For the future of Prince George's county - A Response

From: Jacob Andoh
Date: Thu Oct 28, 2004 2:44 pm
Subject: For the future of Prince George's county - A Response

Question F - vote YES
Question G - vote YES
Question H - vote NO
Question I - vote YES

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Election Alert! DO NOT BE CONFUSED!
VOTE "NO" ON QUESTION H !!
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To:

Prince George's Young Professionals,
Prince George's County citizens and voters,
Prince George's County taxpayers:

The letter entitled "For the future of Prince George's County" that was sent to pgcyoungpro cannot be allowed to stand unchallenged.

Said letter (which I am responsing to) contains more of the same obfuscation, deliberate "spinning" and hapless twisting of the facts that continue to surround the attempt to thwart the will of Prince George's County voters who, on two different occasions, have voted to impose term limits on its politicians and elected County Council representatives.

Most County residents, fortunately, know better and will not be swayed by electoral acts that are clearly not in the majority's own interests.

PLEASE: remember,

Question F - vote YES
Question G - vote YES
Question H - vote NO
Question I - vote YES

Until and unless the real-estate and deep-pocketed developers and their paid agents completely fund and pay for the construction and operation of BRTAND NEW SCHOOLS in every part of our dear prince George's County to undo the over-crowding and severe damage caused by their many years of rampant housing over-building and rapacious profiteering, remember to
vote NO on Question H on Tuesday, Novemeber 2, 2004.

On November 2, please vote "NO" on Question H on the ballot in Prince George's County - and vote YES on Questions F, G, and I.

We must beat back this attempt to dilute the power of communities to elect their own representatives who are accountable to them.

Reasons to VOTE "NO" include the following:

• It is not true that at-large representation removes parochialism from elected politics.
• Parochialism in favor of communities and neighborhoods is often replaced by back-door parochialism in favor of developers and corporate interest, not citizens!
• At-large districts are often too large and they effectively dilute representation for single-member districts, communities and neighborhoods.
• It is often too costly to mount a credible at-large campaign for most persons who are not funded by developers and big-money corporate interests.
• Developments - and more developments - are overcrowding our schools!
• Developers are building homes - and more homes - and they are NOT building schools (or fire stations or police stations or community green spaces!)!
• Developers have paid individuals (and A.C.O.R.N.) to collect signatures to put Question H on the ballot. The two elected at-large members will be at their beck and call.
• Prince George's already has far more low-to-moderate income housing than all of the neighboring jurisdictions combined. Yet, developers want to inappropriately influence our County Council representatives to build even MORE and lower-quality apartments and homes.
• Enough is enough!
• Montgomery County is working now to vote to remove its at-large County Council seats. Prince George's County must move forward, not backwards.
• It is often prohibitively expensive to raise monies to run for at-large seats (unless one is financed by developers, corporate and moneyed interests).
• At-large councilmanic seats often works to the disadvantage of minorities and economically disadvantaged areas and residents.

VOTE "NO" ON QUESTION H !! (and YES on Questions F, G,
and I).

Questions F, G, and I were added to the ballot to neutralize the deleterious effects of the developer-funded Question H ballot initiative.

Just remember to vote NO on Question H. This single act alone (voting NO on Question H) will make moot the issues of Questions F, G, and I.

We imposed term limits at the ballot box and we expect all of our politicians to abide by the will of the people.

One term-limited county Council member cannot and does not know better than all of us, County residents.

It is time for us to begin grooming other persons such as budding and successful young professionals, to serve our County and represent our communities.

Question F - vote YES
Question G - vote YES
Question H - vote NO
Question I - vote YES

Thank you.

Jacob Andoh
MLK Education Coalition
jyandoh@yahoo.com
301-499-5636