To the Editor:

My recent column, “Selma: “The Good and the Bad” Part II contained my comments (under “Bad”) about the multitude of traffic violators – speeders and reckless drivers -who are seriously breaking speed-zone laws, thus creating Public Safety hazards.

I have received reliable reports that City Councilman

Johnnie Leashore was ticketed by a City of Selma police officer, just after midnight on Jan. 29, 2007, for reckless driving and not having a driver’s license in his possession.

The report states that Leashore was stopped for driving over 100 mph in the area of Highland Avenue.

As many of Selma’s citizens know, Mr. Leashore is not only one of Mayor Perkins’ strongest advocates, as a member of the City Council, but he is also chairman of the Water Board.

Leashore’s combined City salaries, paid for by the City’s taxpayers, amounts to a total of $40,000 annual pay.

Leashore was scheduled to appear in City Court on Feb. 27, but he was a “no-show.”

Word is out that Chief Martin is trying to get the ticket “fixed.”

If Leashore is guilty, per the reckless driving charge, and this outrageous traffic violation is swept under the rug, Perkins, Martin and Leashore need to be held accountable.

Apparently, what we have here, is another example of a double standard and blatant cronyism on the part of the mayor.

Incidentally, Mayor, Webster’s definition of cronyism is: “partiality to cronies as evidenced in the appointment of political “hangers-on to office without regard to their qualifications.”

Byrd Looper