To the editor:
By now many of you have received mailings from various candidates vying for a seat on the Greenwood Common Council. This could be a district seat (there are six) or an at-large seat (there are three). A common theme that I have noticed is the word conservative. This includes the incumbents (already in office) as well as some of the challengers. But what is a true conservative? The best way to determine that is to check the voting record while on the council. Ask yourself these questions:
- Did they vote themselves a pay raise last year?
- Did they vote to purchase iPads when paper copies of agendas would have saved hundreds if not thousands of dollars?
- Did they vote for TIF (tax-increment financing) moneys to be used outside the taxing district?
- Did they vote to spend $30,000 to hire a lawyer to lobby the General Assembly so we could implement a food and beverage tax?
- Did they vote to extend the eastside TIF district thereby taking tax money from schools, libraries and other districts?
- Will they vote to continue to extend the TIF district so we can purchase the Greenwood Middle School?
If you believe (as I do) in the principle of limited government (one of the marks of a true conservative), these questions and more should be answered before casting your vote!
By the way, have you met any of the candidates at your door? Did they leave a telephone number on their literature?
Ron Bates,
Greenwood Common Council
District 4
