Saturday, I wrote about impressive campaign material I received at my home in Kettering’s Ward 4: Lisa Crosley, Kettering Ward 4 Candidate, Says Her 8 Point Plan Will Cut City Taxes From 2.25% To 1.5%.

Bruce Duke, the incumbent City Council member, has refused my e-mail invitation to post his response to Mrs. Crosley’s plan here on DaytonOS. His e-mail reply, yesterday, in part, said:  “Thanks for your e-mail and offer, but at this time I choose not to have discourse on a blog site.” I’m taking that comment to mean that Mr. Duke is simply refusing to comment, Period, since he has made no effort to telephone me, nor has he made any response on his own web-site.

I wrote the following back to him:

Mr. Duke,

The proposals offered by Mrs. Crosley, I believe, could provide a useful framework for discussion. Many Kettering voters would resist Mrs. Crosley’s implied suggestion that Kettering should become more like Beavercreek, just as many Oakwood voters would resist a suggestion that Oakwood should become more like Miamisburg. But by offering an eight point plan, Mrs. Crosley does a great service, if, from this plan can come a creative and meaningful discussion about questions such as: What are the competing views of the future of Kettering? What public policies should be formulated in order for Kettering to have the best chance for a great future?

Your 24 years of work on the Council have been admirable. The qualities of diligence and thoughtfulness, with which you have served, I’m sure, have provided you with a wealth of information about Kettering issues. If you so chose, you could bring enlightenment to the issues that Mrs. Crosley raises.

Mrs. Crosley’s point 4 — “Create Transparency and Accountability” — I feel, is most important. In order for our democracy to have any vitality, there must be transparency. Transparency is needed in government, also in political campaigns. It is disgraceful that Kettering scheduled only one civic meeting this whole election season. It is amazing that you, a respected elected official, during a general reelection campaign, should respond to the request for dialogue with the words, “I choose not to have discourse.”

Mrs. Crosley’s literature headlined, “Thinking About Tomorrow,” suggests a great topic. Our hope to create thoughtful solutions to the big problems facing this nation is not to be found in the partisan quicksands of Washington or Columbus, but within the green fields found within local communities like Kettering. Our best chance to create thoughtful solutions for the future is to activate a grassroots movement at the local level. Such a movement is built on transparency.

We should see it as fortunate that some of our friends and neighbors are solid conservatives and others are hidebound liberals. We are fortunate to be citizens in Kettering, Ohio, because, if there is any place on the planet well suited for a civic community of thoughtful citizens to become engaged in meaningful public discourse, it is Kettering. The question is: How do we create a space where brainless partisanship will decrease and, instead, thoughtful understanding and creative problem solving will flourish? How do we create community? Effective local leadership is essential.

I realize it is now the last week of the campaign, but, I believe, here in this small community, it is the right thing to do to respond to the challenge offered by Mrs. Crosley’s proposals. As a supporter of your campaign for reelection, I am asking, please reconsider. My suggestion is that you write a letter of response and simply post it on your own web-site.

Sincerely, Mike Bock

In Kettering’s Ward 4, where I live, there is shaping up a very interesting race for City Council. Lisa Crosley is challenging Bruce Duke, the incumbent who has represented Ward 4 for 24 years. Mrs. Crosley is making specific proposals — including a gradual reduction of the city income tax from 2.25% to 1.5% — that, so far as I can tell, Mr. Duke has not yet responded to.

Kettering has four Wards. This is Ward 4

Today, I received a great campaign piece from Mrs. Crosley — a three color large envelop with printing outside (reproduced below). Inside contained a three color letter written on both sides.  In her letter — see PDF of one side here — Mrs. Crosley makes specific proposals to revitalize Kettering. Her eighth point states, “By implementing the above proposals, we will lower the cost of government, create new jobs, and stabilize our population. This will allow a gradual and responsible reduction in our City income tax from 2.25% to 1.5% — while maintaining excellent essential public services.”

Each proposal is explained with several sentences, ending with a summary statement:

1. Cut excessive council salaries — “Leadership starts at the top.”
2. Stop out-of-control spending — “Better Stewardship is needed.”
3. Implement term limits — “I strongly support term limits for council and mayor.”
4. Create Transparency and Accountability — “I support open government.”
5. Seek Collaboration — “I support creative cost-cutting.”
6. Review Ordinances, Regulations — “I support a business-friendly Kettering.”
7. Bolster Economic Development — “I support a vibrant private sector.”
8. Reduce Taxes — “I support responsible tax reform.”

I am going to ask Mr. Duke to respond to these eight proposals, and I will post his response here.

On her web-site, Mrs. Crosley explains what motivated her to run. She writes it struck her as “distinctly un-American” that Mr. Duke was running unopposed.  She writes, “Voters should have clear choices.  That is the American way. …  I believe that 24 years is long enough for any incumbent to serve.  I believe it is time for New Leadership…and New Vision.  I believe in citizen representation, and that local government must run like a business, not a political organization.”

Mrs. Crosley writes, “I believe government at all levels has become too big,  is trying to solve problems it is not equipped to solve, and has assumed responsibilities better left to individuals and the private sector.  Government is, too often, the problem, not the solution.  In today’s troubled economic climate, we must commit to rational discussions on the role of government and the services it can reasonably be expected to provide.  Government must cut costs to meet its income, not expect its citizens to bear increasing tax burdens.”

Mr. Duke’s web-site shows that is has the support of The Mayor of Kettering, Don Patterson; The Vice Mayor of Kettering, Tony Klepacz; Councilwoman, Amy Schrimpf; Former Congressman, Tony Hall; and the Kettering Professional Firefighters, IAFF 2150.

His web-site shows a list of accomplishments he is proud of in his 24 years of service on the City Council.

Great looking campaign material from Lisa Crosley. This is the outside of the envelope delivered to my home today.

Incumbent Council Member, Bruce Duke, earlier this week distributed a great looking large card. On the other side is his picture and more information.

Yesterday was the deadline for local candidates to file their finance reports with the Montgomery County Board of Elections. An article in today’s DDN revealed that, for the first time, these reports have been posted at the BOE web-site in PDF form.

Candidates are required to file this initial finance report, only if they have raised $1000 or more in contributions. In Kettering’s City Council races, six candidates filed.

Ward One

This seems to be the hottest race, with three impressive candidates vying for the open council seat.

• David Brown: 9 contributors gave him a total of $4975. His major contributions were $1000 from John Staten, Chairman of O’Neil & Associates; $1000 from Dennis Quebe, President of Quebe Holdings; and $1000 from Harold Rieck of Rieck Services. See PDF.
• Rob Scott: 20 contributors gave him a total of $2,475. His biggest contribution was $500 from The Realtors Political Action Committee CP40. See PDF
• Nolan Thomas: 125 contributors gave him a total of $7530. His biggest contribution was  $500 from The Realtors Political Action Committee.  See PDF

Ward Two

Bruce Duke is the incumbent and has served on the City Council for about 25 years and has been an exemplary member of the Council. In this race he would have to be seen as the favorite. But, he has a very sharp challenger in Lisa Crosley who, at the LWV forum, I thought, was very impressive in her presentation. I wish I had video taped that event.

• Lisa Crosley: 11 contributors gave her a total of $6648. Her biggests contributions came from Joshua Crosley for a total of $4000 and from herself for $1550. See PDF
• Bruce Duke: 1 contributor for a total of $4020. Mr. Duke’s report shows that his campaign is totally self-financed. See PDF
  

  Ward Three

The incumbent is Joseph Wanamaker.

• Mike Brandt reports contributions of $1651. His biggest contributors: $400 from himself, $250 from Ashley Webb and $250 from Doug Arnold. See PDF
• Joseph Wanamaker, the incumbent, did not file a finance report.

Kettering Board of Education

There are four candidates competing for two positions on the the Kettering Board of Education.  The two incumbents, Lori Simms and Jim Trent, both are seeking reelection and are being challenged by Jim Ambrose and Frank Spolrich.

Jim Ambrose is the only Kettering Board candidate who filed a finance report — showing nine contributors and total contributions of $2175. His largest contribution was for $1000 from the Kettering Education Association. See PDF