When you hear that someone is a liberal, what is it that you envision? A socialist? Perhaps someone who is solely supportive of gay marriage? Or maybe a person who simply wants government to feed the poor?
And when you hear that someone is a conservative what comes to your mind? Westboro Baptist Church? Or one who is adamantly opposed to abortion? Maybe you think of prudent spending and smaller government.
My point is that words like liberal and conservative, among many others, have come to lose their meaning because of incessant repetition. The reality is that the Democratic and Republican parties have a great range of diversity among their members. We, as a society, have oversimplified the definition of these words to the point of subjective assumptions.
I raise this observation as I wish to voice my unequivocal support for Lyn Mallick, who is running for County Commissioner in District 3. Do I say she is a conservative? Yes, but what does that really tell you? Rather, I would say that she is one who is doggedly, emphatically dedicated to you, the taxpayer. After all, she is one herself. In a recent forum, when asked what she would do with a $10 million surplus, she was the only one who responded "Give it back to the taxpayer." Short and sweet, while virtually all her opponents chose to "explore," "study" and "consider" other ways to spend it.
Is it a coincidence that a few weeks later Commissioner Dave Roush, among others, voted to give taxpayers a rebate (just this "one time")? A word that is certainly not overused applies here: pandering.
Her experience working in the commissioners' office afforded her an eye-opening education none of her opponents have (with the exception of Roush). She alone unearthed the $21 million board of education's surplus. Her position is that, while it's fine to have a surplus, please explain why every year taxpayers must endure the threat of closing Outdoor School and/or laying off teachers and other personnel should the BOE budget not be approved by the commissioners.
Mallick has the qualities that I look for in any candidate. She's bold, she's honest, she's tenacious and she will not be bought by any group for the sake of political expediency. Her allegiance is and will be to the taxpayers. Does this make her a conservative? You decide.
Leslie Baggott
Westminster