Politics & Government

LETTER: Be An Educated Voter in Lansdale

Send letters to the editor at tonyd@patch.com.

Be an educated voter.
It's funny. Most of us lately have been lamenting the political gridlock and shenanigans at the national level. Yet, much the same shenanigans are happening right here, in our Borough. And unless registered voters make it a point to learn about the candidates on their ballots, the ship that has been righted over the last four years in Lansdale could very well sink.
Our voters need to make sure they understand who their candidates are by doing their research; they can not be hoodwinked by puppeteers who are using scare tactics to frighten voters into voting for seat fillers and "yes" men (or women) on Council as opposed to decision makers and doers.
Be careful of candidates who promise they will eliminate wasteful spending yet approve the expenditure of thousands and thousands of dollars in junk mail pieces and robo calls making promises impossible to keep. They call for open and honest government yet they can't be bothered to attend a meeting.  How do they know whether or not their government is open and honest? How will they even have a clue as to how to govern if they haven't come to see how their government works?
Very few of the candidates for Lansdale Borough Council have bothered to attend more than one meeting, if any at all. Most of them did NOT take the opportunity afforded to them to sit down with our Borough Manager to receive background information about our current issues, learn how local government works, and just get to know her. If they refuse to sit down with our Borough Manager, how can we expect they will be able to work with other councilmen/women or on behalf of their constituents? Are these the types of traits we want in our local leaders? By simple definition, a leader is one who sets the path, not the one who blindly follows the path their string pullers push them down.
Before you push the buttons in the voting booth, ask yourself, "what is this candidate's motive?" Can he or she think for him or herself, or are they beholden to party leaders and special interest dollars (remember all those mailers)? Be careful of candidates who only care about party politics and personal agendas. Our town deserves better than.
When considering who to vote for don't be afraid to think outside of the box. Consider the entire ballot. Maybe an Independent candidate is worthy of your vote. Perhaps if you have doubts about some of the choices on your ballot, you will take the time to cast a write in  (incidentally, a write in vote is very EASY to do). Your right to exercise your vote in any way you choose is a beautiful thing, but do it justice: be informed.
I have been faithfully and passionately serving this Borough on Council for the past four years. I am my own person and do only what I believe best serves our citizens of Lansdale, no matter their party or ward. I think most of you know that. I would love to continue doing what I do to make our Borough a better place. I would love your support Tuesday at the polls!

Mary Fuller
Lansdale Borough Council Vice President
Candidate for Council in Ward 1


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