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Hello Pinecrest! I am your newest member of the Village Council. It is an honor to be one of your representatives. I will promote, or vote against, issues based on my fiscally conservative tendencies, my love for community, a great appreciation for nature, and your thoughtful input. And while we may not agree on all matters, I will not lie to you or be swayed for any personal gain.
I am voting NO, and do not support the referendum for three primary reasons. First, we enjoy a representative form of government. We have always voted for our council members based on their character and whether we trust their abilities to debate and decide on how best to guide our community.
Secondly, this is an unnecessary change to our Village Charter. The Charter already contains a straightforward path to either initiate a new ordinance or reconsider an existing ordinance should a Council ever “go rogue.”
Lastly, the referendum is minority rule. While being touted as bringing voting rights back to the people, if passed, it will take away the value of your vote by demanding a 60% supermajority. Residents voting 59.9% for a change to the code will have their votes essentially vetoed by the 40.1%.
The good news is the sky will not fall if the referendum is voted down or approved. We may have to vote a couple more times each year but life in the Village will continue. The bad news is how this referendum came to be.
There are a couple of provocateurs in our community who are well accomplished in disseminating misinformation, half-truths, and complete lies all under the pretext of “personal opinions.” These people have lied about and misrepresented the actions of Pinecrest’s dedicated professional staff and our caring public officials and neighbors. Their rhetoric mirrors the worst actors in national party politics for whom ends justify the means, truth be damned.
In our first President’s farewell address, written with the assistance of Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, George Washington opined about political partisanship, stating:
“It serves always to distract the public councils
and enfeeble the public administration. It agitates
the community with ill-founded jealousies and false
alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against
another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection.
It opens the door to foreign influence and corruption,…”
I do not know for fact, nor do I desire to ascertain, the political party affiliation of the other Council Members, Village employees, or my fellow residents. The efficient, fair, and beneficial governing of our little patch of earth is colossally more important than any ideology de jour being promoted by a political party.
We must stay vigilant and keep party politics out of our local governance. We should not allow ourselves to be divided. We are a community of wonderful people from around the world. The collective knowledge, experiences, and varied perspectives of our residents can unite us and should always be harnessed for the betterment of our Village. Please be sure to mail back your ballot!
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