In case you haven't been following, the graphic says it all - I have decided to run for City Council for Councilman Fidler's seat.
Some people have been asking me why I'm doing this. If you've read this blog regularly, then you'd know the answer. As this year has gone on, I've grown more and more agitated at our local political scene.
I've been calling for people to step up and take a stand against the politicking down here. After a while, I thought that I should put my money where my mouth is; I've never been one for sitting on the sidelines and watching things happen around me.
Someone needs to point out Councilman Fidler's hypocrisy over the years. Might as well be me.
He touts how he stands up to the Mayor, yet he sided with the Mayor (that's a nice way of putting it -more like he bowed down to Hizzoner) against the people in repealing term limits. His reasoning? His well-documented opposition to term limits. We're meant to believe that it was a principled stance.
So let's get this straight - he sided with his supposed sworn enemy in government to put his personal opinion ahead of all of ours. That is not leadership - it's self-serving.
But speaking of "leadership", the Councilman loves being in the council leadership. Supposedly, it benefits all of us. I think he loves it a bit too much, - to the point where power outweighs principle. Here's a perfect example, straight out of recent headlines:
Councilman Fidler voted "No" on a bill put forth by Councilman Tony Avella requesting that elementary schools generate notices reminding teachers to teach children why cruelty to animals is wrong. Seems innocuous enough, so why did he give it the ol' thumbs down? Apparently, Speaker Quinn was upset that Avella had pushed the legislation without the leadership's blessing. So Lew, being a good political soldier, killed a harmless bill - in the name of politics.
Some of you may be saying "no harm, no foul". It's not like it was something important like, say... term limits. I say that both term limits and his bill is a microcosm of our Councilman's priorities - politics comes first and foremost. Deal with constituents' matters? Whenever he's not politicking. Maybe.
After all, Lincoln Terrace, a small court in Sheepshead Bay, is still waiting for its street sign, months after requesting it from the Councilman.
Councilman Fidler also likes to say how he was against raising taxes in this past vote. True.
He doesn't go around saying that he voted to increase taxes 25% in the aggregate over his terms of office.
Because you don't win elections that way.
You win elections by showing up around election time, shake a few hands, spread some money around, and hope people forget that you haven't been around so much the previous three years - three years that he's been feathering a large nest in Manhattan.
Or so he thinks that's how you win.
I don't want to be this kind of Councilman. I will do what I have always done - put community first. Your priorities will be my priorities, your battles will be my own. Our communities shouldn't be neglected for the sake of party or power. We need a public servant who is actually willing to serve the people - before party. I believe I can be that person.
Over the next few months, you'll hear a lot about what I stand for and what I'm all about. I hope this will be a two-way conversation. I'm looking forward to it.
Some people have been asking me why I'm doing this. If you've read this blog regularly, then you'd know the answer. As this year has gone on, I've grown more and more agitated at our local political scene.
I've been calling for people to step up and take a stand against the politicking down here. After a while, I thought that I should put my money where my mouth is; I've never been one for sitting on the sidelines and watching things happen around me.
Someone needs to point out Councilman Fidler's hypocrisy over the years. Might as well be me.
He touts how he stands up to the Mayor, yet he sided with the Mayor (that's a nice way of putting it -more like he bowed down to Hizzoner) against the people in repealing term limits. His reasoning? His well-documented opposition to term limits. We're meant to believe that it was a principled stance.
So let's get this straight - he sided with his supposed sworn enemy in government to put his personal opinion ahead of all of ours. That is not leadership - it's self-serving.
But speaking of "leadership", the Councilman loves being in the council leadership. Supposedly, it benefits all of us. I think he loves it a bit too much, - to the point where power outweighs principle. Here's a perfect example, straight out of recent headlines:
Councilman Fidler voted "No" on a bill put forth by Councilman Tony Avella requesting that elementary schools generate notices reminding teachers to teach children why cruelty to animals is wrong. Seems innocuous enough, so why did he give it the ol' thumbs down? Apparently, Speaker Quinn was upset that Avella had pushed the legislation without the leadership's blessing. So Lew, being a good political soldier, killed a harmless bill - in the name of politics.
Some of you may be saying "no harm, no foul". It's not like it was something important like, say... term limits. I say that both term limits and his bill is a microcosm of our Councilman's priorities - politics comes first and foremost. Deal with constituents' matters? Whenever he's not politicking. Maybe.
After all, Lincoln Terrace, a small court in Sheepshead Bay, is still waiting for its street sign, months after requesting it from the Councilman.
Councilman Fidler also likes to say how he was against raising taxes in this past vote. True.
He doesn't go around saying that he voted to increase taxes 25% in the aggregate over his terms of office.
Because you don't win elections that way.
You win elections by showing up around election time, shake a few hands, spread some money around, and hope people forget that you haven't been around so much the previous three years - three years that he's been feathering a large nest in Manhattan.
Or so he thinks that's how you win.
I don't want to be this kind of Councilman. I will do what I have always done - put community first. Your priorities will be my priorities, your battles will be my own. Our communities shouldn't be neglected for the sake of party or power. We need a public servant who is actually willing to serve the people - before party. I believe I can be that person.
Over the next few months, you'll hear a lot about what I stand for and what I'm all about. I hope this will be a two-way conversation. I'm looking forward to it.
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