Cortland County Legislature

"This is a lousy, undoable job which ruins family life, which you can never live up to, but which is done mainly out of dumb, depressing duty" - Austin Mitchell, British MP

Tuesday, November 01, 2005

Late Hit Portion of the Silly Season

The Silly Season in 2001 was characterized by us running on the coming tax increase.

And our opponents' response?

They called us Chicken Little...

...on a flyer delivered the day before the election.

...at the conclusion of a campaign season during which my opponent did not show up for any forums, and did not respond to a challenge to debate the issues publicly.

Do you remember the "Chicken Little" flyer? To refresh your memory (click on image for enlarged view):




Cold reality intruded shortly after the election:

The Treasurer (whose office the Democrats unanimously voted to make an appointed one, a change they are now claiming not to have supported) asked for $3 million in Bond Anticipation Notes a couple of days after the 2001 election to cover costs over the remainder of 2001 (funny how that knowledge wasn't public before the election).

That legislature, which wouldn't unveil the budget before the election, then gave us a 20.1% increase in the tax levy - Chicken Little was right!

In 2003, the voters knew that we had been right in our analysis, and rewarded us with the chance to clean up the mess. We have, and we have campaigned this year on our record of achievement.

But now in 2005, the desperate opposition, not satisfied with hypocritical radio spots, are now trying to sow FUD (fear, uncertainty, doubt). This is all they offer since they cannot offer anything positive*. We will be happy to respond to the FUD in due course (I have heard that a mailing to the First Ward distorts the rationale for two recent votes - I will be responding in due course).

But we hope the voters will remember the lesson of 2001: Don't let Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt - spread like manure at the 11th hour - distract you from the real issues of the election. We will continue to run on our record and our goals.

And apparently our opponents, in a perversion of FDR's famous words, will offer you nothing more than "fear itself".

* They actually could embrace the success, which has been bipartisan, with more than 92% of resolutions in 2005 having been passed without a no vote having been cast. And I am happy to say that they have been an important part of the success. But this being the Silly Season, they would rather defeat those of us who have contributed to the success so that they can return to power. Lord Acton had a saying about the effects of power.

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