I was a little surprised at the remarks at the mayoral candidates’ forum. They all talked about city infrastructure — fixing stuff, building stuff, maintaining stuff, removing eyesores, and attracting and keeping residents and businesses. They all wanted to build and staff parks and rec, to keep our youth out of trouble. Like Slim, I miss feral kids — can Columbus Light and Water provide enough electricity to power night lights for what seems like a thousand playing fields? Bill Strauss wanted to improve city surveillance — London envy? I suppose these are all reasonable issues, but they all miss the point of small-town city government — who gets the money?
My father, who grew up in the Great Depression, always said, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” I heard not one word from any of the candidates about stewardship of our pitifully small cash fund. I know that the question never made it past The Dispatch’s editors, but it is THE question. Today, we are in a time when the most flagrant presidential money-making schemes cause not a ripple among the powerful, or much of the electorate. Donny Two Dolls, aka TACO, literally took multi-million-dollar bribes from at least thirty foreigners to have access to his ear. He is selling pardons. It was the selling of Indulgences — remission of sins — by Pope Leo X that provoked Martin Luther to start the Reformation. We seem to have no Martin Luther in our times. If fiscal corruption on high is tolerated — even embraced, where is the moral pressure to care for the people’s money on the local level?
Remember when, a few decades ago, some women sued to make country clubs co-ed because the golf course was where all the important deals were made? Deals are not made at city council meetings; they are made at Elm Lakes or Lion Hills. So maybe the candidates might like to show how they will keep our citizens’ interests as their primary focus.
Bill Gillmore
Columbus
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 33 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
