Candidate Declares What She Would Do

To The Editor:
If we want to change government, if we want good government, we need to hold the people we elect accountable for their actions and lack of action when they seek re-election. On behalf of the residents of Ward 1, I am holding Tom Conrad responsible for what he did, and what he failed to do while on council. And I will tell you what I intend to do to make the lives of our residents better.
Conrad could have been a hero by voting against the outrageous contracts that will soon produce a $100,000 police department median salary. By comparison our neighborhood estimated median income in 2008 was $48,561. He could have stood with the Democrat and defended the neighborhood but he went the party line, voted with the Republicans without knowing the actual cost of the contracts, and left you paying the bill. If he had said no, if he had protected the people, he took an oath to defend, I would not be in this race. No arbitrator or mediator forced him to approve those contracts at that time. He let us down.
I will not let the residents down who work so hard for a living in Ward 1 and are on a fixed income. I never would vote for contracts that hurt our residents as these did. I’ll be fair to the workers, certainly, but we need someone in our corner and we do not have that now in Ward 1.
My opponent has been talking about solar energy for four years and now that the Mayors’ Advisory Board is moving forward with it he is trying to take the credit. The truth is he knew nothing about it and has had nothing to do with it. Four years of talking about solar and we have none to show for it. Our energy costs are enormous and the electric bill at the Public Safety Building alone is $100,000 per year. The MUA installed solar in just two years after talking about it. I guarantee we will have alternate energy during my term.
We will finally move toward economic development at the airport and other locations. Unlike Conrad, I will meet and work with the DRBA to help our residents by attracting businesses to our area and creating badly needed jobs.
Conrad said his number one issue is holding the line on tax increases and keeping our town affordable for the income in our area, especially in these hard economic times. I will work hard to assure every avenue for cost reduction and tax stabilization is explored and implemented, if appropriate. Our government must become more efficient while maintaining the services we desire. I am not a party politician. I am a private citizen, like you, who realizes it is time for a change.
I don’t doubt Conrad is a nice guy. And I wish it were different, that he had helped this neighborhood, and I could support him. But he didn’t, he dropped the ball. I offer you a different choice and a different path on Nov. 2. I will be honored to represent Ward 1 on council.
JANET PITTS
Villas
(ED. NOTE: Pitts is a candidate for Lower Township Council, Ward 1)