Dear Editor,
Ronald Reagan said it much better than I ever will be able to:
“Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.”
First, I respect the 70 plus years of collective government employment and politicking experience represented by my opponent and his sponsors: Commissioner Dillinger, Mayor Ditslear and former State Senator Kenley.
Clearly these long-term politicians and I disagree on the role of government. I believe in protecting taxpayer’s money, operating transparently and serving, not dictating.
I DISAGREE with the 45 tax and fee increases resulting from Senator Kenley’s final session.
I DISAGREE with Commissioner Dillinger donating $2,500 to my opponent, vacationing with him annually and expecting the voters to believe that his objectivity in reviewing and approving the spending of the Commissioners is pure as the driven snow.
You need only look at my opponent’s rubber stamp voting record to have the same “ah ha” moment I did. Of course they want his vote back on the council, I would too if he voted with me 99.9 percent of the time. The job description is accountability, not capitulation.
I DISAGREE with my opponent, Council Member Schwartz, taking donations from those whom we pay him to oversee, from vendors and from special interests.
- Commissioner Altman donates $2,000 to my opponent
- Commissioner Heirbrandt donates $3,000 to my opponent
- Mayor Ditslear donates $2,342.50 to my opponent
- Vendors donated $1,400 to my opponent
- Political Action Committees (PACS) donated over $3,800 to my opponent
I am a small-town kind of a guy. Where I come from, politicians and insiders demand something in return for their money. I DISAGREE with my opponent taking money from the very people that we pay him to oversee. I DISAGREE with my opponent taking money from county vendors and special interest groups.
He took all these folks money, he didn’t have to and that was his choice. The baggage and obligations that go with accepting their money is his choice too.
I was born at night, just not last night. There is a simple reason why vendors, long term politicians, special interests and tax spenders support my opponent – his vote. They have counted on it for years and now that an outsider threatens their kingdom they cry uncle. Well to be fair let’s use his handler’s own words.
Quoting Commissioner Dillinger from his State of the County address: “Schwartz is the most cooperative council member I’ve ever worked with.”
Let me translate that quote. After 16 years of vacations, vendor trips and growing cronyism, accountability is gone. It’s been replaced by campaign donations, boondoggle trips to D.C. for photo opportunities and vendor-paid fishing trips to Canada. It’s hard for you to hear the truth. Speaking the truth to power takes courage and is what voters expect from public servants. It’s what I expect from myself. It’s what we don’t have today from my opponent.
With hundreds of millions of dollars on the line, powerful career politicians want to stay in power pushing their pet projects and spending agenda. Meanwhile they count on the voters to be blissfully unaware.
Commissioner Dillinger, former Senator Kenley and Mayor Ditslear – thank you. Your endorsements of my opponent, as the long-term establishment politicians that you are, solidifies and proves the very point of my campaign. The threat of me breaking up your private club is scary. I get it.
Politics was never intended to be a career. Change is good. Fresh eyes and opinions are good. Independence and autonomy in government is good. Your vicious guarding and sponsorship of candidates screams to average people like me.
It warms my heart, because to be opposed by the establishment politicos, vendors and PAC money, means that I am on the right side of history. I’ll take the side of the people every time over owing favors and having to ask, “How high?” when you yell, “Jump!”
Checks and balances are what makes county government work in a way that protects the people’s money. Those in office exist to serve the people who hired them. They do not exist to see the people as a limitless checkbook for spending.
I remain independent not owing favors. I remain transparent speaking the truth to power. I remain undaunted by establishment politicians attempting to wield their money, power and influence as if it matters to hard working common folks like me.
Gentlemen, unlike you I trust the voters and not your power system of insiders and tax spenders. I believe in the power of voters. I believe in my neighbors.
“Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.”
It’s time for a change!
God Bless,
Mark Hall
Candidate for Hamilton County Council District 3
Noblesville