The ballot you are about to receive in the mail

Ormond Beach Observer
Opinion

Every eligible voter in Ormond Beach (in fact, in all of Volusia County) will be receiving a ballot to vote on very important issues. Do not throw your ballot away. THEY are counting on you to do just that. A trashed ballot is a vote for THEM. Considering County Council and local City Commission track records, current politicians do not warrant any encouragement to spend more of your money, or spend more time in office.

Based on past history, only (approximately) 30% of ballots mailed out are returned for vote tabulation. That means, effectively, 16% of the population could determine the outcome of a mail out ballot/mail in vote — sixteen percent (16%)! Pretty clever of them folks who control our County and our City. THEY orchestrated this unnecessary vote in mid-year via mail out ballots to ensure low returns and, possibly, to pass their devious plans. Good leadership would prepare the public over a longer period of time for these changes, get the public involved and have the vote during a regular election period so as not to cost the taxpayers (us) the amount of $500,000 which is the approximate cost of this mail out ballot fiasco.

The half-cent tax increase has merit — if put in the right hands to ensure proper use of same. Additional funding for road improvements and water management is needed. What isn't needed at this juncture is control of these funds by those currently in office. Solution — wait until the general elections, clean house and then bring back the half-cent tax increase.

Regarding extending term limits as proposed by the Ormond Beach City Commission, any voter would have to ask a simple question: "Why?" The current City Commission has not shown any favor toward the residents of this City. Since THEY do get in the "last word," THEY go about their merry way of disregarding the views, the wants, and the needs of the residents. Why would we, or should we, subject ourselves to more years of this abuse? Institutional knowledge? That's a stretch. Mere control, and further abuse, of the residents sounds more like it.

Again, do NOT throw those ballots away. A trashed vote is a vote for those that favor more taxes and more time in office (in order to spend your money). The County Council has tried several times to overturn Amendment 10 which was overwhelmingly passed by the citizens of Volusia County giving more "departmental control" to the county sheriff, tax assessor, property appraiser, election supervisor, and clerk of the court. The people of Volusia County have spoken, but the majority of the County Council wants to control everything.

The Ormond Beach City Commission has proposed preposterous referenda so that they can sit on their thrones for a longer amount of time, thereby ensuring total control of the city for them for, what would seem to us, an eternity. Over the past year, THEY have repeatedly ignored the pleas of the residents and voted through a gas station and a car wash to be placed in an environmentally sensitive area which also abuts up to a very nice residential neighborhood. And to add insult to injury, THEY voted to approve a floating dock in excess of one million dollars at the foot of Granada Bridge. How many of you reading this letter will put that dock to use?

Very recently Anne Ruby, on behalf of "Citizens 4 Responsible Development", and several others wrote articles about this same topic. And, the bottom line, the main focal point, is — trust. Based on recent history, these political leaders have not shown representation or leadership. There is a distinct difference between self-serving, and for the people, by the people. Effectively, we need to replace all city leaders and all, but 2 – 3, of those that make up the County Council. Sad state of affairs, but it is what it is.

Now, adding more salt to the wounds, the city leaders of Ormond Beach had the audacity to mail a fancy, glossy sales pitch to every registered voter in the City pushing the sales tax and THEIR self-serving referenda for the term increases, etc. — just last week, an expenditure that we (that is, you and me) paid for!

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and mine, based on the above, is as follows: 1) vote "AGAINST" (the half-cent sales tax) on the County Referendum regarding the proposed tax increase; and 2) vote "NO" (for rejection) on all four city of Ormond Beach referenda requesting changes to extended terms and term limits. These amendments, if approved, will favor the incumbent commission and will lessen accountability to the citizens of this City.

You, reading this letter, are the voice of this county and your city. You, too, are entitled to your own opinion. Mine is based on facts as presented by other members of our extended community. The main thing is to exercise your given right by having the freedom to vote. One final extremely important item. Please be sure to sign the ballot in the manner you signed your voter's registration. Your signature is matched up against what the Supervisor of Elections Department has on record. If you have taken the time to vote and returned the ballot, you want your vote to count.

Ed Kolaska

Ormond Beach

Voter fraud possible?

Dear Editor:

Upon reading the full article posted April 25 in the wonderful Ormond Beach Observer, I was at a loss for words with many questions.

Ballots will be mailed to residents of the city of Ormond Beach on May 1. Voters will decide via mail-in ballot in a very important issue, the commissioners term lengths and term limits.

The question that begs itself is how will illegal ballot tampering be prevented when we are given the options of leaving some questions blank, Ms. Lisa Lewis? And how will you know that all mail-in ballots are accounted for. This is the most outrageous, ludicrous conundrum I have ever heard of. It seems that voter fraud may find its way to the ballot box again.

And while I'm on the subject of the election process, can someone explain why we are still electing folks to the most important jobs in the city of Ormond Beach who as God is my witness don't have time to fulfill the duties required!

Folks, this is why we are going nowhere Fast!! When we gotta wait until the elected officials attend to all their personal board meetings, operate and oversee the businesses they currently own, and last but not least wait for them to find time away from their current place of employment. Where's the accountability? Please tell me, where does such a candidate leave the city of Ormond Beach?

We have so many qualified college grads over-looked and I think it's time to recruit some and Lord knows help them pay off those outlandish Student Loans.

I agree with Mr. Jeff Boyle. Two-year Terms Are Adequate!

God Bless America.

Carolyn Shank

Ormond Beach