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Sunday, August 16, 2015

A Letter To The Editor: Upcoming Salisbury Election Deadline

With Salisbury’s filing deadline fast approaching, I am shocked by the number of uncontested races. I want to encourage people who are eligible and who want to see Salisbury prosper in a way that’s good for normal everyday people do more than complain about your rising taxes, crumbling streets and sidewalks, failed wastewater treatment plant, preferential deals that benefit a select few, etc. (this is by no means an exhaustive list) to step up and run.

If you are dissatisfied and are not willing to throw your name in the race, than the sad fact is that you are part of the problem. Sure, you may have a busy life. You may never have thought about holding public office. You may doubt your capabilities. You may have lost hope, but you can make a difference.

I know because I decided to run for public office instead of complaining and with a shoestring budget and a handful of dedicated volunteers, I ran and won a seat in a very difficult race. At first the learning curve was a little steep, but I read my materials and asked for help from experts whenever needed. I am proud of the time that I served the public and the many things that I helped to get done to improve transparency and accountability, improve the economy, and more. I brought fresh ideas. I worked hard. I can say that I did my part.

Will you, or will you sit and complain? Has Jim Ireton served you well enough as mayor that you want to give him a council seat? No one is running against him. Has Laura Mitchell? Shanie Shields? Is Jake Day so qualified to be your mayor that no one else feels like they could help Salisbury? Every vote that is taken sets the course for the future of your city. Look at the candidates, their voting records, what an uncontested race for nearly every seat would mean to who represents you.

I am just an ordinary person, but I am practical and I cared deeply about the city and the people I was serving. I made a difference. You could too.

Filing is easy. Follow your heart and make a difference in the city you love.

43 comments:

Anonymous said...

I can throw a baseball and hit the city line from my house, but considered county so not eligible. Otherwise I would take on these clowns in a second. I guess not paying outrageous city taxes is worth it.

Anonymous said...

what's the point? everything you do will just be subject to the "wasn't as good as it was in 1975" crowd. I swear I have never seen more negative people then here on the Eastern Shore. You get the government you deserve.

Anonymous said...

Shows to go how meaningless the City of Salisbury has become. Let the self-important clowns play their game while folks with real lives stay away.

Anonymous said...

Reminds me of Baltimore mayoral race: choice between Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and Sheila Dixon. To the victors go the spoils!

JoeAlbero said...

It's so important for people to TRY. Even I got bashed but so what. Heck, they created anti Joe Albero websites, so what. Even the Mayor openly admitted he owned joealbero.com.

What happened in the end, ACCOUNTABILITY! I may not have won the battle but I did win the war. Jim had four years to do something with Downtown and yet not a thing was done. I come along and prove that it can be done and look at it today. Businesses are opening just about everywhere down there.

Hold them to the fire. Bring your ideas and vision. Even if it means they'll take your ideas and run with them, SO WHAT!

Step into the ring and make a difference and that goes for the EBT Blogger too. Quit talking the talk! SHOW everyone you have better ideas then the same old, same old.

Anonymous said...

Joe, I admire your enthusiasm.

Anonymous said...

Salisbury Is a democratic city. Point blank. Salisbury socially different from the rest of the county and also culturally different as well. And the things about it if we could get all minorities to vote this county would be democratic then ever.cause minorities make up 40% of population and only 1000 minorities voted in 2014 and the other 13000 votes are white so minorities would outrun white voters that's if they get out and vote.

Anonymous said...

I think in many cases it's not wanting to be a part of the embarrassing ones that are already seated.

Anonymous said...

The issue is 80% of the houses in sby are rentals. Any of us who make real money and would be happy to jump in do not live in the city limits. I think you will be hard pressed to find real potentials within the city limits.

Anonymous said...

No one want to come here after the goings-on the last 10 years. We have shown what worthless back stabbing people we are. Say what you want but truth hurts. Look at all the cry babies who work for the city. Whine about the job, blog lies about their bosses the list goes on. If it wasn't for the university this GOD forsaken town wouldn't exist.

Anonymous said...

1:12 you are obviously part of the problem.

Anonymous said...

I agree... Please just file if you are just thinking about it. You may be surprised and Salisbury needs you

Anonymous said...

I would run for Mayor but it isn't worth the measly $25,000 a year. Only low lives like Jake Day will do it for free. Look at me, Look at me!!!

Anonymous said...

I am a Democrat and I would like to see Josh Hastings run against Laura Mitchell

Anonymous said...

Just not worth the trouble. Salisbury will be B'more east soon. Just wait and see. Shootings everyday, not safe to walk the streets at night. More business will shut down. There won't be anything open past 6pm soon. You might call me a pessimist but I believe I know more about the culture than most. But after the city hits rock bottom it will start to grow again. We are far from the bottom. One sign that things are getting better will be people will get interested in the local government again. they will care who is making the decisions again. So we wait and see who's going to run. Forget it Joe, too late this cycle.

Anonymous said...

I detect an undercurrent that is not visible on the surface yet.The other shoe has not yet dropped,but it will Obewan,it will.

Anonymous said...

If I knew I had the stamina to go up against the liberals on the city council, I would run. I own my own business in the city of Salisbury along with being a home owner in the city so it would do me good to "turn this place around". However, the liberals in this city and good ole boys are all around and it's tough to fight city hall!

Anonymous said...

The government of this area has let us down is every possible way. It's time for a vigilante style of law enforcement.

Anonymous said...

A great many truths have been spoken here.

Anonymous said...

You must be a minority...you don't make a bit of sense

Anonymous said...

We need Debbie Campbell more than ever! With her brains and abilities, this city could be something good again.

Anonymous said...

Salisbury...the Detroit of Maryland

Anonymous said...

Law abiding citizens of Salisbury. The time has come to take up arms as a.community for the good of the community. Out appointed centurians have failed us. As such, the responsibility falls to us to restore order to our streets. We have been ingested with criminals. We must take the responsibility of purging them from our streets. Now is the time.

Anonymous said...

Government is the problem, I wish to have no part in it, if no one runs hopefully it will just go away. If no one runs and no one shows up to vote, thats a good sign we are all just getting on with our lives.

Anonymous said...

People Re tired of this nonsense. Escalating crime, higher taxes for what? Certainly not law enforcement
A mayor that is more interested in getting drunk in public than protecting the public. A criminal element that had established a firm base in the area. What to do? The answer is obvious folks. Time to sack up and deal with this ourselves. The rule of law has fallen to the wayside. Let us arm ourselves and start to deal with this on OUR terms. How much longer before we start to make the criminals afraid of us?!!

Anonymous said...

SPD is a joke. Ireton is more of a joke. How much more must we tolerate before something is done? Look up the quote from Edmund Burke. "All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing."

Anonymous said...

If no one runs it will go away? Where were you during 9th grade civics? As Thomas Jefferson said "the tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure."

Anonymous said...

Debbie, we need you as Mayor. Please sign up!

Anonymous said...

They are ALL felons so they can't Mr.Stat man.

Anonymous said...

Wow, this is the most depressing set of comments I think I've ever read. I wish I could run, but I'm in the County as well, a hundred feet from the line and in the cross hairs for annexation.

Bad deal.

Please, somebody step up and sign up, even if you drop out later, IT"S FREE!

Just get in there for now, you will find outside support from people like me.

Anonymous said...

The pay, or lack thereof, is a huge reason many can not or will not run. Many people, myself included, could not afford to support a family on $25,000 per year as mayor or zero dollars, I am assuming, as council members. Most jobs would not accommodate splitting your time between them and the city. The mayors salary should be a full time salary that could replace a salary in the private sector. I truly believe more would be willing if they could focus on the job at hand on a full time basis. I do live in the city, I am frustrated with the current administration, and I would absolutely without question run for mayor or council person if I could support my family doing it.

Anonymous said...

I'm with 2:42. I keep thinking, there's always the "write-in" option. I hope each of those unopposed will have but one vote...their own. Hope nobody shows up to vote for them.

Anonymous said...

While many are trying to resurrect Salisbury's downtown, the rest of the city is dangerous, falling apart and going down the crapper. Keep cheering!

Anonymous said...

Apparently Debbie Campbell has called it quits and Terry Cohen is no longer here. What a double whammy -- it's given us Liarton and Day for the next pour years, and with Shields and Mitchell that's a killer, regardless of who wins the Spies-Heath race and the one with the perennial loser Boda.

Anonymous said...

Practice what you preach. GOD helps those who help themselves.

Anonymous said...

Say it again Sam!!! And again and again and again.

Anonymous said...

Salisbury has a new theme song.
NA NAN NA NA HEY HEY HEY
GOODBYE!!!! HAHA

Anonymous said...

This bunch would rather sit back and critcize those who run for office or those who already in office.Spineless

Anonymous said...

What is the date of the election as I send in a written vote, and please tell us who is running for all the offices open. Is there going to be a debate or something if so dates please. We need to replace Laura & Shanie. I too wish Debbie and Terry were running, if they had quit messing with the districts Debbie would not be out of office. Joe I would have voted for you if you hadn't flipped flopped at the debates agreeing with Laura and Shanie, and then just before the election speaking up for Shanie. You did not stand by what your earlier convictions had always been, you tried to be the nice guy and compliment them, which made you look not consistant which you had always been. Don't change horses in the last lap of the race.

Anonymous said...

Mayor???

Anonymous said...

Thugtown.

Anonymous said...

Reminds me of D.C.

Anonymous said...

What war?