Our Choices for the Shelby Board of Trustees in 2008

Just two weeks to go until the all-important Shelby Township primary election. Are you ready? We are!

Over the last few weeks, we have received numerous e-mails from readers asking who we support for the Board of Trustees. After much research and careful consideration, here are the seven candidates we are urging Shelby Township voters to support.

While these are only recommendations for each office, we sincerely believe these individuals represent the BEST CHOICES for each of their respective offices in this year's election.

For Shelby Township Supervisor
RICHARD STATHAKIS

We have been truly been impressed by the way Richard Stathakis has run a very optimistic, people-oriented and forward-looking campaign. His signs, the target of a few complaints from Maccaronites, are pure genius. They elevated his name identification in a way we have never seen in this township before. Did they work? Absolutely.

Richard Stathakis has run a very upbeat, positive and informative campaign for Supervisor. He has been out walking door-to-door speaking to taxpayers and outlining his Action Agenda for Shelby Township. His use of caricatures in his campaign literature to illustrate the point about Skip’s blind eye toward deficits were impressive - and funny. If you ask around the township you will find that these are images and messages which connect with taxpayers. If the Maccaronites can’t stomach editorial cartoons poking fun at Skip’s record in office, then they need to get out of the game called “politics.”

After eight years of arrogance, indifference and hostility toward taxpayers by Skip Maccarone, we agree that it is time for a CHANGE. What clinched this endorsement for us occurred during the Meet the Candidates Q&A sessions on Shelby TV. Never once during this interview did Skip Maccarone mention the issue of projected deficits. Not only that but Skip never asked for our vote.  Candidates who don’t ask for our vote don’t deserve our vote.

On Tuesday, August 5th we encourage Shelby Township residents to elect Richard Stathakis as our Supervisor.  He is the right candidate at the right time and he has the right message for township residents and business owners alike.

For Shelby Township Treasurer
PAUL VIAR
The clear winner in the race for Township Treasurer is Paul Viar. We have been impressed with the way that Treasurer Viar has stood his ground in the fight for lower spending. Even the current Supervisor has said that Treasurer Viar pays close attention to how our tax dollars are spent.

Treasurer Viar is a strong candidate for re-election. His political opponents have attacked Mr. Viar, including a nasty and lie-filled anonymous flyer attacking Mr. Viar's wife and disabled son. This was discussed at the Tuesday, July 1st Shelby Township Board Meeting.

While these personal attacks on Mr. Viar's family may serve the agenda of a few extremely disgusting individuals, to voters who appreciate Mr. Viar's tireless work on behalf of taxpayers, we will never forget how he has consistently stood with us against increased spending.

Treasurer Paul Viar's political opponent doesn't even come close in a side-by-side comparison on issues important to Shelby Township taxpayers. So we urge voters to give Treasurer Paul Viar another four years so he can continue working to cut township spending and serving as an outspoken voice for Shelby Township taxpayers.

For Shelby Township Clerk
TERRI KOWAL
Clerk Terri Kowal has no opponent this year. That is unfortunate, because we believe that competition is good for democracy -- and certainly good for Shelby Township residents. That being said, Clerk Terri Kowal has done her job and deserves four more years (besides ... who else is there?).

For Shelby Township Trustees
PAULA (CALVARUSO) FILAR
We have gotten to know Trustee Paula Filar very well over the last four years. She is the only candidate for Trustee with the breadth of experience and the good judgment we need in public office. She has stood up for us, served as the voice of the people and, as her literature points out, worked "everyday to build a stronger township." She is right on the issues, and has a platform of progress that is committed to building a 21st Century Township. Paula Filar has done an outstanding job for the past eight years as our Trustee, and we are confident she will continue fighting the good fight on behalf of residents during the next four years.
Paula (Calvaruso) Filar is the BEST candidate for Trustee, PERIOD. She has earned re-election to a new four-year term!

MIKE FLYNN
Even though he is a relative newcomer to politics, we really like Mike Flynn and his message. We need someone like Flynn to fill the seat on the Board being vacated by Trustee Jim Carabelli. Mike Flynn is a conservative who understands the need to cut our spending to address projected general fund deficits. As he says on his website: "As Trustee I promise to fight vigorously for responsible spending, low taxes, and government that works with and encourages entrepreneurial business. With your help we can bring common sense conservative values back to Shelby Township." Mike Flynn gets a thumbs up from us for Trustee.

JOHN BROGOWICZ
Another newcomer to township politics is John Brogowicz. Although he is running for his first term in Shelby Township, he has previous elective experience in neighboring Macomb Township, where he currently serves as Human Resources Director. John Brogowicz is a good choice to fill another vacant seat on the Board of Trustees.

RUSS MATIKA
For the final spot on the Board of Trustees, we recommend Russ Matika. Russ is a member of the Shelby Township Solid Waste and Recycling Committee. On his website, Russ says that his aspiration is to have a greater say in how Shelby Township operates -- how it spends its money, how it listens to residents and how it recycles. He would make a good addition to the Shelby Township Board and we encourage residents to elect Russ Matika to the fourth and final position of Shelby Township Trustee.

As for the rest of the crowd running for Trustee, we can only say two words: Good luck!

That is how we see it this election year. Agree or disagree, that is your choice. Democracy gives each of us the right to decide, in the privacy of the voting booth, the future of our township.

Even if you disagree with us on any of the endorsements above, please make sure you get to the polls and VOTE. Democracy is not a spectator's sport. It requires each of us to participate and voice our opinion through the power of our individual vote.

One vote DOES matter. So don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

VOTE -- VOTE -- VOTE!

Skip's Township Tyranny Is Coming To An End; Let FREEDOM Ring!

One e-mailer (anonymous) sent us a note recently to protest our labeling of Skip Maccarone as a Tyrant. This Skippy cheerleader obviously has no idea what is really going on behind the scenes, and the television cameras, in OUR township!

"I have never seen someone more hard-working than Mr. Maccarone. Thank God he is on the Board or our township would really be in trouble."

What?? Okay, now that we have stopped laughing, let's get serious here. This e-mailer's adoration of Skip does not hide the facts of how miserably he has governed our township. In fact, it was not us who came up with the TYRANT label. It was another resident, who also sent this description to us....

The Tyrant

Tyrants are angry. The tyrant lashes out when cornered by the truth. Inflicting pain on others helps them feel less disempowered.

The tyrant, more often than not, is a nobody. Often he's a failure and a coward, and he needs others to march forward for him to fill the gap of his inadequacy. He places unreasonable demands on others, partly to dominate and control them, and partly in the vain attempt to bolster himself up to assist with his insecurities. Meanwhile, he causes trouble, dominating, manipulating, and controlling those around him with negative emotion and threats.

If you have to deal with tyrants, remember this: Even though they're desperately unhappy, they become arrogant and dogmatic through the exercise of their tyranny. You will rarely get a tyrant to see reason. They live in their own rabid empire.

A tyrant is like the schoolyard bully who won't back off until he gets a punch on the nose. So the way to serve and help the tyrant is to be firm and not allow him to get away with it. He won't change until he experiences a big setback. The power that tyrants exert is too intoxicating. So don't try to change them, and don't bother trying to keep them happy. It doesn't help. Just whack 'em in the head with the biggest psychological, emotional, or financial plank you've got. They'll respect you and cause less trouble.

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We have all seen how Skip likes to dominate the Board of Trustees meetings. He spins information and tries to control the discussion. He confuses people who come up to speak from the floor with a bunch of legal mumbo-jumbo (obviously trying to show us how smart he thinks he is). The image he projects is someone who is trying to push his agenda on others, and he resents anyone who tries to push back with ideas of their own.

A few years ago we came came across this flyer entitled "Flip Flop Skip." The information is obviously taken from the 2000 election, when Skip made all kinds of promises to get himself elected. This flyer shows that while promises are one thing in politics, performance is quite another - and it is performance in office which matters most to taxpayers.

Politicians who say one thing, and do the opposite are the worst kind of people. They panhandle for votes and then conveniently forget who got them elected once they get into office.

Election 2008 is just over three weeks away. Remember, August 5th is THE day. The primary is all that counts in Shelby which is primarily Republican. There are no Democrats running for Supervisor, so whoever wins on August 5th will run our township for the next four years.

If you are like us and want to change the direction of our township, it begins by changing the Supervisor. This change will happen on AUGUST 5th. So if you are sick of Skip, don't wait until November to vote. AUGUST IS THE ELECTION WE MUST ALL TURNOUT FOR!

As the saying above points out, to counter a tyrant we need to whack him in the head with the biggest plank we have. That plank is the power of the ballot box.

Keep connected with what is going on inside our township. If you want to help us stop Skip this election year, send us a note to STOPSKIP08@AOL.COM.

Remember - VOTE on Election Day - Tuesday, August 5th.