ARTICLE: Always Complaints, Never a Plan!
By Ann "Bevy" Tarantino | Published in the Union County Hawk, October 26, 2023
The recent rhetoric of the Garwood Republican Party sadly plays the same old tune. There are a lot of words about “what we want to do”, but nothing about “how to” actually do these things. I recall years when candidates from both parties sat together across the same bar awaiting the results from the polls, even after stating very different plans in their campaigns. The key word here is “plan”. Both parties used to have one, then the voters decided which plan was better.
Unfortunately, we again have people running locally for Garwood Council who echo the rancor, dysfunction, and inability to govern we see from the national Republican Party. Saying “we need to do things” is not a platform with a plan for governing; it’s barely even an opinion. I could say Garwood “needs” to turn every street sign in town pink. Why? It’s my favorite color. How? Don’t worry about it; vote for me and I’ll make it happen!
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very September, the Garwood Republicans say our town is in crisis, while trying to make every decision, or person, on the Council a controversy. It’s meant to exhaust everyone’s attention and engage the “both sides are bad” trope. Spoiler alert! Local government doesn’t do much that’s contentious, Council members are volunteer legislators (not all powerful bosses); and despite years of local Republican predictions to the contrary; Garwood is still here and thriving. We’re seeing a transparent attempt to make a local election about anything but what it should be: Who will do the best job for Garwood?
Identifying an issue is only the first step; there’s a lot of work that comes after it (including hearing out people who have different opinions or may not think there’s an issue at all). This year’s Democratic candidate team of Vincent Kearney, Karina Boto and Sean Keagan Foley have articulated a clear vision in their platform and laid out specific plans to achieve it. They are also going door-to-door, and hosting in-person and online sessions, to take feedback on their plan. On the Council, they will work together with the Mayor and current Council members and continue to listen to resident feedback as they turn those plans into reality. Garwood needs people who will do the work on Council; not complainers.