Editor, The Beacon:
Kudos to Jeff Brower for his recent opinion article in The Beacon. He hit the proverbial nail on the head with his summary of priorities for the next County Council.
Many years ago, I, too, ran for the Volusia County Council on a largely contain-the-growth platform, and it got me nowhere, as it generally does for most candidates who attempt to fight the growth industry.
There is simply too much money at stake, and money is what buys the advertising to win a campaign. Most voters lack the time and inclination to research where a candidate’s contributions come from to make an informed choice. Most are too easily influenced by sound bites, signs and campaign ads, no matter how truthful or not.
Perhaps The Beacon can do a public service for the voters of Volusia County and list, if not in its entirety, then maybe as a summary of the largest dollar and in-kind contributors to our candidates’ campaigns.
Following the money would be a better indicator of someone’s future votes than their campaign ads and promises. Everyone says they are against more taxes and uncontrolled growth and for preservation of our quality of life and the environment, until they sit at the council dais. That’s where the rubber hits the road and their true allegiances will show through.
Don Kanfer
DeLand
