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Pivotal election in Dover’s First District

     If you live and pay taxes in the City of Dover, you may be as concerned as I am about the reckless way that many of our representatives on City Council choose to spend city money. Whether you read the paper, talk to your neighbors or actually watch them in action, many of you are already unhappily aware of our City Council’s ongoing laziness when it comes to budgetary restraint. Time and time again, given the choice to either throw money at a problem or to give it the careful consideration that it deserves, too many of our folks on Council choose the easy path, and that typically involves big spending, like the enormous raises and new positions now proposed for the City Clerk’s office. [“Doverfinance panel OKs filling 8 of 33 positions,” article, March 28] Wouldn’t it be great to have somebody on City Council who had the guts and the smarts to question such thinking and to argue that the city should be spending within its means (like the rest of us)?

    That would surely be a very tough job for anybody, standing up to Council group-think year after year, advocating thoughtful, rather than reactionary, spending. A councilperson like that would need to have a strong character and be devoted to the city and its people to be able to endure the onslaughts that would come from standing up for what is right, rather than what is expeditious. A councilperson like that would be mighty hard to find. Well, thankfully, we already have a councilperson like that … the city’s very own, thoughtful, courageous, compassionate Councilwoman Beverly Williams. She serves the folks of the First District right now, and is one of the few responsible adults remaining on City Council, in my opinion. The people of Dover need her now more than ever.

    If Williams is defeated this election,Dovertaxpayers and fee-payers are, in effect, telling City Council that we are happy with their spending. Without Ms. Williams’ strong voice on Council, folks over there in the First District, along with the rest of us concerned taxpayers throughout the city, should be prepared to deal with the consequences of renewed, reinvigorated, mostly unopposed overspending by our well-meaning Council. Just about every other person running for council or sitting unopposed has already warned us that they are very receptive to tax increases.

    I hope that every eligible person takes the time to vote in this city election come April 17. We get the government that we deserve, friends, so, take this opportunity to have your voices heard. And if you vote in the First District, please consider supporting Beverly Williams. The special interests and employee groups will probably disagree, but the regular citizens ofDoverjust can’t afford to lose her.

    Bob Hartman

    Dover

    The City of Doveris facing a budget shortfall of almost $1.7 million in the coming year. This number may increase if the City Council continues to spend money that the city DOES NOT HAVE! This is why the coming election in the city’s 1^st District is so vitally important to the taxpayers ofDover. There is only one candidate in the district who is willing to say NO to continued spending, and that candidate is Beverly Williams.

    Ms. Williams, as the executive director of a private non-profit agency and a grant-writer, has had vast experience in developing and managing budgets without shortfalls for almost 40 years. This is the quality of experience that the city needs during this crucial time.

    Ms. Williams strongly believes in holding the line on expenditures. Quite simply, she believes that you cannot spend money you do not have. We need a Councilwoman who will not vote for a tax increase in order to increase salaries and benefits.

    The choice has never been more clear. I encourage all residents of the 1^st District to vote, as I will, for Beverly Williams. She is the candidate not only with the experience, but also the ability to take a stand and say NO to initiatives we cannot afford.

    Ruth Morris-McClements

    Dover