Dear editor:

2008 is here!

Early preparations for the 2008

municipal elections are well underway.

Have you noticed things happening?

Potential candidates are appearing

in places they have not visited

since the last municipal election.

Work is beginning in areas of

the city that have been neglected

since the last election.

This administration is trying to

solve the problems they have created

since 2004 and patting themselves

on the back for it.

Issues that arouse deep emotions

are being used in an attempt

to muster votes and financial support;

i.e. the old “for our children”

excuse used in the school superintendent

situation and the “piggy

backing” of a movie theater on the

12 million dollar bond issue.

The recent and well advertised

Open House at City Hall in an attempt

to convince us they have always

had our best interests in

mind and that open communication

has always been their priority.

Church pulpits are, once again,

being exploited to stir emotions of

faith and allegiance in order to

lead congregations to vote for a

certain candidate and/or for a certain

political issue (bond issue).

These are only a few of the tactics

this administration is using to

cloud the issues that have not

been addressed.

Benjamin Franklin said, “We

must, indeed, all hang together or,

most assuredly, we shall all hang

separately.”

Our city has arrived at a point of

stagnation that no city should

have to experience. The decisions

we make concerning the leadership

in the next election have never

been more critical.

In what direction do we need to

go? Who can start us in that direction?

Are we satisfied the way

things are? Do we feel we are properly

represented? Do we feel it’s

time for a change?

We must encourage all citizens

of this city to weigh the advantages/

disadvantages of continuing

in our present direction.

Our emotions, no matter how

well intended, can lead us to make

wrong decisions that we may regret

later.

May God Bless Selma

Gene Hisel