Sidonio says Murray town government has made progress, but more work is needed
Editor:
With the untimely passing of our respected friend and councilman Ed Bower, Murray is faced with an unforeseen election. The town board may appoint someone to fill the vacant seat, but only until the next election which is in November.
I have submitted petitions to run for election to this seat to work with the board and our newly elected Supervisor towards continued improvement for our Town.
I’m no stranger to politics. When the absentee ballots were read in the Murray 2017 supervisor election, we came up short by 6 votes in the largest voter turnout in memory. I congratulated my opponent and offered to help in any way for the betterment of our community. He appreciated that and said he would work to earn our respect.
Throughout the 2017 campaign I spoke of the difficulties of bringing about change when the status quo has been unchallenged for decades. The campaign for change was difficult, but when the dust settled, the community had made significant progress.
• Our town tax rate remained flat.
• The mysterious four-year ongoing water leak on Ridge Road ended.
• The water department enacted new policies for bulk water users connecting to hydrants.
• The double dipping health care stipends ended.
• Elected officials are being held accountable.
Our work is not finished. Water district users are still being over taxed for their bond repayments. Water operation and maintenance costs are not spread evenly to all users. This system is not sustainable, is grossly unfair, and must be fixed.
That’s detail stuff. The big picture? The Town of Murray is poised for bigger and better things, but so long as power remains concentrated in the hands of the few who profit from the status quo, we simply won’t reach our potential.
We all have a voice that needs to be heard. Our future should not be determined by a small group in a back room. By working together, we can build the future that is meant for all of us.
Joe Sidonio
Murray
