AMHERST TIMES
Candidates will be given two minutes to deliver an opening statement and two-minutes for a closing statement at the end of the program. The remainder of the program will be devoted to the candidates fielding questions from the people in the audience. Each candidate’s response will be limited to one minute. The plan is to have this event videotaped for online viewing by the public on the town website.
All nine members of the Amherst Open Government Advisory Board, who are registered voters of different political parties, support this event.
IT technology, already paid for with taxpayer money, is an excellent use of taxpayer resources to allow town candidates to address issues of interest to the electorate and help residents make intelligent choices as to which candidate can best represent them. Also, this approach goes a long way toward removing “money” from the equation by allowing each candidate an equal opportunity to demonstrate, in a public forum, why they should be elected and statements made in public will help to insure that candidates are more accountable.
Remember Amherst residents: Both parties conspired to give themselves obscene salary increases last year; video recording of the Planning Board meetings and work sessions have not happened.
I’d be very skeptical of a candidate’s intentions if they are not willing to stand up and face their potential constituents to defend their positions and demonstrate what they have to offer.
Personally, Town Board candidate no-shows to this event will not get my vote.
Originally published on Amherst Times. Republished with permission.
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