ATTACKS OR COMPARISONS?
My opponents’ supporters have accused my campaign of negative campaigning. I disagree! We have attempted to compare and distinguish my opponent from me.
A fundamental issue in electing your next mayor is what will he do when his personal interest may conflict with the citizens’ and city’s best interest.
The ethics laws, both local and state, are clear. If your excuse to violating the ethics laws is that you did not know them even though you voted on them, then that creates another set of concerns when you are asking the taxpayers to entrust you in leading a city of 60,000 citizens with 500 employees and an annual budget of approximately $40 million.
If your strategy is to try and re-define 'conflict of interest,' then add "unrepentant" to the list. No public official gets to decide what he has to disclose, WE HAVE STATE AND CITY LAWS FOR THAT.
Citizens have to trust in their elected representatives that the public’s interest will always be put above the elected official’s own personal interest.
Why I’m Running for Mayor:
I first ran for public office because our city government was not dealing with our citizens in an open and honest manner. I saw the inefficient and questionable actions of our city government best exemplified by the Ditchgate scandal in 2002 in which almost $1 million in taxpayers’ money was spent with an unlicensed contractor who was related to city personnel. Proper bid procedures and engineering specifications were ignored.
After my election to the city council in 2003, I led the efforts to:
ü restore local “checks and balances” and accountability to our city government;
ü move our old, obsolete landfill south of town while saving over $1 million;
ü ensure that citizens had an opportunity to be heard at city council meetings;
ü solve decades of persistent drainage problems in our neighborhoods;
ü strengthen our local ethics disclosure requirements for elected officials;
ü improve critical equipment for our fire and police personnel; and
ü construct sidewalks around our schools to improve children’s safety.
All this was accomplished without deficit spending! Since leaving the council in 2006, the city has experienced record back-to-back deficits totaling more than $5 million.
My opponent touts his YEARS of experience on the city council,
But I have the EXPERIENCE THAT MATTERS and exhibited the LEADERSHIP to get things done in making our citizens’ lives better.
This is why I am running for mayor and this is why I can say that
I AM ON YOUR SIDE!
I need your support and ask for your vote.
TO THOSE WHO SUPPORTED FELECIA PARKS OR
JASON WILLETT:
You also voted to move Jonesboro in a new direction. I ask for your vote in the upcoming runoff. I will stop the "business as usual" attitude in city hall ONCE and FOR ALL. Please consider supporting my campaign. I would love hearing from you and addressing your concerns.
