Thanks everyone for your compliments. I am not even a journalism major or english major! I'm actually an art student.
My reply to you Doug W. is that the students really don't have a say in the Mayoral election. The posters for the evening basically were for students to come out and listen to their views and communicate since whoever is voted in will affect us (even many of us can't vote.) The fact of the matter is that the city line runs RIGHT through campus leaving out ALL of the dorm buildings. In addition to this, there is NO information easily available to students about how to register to vote in Salisbury and/or whether or not they are allowed. If they live here long enough, if they are in or out of the city, why they can't vote when the STUDENTS ARE PAYING CITY TAXES through their landlords, etc. True probably only a few students stay here after graduation, but also MANY students are locals anyway. Like me. I graduated from Wicomico High School and Wi Middle before that and North Salisbury School before that. The reason I can vote is because I moved out of my dad's house by the mall (out of city limits) and bought a house that is in the city.
And I will vote.
And most students won't.
P.S. local voter registration was closed for a bit and opened up for last minute registration for ONLY 2 DAYS and it was during SU SPRING BREAK. Coincedence? hmm...
The students really don't have as much of a say as you think we do. I am one of the lucky few.
Rebecca Ellis (formerly Bullard)
12 comments:
3rd from the right...the boots...the jeans...the "koi"-ish smile. mucho gusto.
Rebecca , both of your posts are excellent. It is heartening to see young people such as yourself taking such an interest on thier community.
Congrats on being a very good writer, Rebecca! Get out and vote Tuesday April 7, and hopefully together we will make this a great place to live for students and everyone else. We are all in this together!
You are a student paying salisbury tax...I am a business owner paying salisbury tax I can't vote either...its called taxation without reprensentation..dont sound fair but that how it is.We at one time had a young man who was a student at SU. He ran for city council and won..He did a good job from what I remember...
It's good to see students getting involved! I noticed a couple of faces are in the photo about Ireton's press release too. They got a good head on their shoulders voting for Ireton too!
I'm a proud Dad today!
Letter to the Campus Newspaper, The Flyer from Debbie Campbell.
http://www.salisbury.com/suflyer/story.asp?sid=1830
Letter to the Editor
Dear Editor –
As we approach our city election this April, I am concerned that an important part of our community – SU students – not be exploited by special interests who seem to want "business as usual" in our city. This is being accomplished through the use of misinformation and scare tactics to garner your support; only to betray you after the election.
My name is Debbie Campbell and I am running for re-election to Salisbury City Council. Like other city residents – students, retirees, and families – I am concerned about the crime level here in Salisbury. As a member of the city’s recently organized Crime Task Force, I have worked with Pat Gotham, SU Police Chief Ed Lashley, Ed Cowell, and other Salisbury residents to address Salisbury’s high crime rate.
Did you know that Salisbury’s violent crime rate is nearly FOUR TIMES the national average? Salisbury also has the highest per capita property crime rate in Maryland, according to the most current reports filed with the FBI. Many of you simply don’t feel safe. You are not alone.
Recently, our task force subcommittee took a walk down Smith Street, home to many students. In our group were four police officers, including Chief Ed Lashley. When we approached the corner of Smith St. and Maryland Ave. we were told that it was unsafe to proceed farther. That was a wake-up call!
It is simply unacceptable that ANY street in our city is deemed unsafe for law abiding citizens to walk down.
For the last four years, I have had the honor of serving ALL of the citizens of District 2 – homeowners, renters, students, retirees, young families, empty nesters, business owners, and hourly workers. They have come to know me as someone who does my homework, listens to their concerns and makes a fair, deliberate decision.
Both prior to, and during my term on council I have been a staunch advocate of affordable housing for both students and non-students here in Salisbury. I have raised this issue, not only in regard to new residential development, but in regard to student housing complexes as well. I have even identified resources to make the inclusion of affordable housing possible.
This is not a side of Debbie Campbell that you will hear from those that are attempting to exploit our growing student population. These people do not want you to know the Debbie Campbell who speaks out against unsafe housing conditions. They don’t want you to know the Debbie Campbell who fights against laws that discriminate against certain segments of the community – such as a noise ordinance which could result in jail time and doesn’t even include an objective standard such as a decibel level.
We need laws that are fair and apply to all; not legislation which targets one segment of our community and is designed merely to garner political favor with another.
During this election you will hear many false claims by those who need to fan the fires of discontent in order to perpetuate their agenda. They will contrive scenarios to pit homeowners against renters, families against students. These people will do what they can to create the dissension necessary to prevent us from working together and achieving the POSITIVE CHANGE that is possible on issues such as crime and affordable housing.
I encourage you to do some homework of your own. Visit my website: (www.campbell4council.net). Learn more about the issues affecting you off-campus. I believe you will find that the issues I advocate are the important issues for those of us who live, work, study or visit Salisbury. Please feel free to send me an email or give me a call with any questions.
Debbie Campbell
410-860-0893
With all due respect to Ms. Ellis, Doug Wilkerson made a good point. The students at SSU potentially could control the outcome of an election; how many of them truly have a long term interest in the future of Salisbury? Of course there are exceptions but most have never planned to stay here after graduation.
Dinosaur, and Doug Wilkerson,
Many of these students could learn to fall in love with their college and its town, if they felt they had the ability to be productive and participatory here. If they had 4-5 years of positive experiences here, why would they want to leave?
My oldest brother went to the University of Illinois in 1965, and never left. He just retired there as a Professor last year, and still lives and works toward making Champaign-Urbana and Central Illinois a better place.
This is the type of thing that we should be working towards, not the assumption that the little buttheads are just here to tear up our town and leave.
We had some Soriety gurls come to work and play Bingo with the elders. It's been a while but I soooo wanted to play Bingo yesterday! Yum Yum
I doubt enough are registered to vote here and make a difference in the outcome. It may make it tighter but I still think Jim will have a deciding win on election day. As we saw in the primaries absentee's rarely make a difference unless it's very, very close.
I hope in the future students play a bigger role. I don't believe the students should have a council person, unless somebody runs and wins, that's the democracy we live in.
I do believe our council should meet monthy with SSU student government body, if for nothing else, close dialog and attention.
The students are a great resource of youth and energy. Put them to work, make them feel needed and maybe many more will decide to make Salisbury their home.
sutdents are not paying city taxes through their landlords... that's a bit of a stretch there!!! Not saying they shouldn't be allowed to vote. Business owners pay city taxes out the NOSE, yet aren't afforded and right to vote. That is the definition of imbalance, seeing as students will most likely leave this area before the person they voted for leaves office.
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