I'm not sure why the Ithaca Journal seems to have left this letter off its online opinion page for Thursday, but Village of Dryden mayoral candidate Wendy Martin wrote a piece that feels just right to me:
Dragging on my coat and gloves, leaving the warmth of my kitchen and family, facing the bitter cold dark nights to knock on the doors of friends and strangers alike these past few weeks, I have often had to remind myself why one runs for a political office in the depths of winter!
It is because I know that the issues facing my community will not go away if I sit home in my slippers watching reality shows, tracking our diminishing retirement accounts, or planning on what flowers I will plant in the spring.
Local off-season elections matter because the people you vote for will be the ones who care enough to spend countless hours away from their homes and families so that they can find ways to make your neighborhood a safe, sound, and enjoyable place to live. They are the ones who will work to hopefully keep your taxes low and community spirit high. They understand the need to find solutions for the challenges we are all facing.
These people need to know you care enough about what they are doing to be familiar with the issues and the candidates' platforms, put on your winter coat, and get out and vote on March 18th. See you there!
Every vote counts in local races, especially when elections are in March. The results make a huge difference, as there is much more opportunity for immediate change at the local level, and this year especially!
The Journal does, fortunately, have Dryden Town Talk online, taking a look back to 1898 and returning to the present... though the dinner was a few days ago, and I should have posted this sooner. Cathy Wakeman does list a number of events that haven't happened yet, though.
And finally, there are also the continuing echoes of long-ago crimes that I'm surprised not to have seen reported in the Journal. Maybe I missed it?
Posted by simon at February 28, 2009 9:57 AM in Village of Dryden , crime , politics (local)