Empty places, empty promises

The city of Georgetown's Democratic Primary is June 9. I believe I have already stated my case earlier of why Peggy Wayne should be elected as our choice for mayor for the general election. If you missed it, click her name above.

My focus now is on our DINO mayor Lynn Wood Wilson. I wonder whether or not he's happy being associated with empty spaces throughout the city. Everywhere I see a building for sale or a lifeless structure, there's a "Re-Elect Lynn Wood" sign. Makes me wonder...

If our current mayor can put signs up in empty spaces, do you think he could have empty promises? For more than a decade, I believe a lot of promises from Wilson have been empty.

Look around you. What promises have Wilson followed through on? Look at our city...

We are overrun with "Title Loans" and pay day lenders. Many buildings in the city are empty. The county's jobless rate is 11.6 percent... I wonder how much of that is in the city? The steel mill is about to shut down for at least six months. What does Wilson have to say? Let's see:

"I don't know what to say about it."

You've been mayor for how long? You've been through this once before and you don't know what to say? Does 2003 ring a bell? Surely, this would have prepared you to deal with people being hurt by losing jobs in your city.

I'll tell you what you should have said: "It is truly unfortunate that the industrial powerhouse that has grounded this city and provided hundreds and hundreds of jobs at a point is experiencing this. This city is forever thankful for its industry and ability to provide good-paying jobs to people in the city and county alike. Our city has welcomed industry, tourism and small businesses in a big melting pot that is our home. We all feel the ripple effect when one goes silent. Let us all keep these people in our thoughts and prayers and move forward with attracting more industry, tourism and small businesses that dedicate their work to the people of the city by providing great jobs and security."

My words.

Peggy Wayne is the closet person to those words and has stated she'd like to meet with the mill manager at Arcelor Mittal - Georgetown to discuss ways to help the business in the city.

Given that situation, there's more to be ashamed of. What, you may ask? I'll share it. How about our mayor's alleged sexual harrassment and his dealings gone wild with real estate adventures. Then we have city council candidate Jeanette Ard calling out the city for excessive credit card purchases. And let's not talk about the Steve Thomas debacle. Talk about a person who never meets with people, returns phone calls or e-mails. There's more:

Steve Thomas was hired in late 2005 and agreed at that time to move to Georgetown within 12 months. That never happened, and was among the reasons that several members of Council sought to fire him.

Ultimately, Thomas resigned in September and worked through that month after council agreed to pay him $40,000 in severance.

How about our budget for the city? Or the fact that only now with the help of federal stimulus money the city drainage project might come to life. I wonder whether he'll crow about this as his accomplishment.

Let's also discuss the DINO thing. Ask the mayor who he supported in the presidential primary. I'll give you a hint - it wasn't a Democratic candidate. Furthermore, he wasn't at any Democratic functions in 2008. Sure, he did donate to us in the past, but that was the past. He's hardly had anything to do with the Democratic Party for years. He knows where votes come from in the city, and plays on the fact that we do not register people by party affiliation. In return, he can flood the Dem primary with his Republican buddies to squash a Dem turnout for others. Ask Peggy Wayne about that when she first ran for mayor.

And trust me, they will flood this race as well. I just hope people look at facts and situations we now face in the city rather than a good "buddy" in office.

I urge the registered voters - both Republican and Democratic - to put aside race, power and the good ol'boy system to elect a person who has already proved she can fight the men on their turf. She fights for the people of the city and doesn't stop speaking for the minority. She's not afraid to defend her positions at city hall or in public.

Wayne has a great record in dealing with feisty situations. She's also on record for trying to fight against tax increases.

You have a choice on June 9th. I highly recommend and urge you all to vote and support Peggy Wayne for mayor.