Sigmund Freud
It is human nature for us to associate with those who hold the same ideas and opinions as we do. However, an elected representative makes no greater mistake when they bask in the accolades of their friends and supporters only to discover that those supporters don’t represent the majority view.
As an elected representative you must broaden your associations to include ALL your constituents. While accolades are great for the ego accepting and learning from criticism, will serve you and your constituents better in the end. This is not to say that you must sacrifice your views. People cannot expect that you will agree with their position on a particular issue but they should expect that their position would be given a fair hearing. The goal is not to expect agreement but rather understanding.
Seek out those who take issue with you. You will find your suppositions tested, see an issue from another point of view, and may come away with a better solution. This is what the democratic process is all about.
Or as the great Edmund Burke put it more succinctly, "He that wrestles with us strengthens our nerves and sharpens our skill. Our antagonist is our helper."
I sincerely hope that we can leave the playground and start focusing on what is important for the future of Stafford and Spotsylvania Counties . No one is interested in candidates' comfort. People want to see if their elected officials can hold-up when faced with the tough question and hear their vision of the future. My question to the candidates is--How will you lead? You need to set the example. If you are looking for "fairness" you may want to reconsider public office.
"I have decided to withdraw from the Bloggers Forum scheduled for
September 30th. The most recent campaign finance reports, released on
the 15th, shows that two of the primary organizers of the event and
Blogger panelists are paid staff, listed as campaign managers and
consultants, to one of my opponents' (Mark Osborn) campaign. This is
an unfortunate situation which raises legitimate concern regarding the
fairness of the event. The obvious conflict of interest and ethical
ambiguities this presents has made me reconsider my participation."
Mr. Colin Brehm and Mr. Eric Martin, who are forum panelists, are working on Mr. Osborn's campaign. As for myself I have provided donations to two of the candidates in Stafford which have been publicly disclosed. If someone wants an explanation for those donations feel free to drop me a line. However, the purpose of this post is to address the issue of, "fairness."
Over the past two days I've received a crash course in the current state of Stafford politics by way of e-mail exchanges and perusing blog posts. This process brought back memories of a family vacation to New England with two pre-pubescent off-spring in the back seat going at it. Frankly, the interaction between my children was a bit more interesting but it is still not one of my fondest memories of parenthood.
The exchanges were recriminations regarding events that cannot be changed and a lot of inside baseball that Mr. & Mrs. Joe Q. Public couldn't care less about. Neither side in the exchanges discussed issues faced by Stafford County or a vision of the future. And yes they got personal.
Under the circumstances one may feel justified in questioning the "fairness" of a forum where one could expect such a line of discussion to continue. It is my hope that this level of discussion has ended and we can get back to debating issues. The fact is boycotting public forums based on the organization hosting the event; or who will be asking the questions, is not new. I get a sense that other candidates are having the same concerns. My response to all of them is welcome to politics.
There are no "fair" forums. Most groups like the Chamber of Commerce or Committee of 500 have agendas. Any person who asks a question has an agenda or a position on the subject on which they are asking the question. If elected you are to represent all your constituents, whether they supported you or not, and you had better be prepared to address concerns, answer tough questions, and face hostile audiences if you expect to get anything done.
As elected officials we do not have the opportunity to pick, when, where, who, or what kind of questions we may be asked. As a candidate any forum is an opportunity to make your case, to test your positions, and just maybe learn something new.
I addressed this point in a previous blog posting:
A dose of reality a day is a good thing--
“Illusions commend themselves to us because they save us pain and allow us to enjoy pleasure instead. We must therefore accept it without complaint when they sometimes collide with a bit of reality against which they are dashed to pieces.”
Sigmund Freud
It is human nature for us to associate with those who hold the same ideas and opinions as we do. However, an elected representative makes no greater mistake when they bask in the accolades of their friends and supporters only to discover that those supporters don’t represent the majority view.
As an elected representative you must broaden your associations to include ALL your constituents. While accolades are great for the ego accepting and learning from criticism, will serve you and your constituents better in the end. This is not to say that you must sacrifice your views. People cannot expect that you will agree with their position on a particular issue but they should expect that their position would be given a fair hearing. The goal is not to expect agreement but rather understanding.
Seek out those who take issue with you. You will find your suppositions tested, see an issue from another point of view, and may come away with a better solution. This is what the democratic process is all about.
Or as the great Edmund Burke put it more succinctly, "He that wrestles with us strengthens our nerves and sharpens our skill. Our antagonist is our helper."
I sincerely hope that we can leave the playground and start focusing on what is important for the future of Stafford and Spotsylvania Counties . No one is interested in candidates' comfort. People want to see if their elected officials can hold-up when faced with the tough question and hear their vision of the future. My question to the candidates is--How will you lead? You need to set the example. If you are looking for "fairness" you may want to reconsider public office.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Elections Impact the Region
The outcome of the upcoming Board of Supervisors elections in Spotsylvania and Stafford will have an impact on the region as a whole. Those elected will determine whether we will work together as a region or not. Whether they like it or not those elected will have a say in how scare transportation dollars are spent in the region. They will also be making land use decisions which will affect their neighboring jurisdictions. So, yes I am again sticking my nose into politics outside the city limits.
So what is the next step? To get things rolling I have posted the campaign websites that are now available and will add others if and when they go up. I'm currently going through the websites and have jotted down a few notes which I will post in the next few days. I will continue to check in on these sites as well as on campaign events and news stories and provide a little color commentary as the campaigns move forward.
Also, forums like this provide an opportunity for candidates to break out of the sound bite restrictions that they will encounter with the press. While some may be content with a few one liners (check out http://questeverything.blogspot.com/2009_09_01_archive.html) others may wish to provide more detail regarding their positions. I will offer all the candidates the opportunity to post any position papers or other info they feel is pertinent to the election. This will also provide an opportunity for readers, as well as the candidates, to respond by way of comments and or questions to those posts.
I probably will also submit some questions to the candidates on regional issues and will post what responses I get. It is my hope that we can generate a spirited and more in-depth debate on the issues. Let the games begin!
So what is the next step? To get things rolling I have posted the campaign websites that are now available and will add others if and when they go up. I'm currently going through the websites and have jotted down a few notes which I will post in the next few days. I will continue to check in on these sites as well as on campaign events and news stories and provide a little color commentary as the campaigns move forward.
Also, forums like this provide an opportunity for candidates to break out of the sound bite restrictions that they will encounter with the press. While some may be content with a few one liners (check out http://questeverything.blogspot.com/2009_09_01_archive.html) others may wish to provide more detail regarding their positions. I will offer all the candidates the opportunity to post any position papers or other info they feel is pertinent to the election. This will also provide an opportunity for readers, as well as the candidates, to respond by way of comments and or questions to those posts.
I probably will also submit some questions to the candidates on regional issues and will post what responses I get. It is my hope that we can generate a spirited and more in-depth debate on the issues. Let the games begin!
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