In the past two days I've received two direct mail pieces from Jeff Weninger, and two from Becky Jackson. The differences couldn't be starker.
Mr. Weninger gave some specific reasons to vote for him that didn't involve endorsements. Now, he DID have endorsements, namely Jay Tibshraeny, Boyd Dunn, and Bob Caccamo. But he gave some specific campaign promises, including:
Cut the property tax rate to make certain that families in Chandler are not overtaxed
Enhance business community by supporting Chandler businesses and recruiting quality companies
Construct more bus pullouts as well as street and intersection improvements to help traffic flow.
Revitalize downtown Chandler while showing respect to existing downtown business (a nod to private property rights? I'd like to hear more about this)
And how did candidate Jackson use her direct mail?
…which is why partisan politics are not appropriate in city council elections. I am a registered Republican, however, made the decision not to seek partisan endorsements.
For someone who doesn't want to have politics enter the race, she sure made it clear what party she was from.
Ms. Jackson also used most of her space on endorsements from the defeated council candidates (Frank Peake, Chris Stage, Rick Heumann), and an odd laundry list comparison of her public service compared to Jeff Weninger's. Ms. Jackson listed all the community and corporate boards she's been a part of, so many, that the last one actually runs up the side of the page. I'm not sure if that was done for effect (highlighting the fact that she has so much "experience" that it can't all fit on one page), or was just lazy typesetting.
You can see where this is going, of course. Compared to No-Action Jackson's many board memberships, Jeff Weninger's involvement with the Boys and Girls Club and food donations to local sports teams and charities is so, well, pedestrian. Not worthy of inclusion in such weighty matters as tax policy and employment matters. Not enough experience to deal with the matters that come before the council.
Ms. Jackson's "Action in the Future" lists generic goals for the future, but not specific policy initiatives. Perhaps that's what one should expect from a candidate that has spent all of her time in board meetings, instead of accomplishing things like, say, building a business, putting people to work, and contributing taxes to the community. Then again, with all her experience sitting in meetings, maybe Becky Jackson is just what we need. She'd fit right in with those on the council who talk just to hear the sound of their own voices.
