Photo - Brax, Valley Publishing Scheduled |
Photo - Brax, Valley Publishing Unscheduled: Roy Gray |
Photo - Brax, Valley Publishing Ann Lilly |
Photo - Brax, Valley Publishing Ric Schecter |
Photo - Brax, Valley Publishing Susan Austin |
Photo - Brax, Valley Publishing Voter |
Photo - Brax, Valley Publishing Voters |
Photo - Brax, Valley Publishing Moderator: Al Jefferson |
Westside Forum Crashed by Candidate
As we pointed out last edition,
"Negative Campaign Ad...", the issue of using a bogus claim that he was not invited and then trying to smear the candidacy of Ric Schecter was just plain WRONG.
Gray would not accept the invitation offered by WVC to a forum on March 19, 2005 scheduled with Ann Lilly. Therefore, Lilly moved over to the forum scheduled with Austin and Schecter. We asked Gray and he said he wanted to meet with Austin. But then, Gray shows up at the time the other three are scheduled to "talk" with residents and has one of his "staff" (Martin Paredas) call for the moderator to include Gray in the forum. Gray was invited to speak along with the other candidates but sat at another table and seemed noticably uncomfortable.
Unfortunately, Gray did not add that much to the discussion. At one point, Gray holds up a page and says that he got this down at city hall. It states, Gray says, that Upper Valley Road is scheduled for expansion to a four-lane avenue. Unfortunately, he didn't check with the residents as one in the group was quick to point out that Austin had finally backed down against developer wishes and it was going to stay a two-lane road. But for how long. Some residents said it was a budget blunder by Austin that kept the funds from being used for a 4-lane.
Schecter quickly points out in the most congenial manner that it is important to examine a candidates actions before they "give in" and side with residents... not just at the point where they change their mind after nearly being lynched by the residents.
Schecter did most of the talking demonstrating his keen intelligence on most of the issues. At one point he discussed how the Northeast made a master plan and stuck with it. Schecter points out that in the Northwest plan there was a waste of money by not having a good plan to begin with and changing it. Wasted money. Saying that this would not happen under his watch. He would insure residents are included.
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Editor, Upper Valley Beacon
Copyright 2004 Valley Publishing Company
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