- Visits from incumbents for any elected position: Zero
- Literature from incumbents for any elected position: Zero
- Literature from challengers:
- --- One for ward councilor
- --- One for school committee
- Visits from challengers: One
I do not live at the end of a long dead-end street in a remote area, so it's not about geography. I think it's about taking votes for granted.
I am not one to spout the 'change for the sake of change' or 'throw all the bums out' rhetoric that sometimes characterizes certain elements of the frustrated electorate, but this year, I really have to wonder:
We have 11 do-nothings on the City Council whose sole tasks as they apparently see them are issuing special permits (done by planning boards and boards of appeal in many other towns, to free up town councils to focus on bigger-picture issues) and rubber-stamping budgets and bond issues. The job that they SHOULD be doing, i.e., making legislative policy (zoning, for example) is left to the mayor and his staff, with the council's sole activity to squash any spark of initiative or new thinking that the mayor puts forward.
We have a school committee that directs the super to cut particular jobs, and then lambastes him when it turns out that you can't just hire any old body off the street to fill the position at reduced cost, AFTER HE TOLD THEM THEIR IDEA WOULDN'T WORK.
I am supporting a couple of challengers this time around. I have heard their fresh ideas, and while they might be over-idealistic, I would rather give them a chance than deal with the same old defeatist bunch who seem to have lost their appetite for even TRYING to improve this city.
4 comments:
OG says...
Does it really matter who is elected if the majority of citizens have no real interest, passion or community enthusiasm? anyone new will have all the positive energy sucked out of them after one month on the job! There is much more to this Dark City dilemma that bringing some new blood on board....more people need to give a damn...and frankly, I am not feeling that groundswell of energy that some of us long for...and with the dark clouds of state budget cuts still looming on the horizon and a national economy that may SLOWLY bounce back a bit over the next 5 years why do any of us have high hopes?
OG..... As a former long time Peabody resident I can see where people just give up and lose interest in the cites politics. Their main thoughts being that nothing is going to change because of those in control of its politics. The key to renewing interest of those who have lost interest is to strive to vote new people into office that are capable of doing the work asked of them by its voters . These are bad times and its an advantage for the changes needed by continuing to seek changes in all of Peabodys political actions. By nature people fight to survive until their last breathe . In this case its economics and the throwing out of those with hidden agendas. All of what I've said here really is no more than what you've already been saying so don't give up the fight for better accountability from those elected into office now or in the future.
I have asked this on the Patriot and I'll ask here: Is PI or OG going to endorse any candidates like the newspapers do? or Make any predictions? With a month to go before the elections, what are everyones feelings on whose in, out or staying put?
OG says...
I predict that Ann Manning will become the first female Mayor here in Dark City. She will be the eventual successor to a retiring Mayor Mike. By the time that Mikey retires she will have long resume of city service on both the School Committee and City Council...she has well established city connections...she is a female and she does her homework...now let's see if OG is right on this fearless prediction...as for this year's races I am waiting to hear a bit more 'beef' from some newer candidates....stay tuned.
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