Letter to the Editor: Giles and Michels Have Held to Campaign Pledges

After the WSPY forum (Thursday) voters will have viewed all the candidate bios, forums, debates, and interviews, they can decide for themselves who best serves their interests. 

Incumbent Trustees Schlaker and Sollinger and candidates Baumrucker, Johnson, and Mancke have distorted the truth through campaign rhetoric.  Statements that the Board majority has voted “no” on development projects creating an anti-business climate are patently false. 

I believe that character counts and these candidates have yet to cite developments that were denied by a “no” vote.  In the past two years alone, the last 27 developments have all passed including Alexander Square and several more in the last two meetings.  There are not any “no” votes.  Trustees Schlaker and Sollinger have been present for these votes and the other candidates have not done their due diligence and spreading falsehoods reflects negatively on character.

Why, if Oswego’s downtown was such a priority, then did the past board majority of West, Rock, Schlaker and Sollinger aggressively push growth on Orchard and Route 34, while neglecting the downtown businesses?

Why did Trustees Sollinger and Schlaker vote yes to a developer giveaway of nearly $100,000 to the new senior living complex to be built on Orchard Road, thus negatively impacting the 2011/2012 budget? Afterall, President LeClercq touted this development for months as "a $15 million development with no taxpayer incentives."

Election sign placement strongly indicates candidate priorities; those who represent voters and those who represent special interests first on developer property.  Trustees Tony Giles and Terry Michels have held to their campaign pledges and have demonstrated good stewardship with your tax dollars. 

They worked to maintain a balanced budget while providing essential services without tax increases; rejecting past practices of taxpayer giveaways to developers that negatively impacted the current budget and led to position eliminations.

Incumbents can defend their voting records and two placed the taxpayer first. I am voting for Trustees Michels and Giles for re-election to the Oswego Village Board.

Jeff Lawson, Trustee Village of Oswego