{"id":1245,"date":"2016-05-01T10:11:41","date_gmt":"2016-05-01T15:11:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/truthinaddison.com\/?page_id=1245"},"modified":"2016-05-01T10:11:41","modified_gmt":"2016-05-01T15:11:41","slug":"taunting-the-electorate-the-reality-of-meiers-new-addison","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/truthinaddison.com\/?page_id=1245","title":{"rendered":"Taunting the Electorate: The Reality of Meier\u2019s New Addison"},"content":{"rendered":"

Taunting the Electorate:
\n<\/strong>The Reality of Meier\u2019s New Addison
\n<\/strong>By Susan M. Halpern
\n<\/strong>Former Addison Councilmember (1992-1999)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>This week, my neighborhood was taunted by a sitting councilmember.\u00a0 This is the sad reality of the state of Addison\u2019s government.<\/p>\n

On Thursday, as early voting continued, a sign appeared on the wall that currently buffers my neighborhood and Towne Lake from Belt Line Road.\u00a0 It\u2019s the same wall that was the focus of a great deal of protest from all of us regarding the Sam\u2019s redevelopment.\u00a0 It\u2019s the same wall that Meier and his cadre voted to remove, despite overwhelming opposition to its removal.\u00a0 Suffice it to say that the impending demise of this important buffer is a very sore subject amongst my neighbors.<\/p>\n

In fact, the whole redevelopment and the experience of those of us who vocally opposed this project are sore subjects.\u00a0 At the first very overcrowded meeting at Town Hall, Meier rubbed our noses in it, conducting a lengthy, one-sided faux trial examination of staff, by way of claiming that we\u2019d missed opportunities to voice our opposition earlier.\u00a0 At the second meeting Meier told us to listen up, because according to him there were facts we just didn\u2019t know.\u00a0 In Meier\u2019s world, you are either with him, or you are \u201cuninformed.\u201d\u00a0 And of course, that night concluded with a clearly pre-scripted motion that was unquestionably prepared prior to hearing all the concerns voiced at the meeting.\u00a0 Clearly, our voices were not heard.<\/p>\n

So I guess it shouldn\u2019t surprise any of us that councilmember Dale Wilcox chose to place a GIANT sign on this very wall that was the focal point of all the unrest, touting the incumbents who voted for its removal.\u00a0 It was an \u201cIN YOUR FACE\u201d move.\u00a0 A claim of territory.\u00a0 A message that he is part of Meier\u2019s cadre and that they \u201cown\u201d this Town, and will run it as they damn well please.<\/p>\n

And, to rub salt in the wound, Wilcox added: \u201cThe right candidates and vision for all<\/u> of Addison, not just one neighborhood.\u201d\u00a0 Boom Towne Lake!\u00a0 Boom Midway Meadows! We don\u2019t care what you and your neighbors think or want!\u00a0 Even if it\u2019s literally at the end of your block!\u00a0 Boom!\u00a0 We did it to you once, and we\u2019ll do it again!\u00a0 Boom, you ignorant residents!!<\/p>\n

How outrageous that any sitting councilmember would feel comfortable disrespecting Addison\u2019s residents this way, taunting them because their significant and vocal protests were unsuccessful.\u00a0 The attitude that believed this sign to be appropriate evidences far deeper problems.\u00a0 The \u201cnew\u201d Addison is a dictatorial regime, and one consequence of that is that some buy in to the abuse of power, benefit from it, and find that they actually enjoy the view.\u00a0 For these folks, personal gain becomes more important than the obvious harm all these tactics cause to the democratic institution.\u00a0 It\u2019s the same twisted rationale that condones the parade of lies and misrepresentations Meier and his cadre have been circulating in an effort to improperly influence the current election.<\/p>\n

So, shame on you, Dale Wilcox.\u00a0 You weren\u2019t elected to taunt the electorate.\u00a0 Doing so is a disrespect not only to Addison, but to everyone who ever fought for our form of government.<\/p>\n

Addison can and must DEMAND more from its elected officials.<\/p>\n

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