Rochester needs Fred Leonard, not a mascot

Fred Leonard

Rochester mayoral challenger Fred Leonard promised voters he’d lobby for more police foot patrols downtown.

The incumbent mayor promised he’d fight for the city to hire a public relations firm to help improve the city’s image.

Need we say more. Oh, but we will.

Fred Leonard has fought for Rochester’s working men and women since he first began fighting for the tax cap many years ago.

And yet Rochester’s taxes have gone up 32 percent in the past five years as the tax and spend City Council continue to exhaust funds to the maximum while staying within its set confines.

That’s more than a 6 percent increase, on average, every year.

Who among us is getting those kinds of annual raises in the midst of the worst recession in memory.

Maybe city workers, but few others.

Moreover, during the past five years, not one city workers has been laid off. As Leonard asked at the recent Candidates Forum, “Can you think of anyone you know whose family hasn’t been touched by layoff in the past five years?”

Oh, sorry, we forgot. One city worker was fired (which is kind of a layoff, we guess), but they were hired back after six months with full back pay and benefits. Is that what you call looking out for your money?

Fred Leonard is a military veteran and works in the private sector in sales and management.

As a sales consultant he knows how to get plausible results.

As a manager he knows how to inspire others to get those results.

Rochester needs someone who can help the City Manager and others who work for the city to be the best they can be, for themselves, and for Rochester.

Rochester needs someone who will streamline the permitting process for small business and make it easier for folks to pay their utility bills online.

Rochester needs someone who will fight to bring taxes down, not spend to the tax cap year in and year out.

Rochester needs someone who in times of recession will look for ways to bring the cost of government down, not up.

The incumbent mayor wants a public relations firm to come in and develop an identity for the city, like a mascot.

Fred Leonard wants the city to be its own mascot, proud, hard working and safe.

Rochester needs more than a mascot.

Rochester needs Fred Leonard.

The Lebanon Voice endorses Fred Leonard for Rochester mayor and urges everyone to vote tomorrow. Remember, your vote could make the difference.

- HT