Sara Marie Brenner

My Statement to Council: October 4, 2011

2011-10-05T12:02:00.002-04:00

In 2009, I decided to run for Council because I have lived here all my life and wanted to give back to the community that has given me so much. I ran on a platform that I have lived up to with every decision I’ve made on Council. My experience as a business owner brings a different perspective on some of the issues, and as we learned in the November 2010 election, just because I’m on the minority side of a decision on Council does not mean I’m wrong.

My business started when I was 12 years old. I rode my bike around the new neighborhoods in the Powell area for piano and other music lessons students, charging a few dollars a lesson. My first few months were a little rough, but I eventually grew my business to the point that I was teaching 35-40 hours a week in high school. My business continued to grow and morph in to what it is today. One of our many accomplishments is that we are the only Powell area music lessons company that has its teachers as W2 employees rather than 1099 contractors, meaning that my company actually pays taxes on its employees rather than trying to skirt that responsibility. I made the decision when I opened my company in 2006 that even though our competitors had their teachers as contractors, mine would be W2 employees. It’s a competitive disadvantage, but it’s the right thing to do for the employees who really make my company what it is.

I built my home in Golf Village at the age of 22, thanks to the business I had developed that was growing in leaps and bounds. I will be 32 next year. Despite the economy in the last decade, I have remained in the first home that I built. I also fought the merger of the Delaware and Powell Chambers of Commerce to make sure that Powell maintained its own chamber for our businesses, served on the transitional chamber board, and decided to run for Council when I saw that taxes and other policy matters were not going in a direction that I thought would be healthy for this community.

Like any business owner, from time to time there are issues with various governing agencies. That is not unusual. In fact, I am not aware of any business owner who just rolls over when the government comes knocking. The lien that has been filed against my business is regarding a dispute that I have had with the IRS for nearly a year, and in the spring my last conversation with them was that a lien would not be filed because we were working through the situation. When it was filed I was surprised, and my representatives are working with them. In fact, we have a tentative agreement that is being finalized. My business is a private, not public company, and the details of this matter are private.

This situation with my business is not unlike my other experiences in life: when I believe in something, I stand up for it. There are many businesses, buildings and individuals with liens, and once the matter is resolved the lien is released. This is not a political issue, but it’s being made in to one by those who do not know the details of the situation. Mr. Bermingham is asking questions of me tonight, in a forum that most would agree to be inappropriate, and he jumped to conclusions even without the answers to his questions. In fact, none of those who are accusing me of doing something wrong have ever even asked me for the details. While I’m not going to discuss them in a public session, anyone who has actually asked me and had a conversation with me about this situation understands and realizes that this is not a political issue. The important part of it is that I am on top of it and have been on top of it, and am working to make sure that it is resolved properly.

Character is not judged by what happens to us, but by how we respond to the matter. It is clear that the responses of some are for political purposes only, continuing to play a game of politics of personal destruction rather than even considering that maybe, just maybe, they should ask me first to see what is really going on. And of course, the vast majority if not all of those attacking me on this are people who have disagreed with my positions since I entered the political arena, making it even more clear what the real motivations are of people going after me on this.

The great Winston Churchill said, “You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.” However, I never imagined that I would be the target of attacks like I have been, all because of what I believe in and stand up for or against. In early 2009, before I had officially announced but my running was known, people were posting my then fiance's and my wedding invitation on a blog, and commenting on it in a negative way. An event in my life that was supposed to be a wonderful one was smeared by those who don’t agree with my husband’s and my views on political issues. We even had to have private security watch our home during the wedding because of a fear of vandalism that was based in comments we had seen online.

After I was elected and sworn in, it was clear that I was going to differ with other members of Council on fiscal issues. That’s where the attacks really started to heat up, and unfortunately, even from other members of this Council. When Councilman Grubbs stated he wasn’t going to run for Council again, it was somehow my fault for making the meetings “painful.” If someone reviews the meetings where Councilman Grubbs and I have disagreed, I am never the one on the offense. What some don’t realize is that most of our votes are actually seven to zero. The vast majority of our votes are non-controversial and are unanimous. There are some votes, though, where I believe that something is not fiscally prudent, is not good for business or is not what the residents of this community want. That’s where I stand up for what I believe in because of what I promised I would do in the election. One Council candidate said in the fall of 2009 that he was not going to support raising the income tax. Once he was on Council, he reversed his position and supported the tax increase. It’s very easy to get on Council and just go along to get along, but I believe that I was elected to stand up for certain principles, and that is what I do. It’s also what I’m attacked for.

In 2010, when I missed a few meetings and sent in comments by email, I was told that was not acceptable by Councilman Grubbs, in one of the public sessions where he went after me. However, when a former member of Council could not attend many of the last meetings of his term, he sent in comments by email, some of which were entered in to the record. When I did it, I was literally lambasted in a public meeting of Council.

I was also asked to bring forward ideas after the tax issue failed last year. When I did, I asked for several things to be studied. Just like the finance committee and this Council had spent several years studying funding capital improvements, I asked for a few ideas to be studied for cost savings. Instead of that happening, Councilman Grubbs again lead a charge against those ideas, and other members of Council who had studied the capital improvement funding idea that had just failed refused to allow one of the ideas I had brought forward to even be studied.

These are just a few examples, and there are many others.

This process of the politics of personal destruction has to stop. Whether it’s Mr. Bermingham, who has always strongly disagreed with me, or anyone else, this isn’t how we fight our battles like adults. The attitude of being the high school bully, going after the person who you just don’t like, must stop. Whether you agree with me or don’t, it was clear last fall that there was one member of Council who had the real pulse on the community. Despite my saying so all through 2009 and 2010, no one would really listen. It took an election with over 70% of the residents saying “no” in order for the train toward doubling our income tax to stop. Since that defeat, some have taken it personally rather than simply regrouping and working together. I reached out to everyone right after the election so that we could work together to find a solution that the residents would actually accept. Of the two Council members who actually met with me, they both accused me of saying something that I did not say, and I demonstrated this by forwarding the literature to them showing that the lit piece did not say what they thought. Even if it did, so what? We can either take things personally, or let it roll off and maintain an element of professionalism and decorum.

The time has come to end the personal attacks and the underhanded tactics, and work together. Everyone on this Council has a personal or business matter in their life, just like I do. The difference is that I don’t try to make a political issue of what other people are going through in their personal or business lives. We have problems to solve here in Powell, and being part of a group of people who only wish to seek and destroy is not going to get us anywhere. I am willing to work with anyone who is willing to do the same, because I take this position seriously as a position of service to the community.

I hope that we can all stop the politics of personal destruction, restrain the sharp tongue and remember that we are elected to Council to represent and serve. Henry Ford said, “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.” For the residents of Powell who elected us to get a job done, let’s put our differences aside once and for all, and work together to achieve success for our community.

Presentation on Privatization and Consolidation

2011-02-28T21:00:00.000-05:00

View the Privatization & Consolidation slides I presented to Council on February 8, 2011 here.

The Statehouse is encouraging consolidation. Residents and others will be happy to see that services can remain similar or get better by consolidating services. Other cities and counties in Ohio have done this and it has worked well for them. One example I learned about recently is Coshocton (http://www.coshoctoncounty.net/), which is a City, but folded their police force into the county to save money. Municipalities do not have to have their own police force - that is an inaccurate assumption.

Cincinnati and Hamilton County, as well as Akron/Canton and Summit County are considering similar consolidation measures.
It is being considered in Peoria, IL (http://www.pjstar.com/news/x1651175481/Mayor-City-county-combined-police-force-a-possibility)
Consolidation has already happened in Las Vegas and Clark County (http://www.lvmpd.com/about/consolidation.html)
Things are running smoothly in San Carlos in San Mateo County (http://www.smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?id=149489&title=Police%20consolidation%20running%20smoothly,%20sheriff,%20officials%20say)
El Paso is discussing it (http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_16916354?IADID=Search-www.elpasotimes.com-www.elpasotimes.com)
Big Spring in Howard County, TX has been successful in their consolidation with the Sheriff and is continuing to do so (http://www.kwes.com/Global/story.asp?S=13908386)
Port Huron in St. Clair County, MI certainly gets it - they want to be ahead of the curve rather than having this imposed on them (http://www.thetimesherald.com/article/20110201/OPINION02/102010311/Bruce-Brown-Police-consolidation-one-possibility-cutting-costs)
More examples are available by Googling "police and sheriff consolidation"

Also, a study in 1997 (article: http://www.sfsuperiorcourt.org/index.aspx?page=268) shows that consolidation has many advantages, including:

more effective delivery of police services;
eliminating duplication of services;
provision of services previously unavailable, such as centralized record keeping, crime laboratories, and other specialized services;
better trained personnel;
lower personnel turnover rate due to increased opportunities within the larger department;
costs for equipment are reduced (purchasing in bulk);
hiring can become more efficient;
lower insurance costs;
opportunity for innovation.

From that article, here is a full list of the cities cited as having consolidated their police and Sheriff:
Cities/Counties that merged / Internet Information Source
Anaconda - Deer Lodge Co., MT / San Antonio study
Athens - Clarke Co., GA / San Antonio study
Augusta - Richmond Co., GA / San Antonio study
Baton Rouge - East Baton Rouge, LA / San Antonio study
Columbus - Muscogee Co., GA / San Antonio study
Indianapolis - Marion Co., IN / San Antonio study
Jacksonville - Duval Co., FL / San Antonio study
Lexington - Fayette Co., KY / San Antonio study
Nashville - Davidson Co., TN / San Antonio study
Compton - Los Anglese Co., CA / Compton Police website
Las Vegas - Clark Co., NV / Salt Lake Tribune; Cincinatti Enquirer
Hawkinsville - Pulaski Co., GA / GA State Bill HB 197
Bessemer City - Gaston Co., NC / Gaston Gazette
Charlotte - Mecklenburg Co., NC / Gaston Gazette; Cincinatti Enquirer
Draper, Taylorsville, etc. - Salt Lake Co., UT / Salt Lake Tribune
Sunnyvale - Dallas Co., TX / Salt Lake Tribune
Several cities - Westchester Co., NY / Times Herald Record
Several cities - Suffolk Co., NY / Times Herald Record
Several cities - Nassau Co., NY / Times Herald Record
Cities/Counties considering merging
San Antonio - Bexar Co., TX / San Antonio Study
Corpus Christi - Nueces Co., TX / San Antonio study
Tallahassee - Leon Co., FL / San Antonio study
Los Angeles - Los Angeles Co., CA / County POA newsletter, CBS Channel 2000, Pierce College Roundup, etc.
Atlanta - Fulton Co., GA / Research Atlanta, Inc.; Central Atlanta Action Plan
St. Petersburg - Pinellas Co., FL / St. Petersburg Times
Grand Island - Hall Co., NE / The Independent
Gastonia - Gaston Co., NC / Gaston Gazette
Salt Lake City - Salt Lake Co., UT / Salt Lake Tribune
New Orleans - New Orleans Parish, LA / Salt Lake Tribune
Grover Beach - San Luis Obispo Co., CA / The San Luis Obispo Tribune
Buffalo - Erie Co., NY / Buffalo Renaissance Foundation
Louisville - Jefferson Co., KY / Cincinatti Enquirer
Burlington - Boone Co., KY / Cincinatti Enquirer
Durham - Durham Co., NC / The Durham Chronicle
Several cities - Ulster Co., NY / Times Herald Record

Moving Forward

2010-11-13T23:59:00.000-05:00

On November 2, 2010, the voters in Powell overwhelmingly said no to Council's recommendation that we double the income tax in Powell. Please click on Thank you, Powell and Friends of Powell for more information on the campaign to defeat the tax and what we are doing moving forward. If you have any questions, please contact me any time. Thank you!

Vote NO On the 100% Increase in the City of Powell’s Income Tax!

2010-09-19T15:07:00.003-04:00

Over the past few months, I have not only seen the polling but also heard from many residents - Powell citizens do not want an income tax increase. Yet, my other six friends on Council voted to send a measure to the ballot on November 2 that will double our City income taxes. This is not necessary, and there are other solutions.

Please review the myths and facts below, and share this information with your friends by forwarding this text or link (http://saramariebrenner.blogspot.com/2010/09/vote-no-on-100-increase-in-city-of.html) on to your friends. If you have questions, please feel free to email me at Sara@SaraMarieBrenner.com or call me at 740.917.0009. I will be happy to answer your questions or hear your feedback, whether you agree, disagree or just have questions. After this fails, we will all need to work together to go back to the drawing board to get this done promptly in a way that is fair to all residents, and that is temporary, targeted and transparent.

For all of these reasons below, vote NO on the ballot measure to double the City’s income tax! Be sure you vote, and vote absentee starting September 28 if you will not be able to vote on November 2. The City will provide you with information and sell this to you as a must-have tax that is dedicated toward capital improvements and fair to all residents. You can see here, that is not the whole story...

MYTH: This income tax increase is tied to capital improvements.
FACT: This income tax increase is permanent. The only thing that temporarily binds these funds to capital improvements is an ordinance Council passed to do so for only 10 years. This ordinance can be reversed by a vote of Council.

MYTH: This income tax increase will not be used for general operations and is dedicated for capital improvements.
FACT: Even the ballot language refers to “general operations,” and since the ordinance passed by Council is only for years 1-10, from year 11 on it certainly can be used for general operations. Of course, that could happen before or after year 11, depending on what Council does in the meantime. That just adds to the unknowns here. If the Statehouse cuts local government funding next year as the rumor has it, Powell will lose nearly $300,000. Where are they going to make up that difference? From funds from a newly passed income tax increase, perhaps? And, what if other cities abolish their credit system suddenly so that they could maintain their revenue? Powell’s income tax proposal is reliant upon the status quo, and we all know that the $8 billion budget deficit next year will not allow status quo to continue. Proposals like those mentioned here may be implemented, so then what? For those of us who wanted this to be tied to capital improvements, this proposal definitely does not satisfy that requirement.

MYTH: Powell’s budget does not have any "fat" to cut.
FACT: One example is the building department. In 2002 they performed over 8,000 inspections. In 2010 this will perform approximately 1700 inspections by the end of the year. Yet, that department’s budget continues to increase. Why? In addition, staff was given a raise for 2010 when private sector companies were cutting jobs, cutting salaries, forcing their employees to take furlow days and taking other drastic measures. Your City was not doing that. Why not? Jobs have been vacated, and instead of leaving them vacant, they were filled. These were administrative positions, not police. There are more examples like this where money is being wasted every day. Furthermore, other Council members have expressed in open session that they do not support cutting spending within the City because it does not pay for the capital improvements needed. I am not sure that is accurate, first of all, but even if it is, do you continue growing government instead? This is not a sensible rationale. Cut first, then come back and see how much more money is needed and request it from voters in a responsible, accounting, temporary way (which is not what this income tax does).

MYTH: Powell’s employees are not well paid.
FACT: The City Manager is paid a salary well over 6 figures. Other department heads are paid anywhere from $60,000-$90,000 per year. Public employees are now earning 1.5 - 2 times the amount of those who do the same work in the private sector. Powell is no different! The City employees are well paid, plus they receive benefits on top of their salary. Employee’s salaries are public record which you may request from the City.

MYTH: This income tax proposal is the most fair way to pay for capital improvements.
FACT: Of course, this statement first of all assumes that you accept that the income tax increase is for capital improvements, which of course, it is not. Secondly, this tax proposal targets the small business owners in Powell who live and work in Powell. The other six Council members would not actually pay more in taxes. Do you appreciate that six people who would not pay more in taxes are asking some of you to pay more? That certainly isn’t right. This proposal will pin neighbor against neighbor with some paying more than others based on a complicated system of credits and locations.

MYTH: We studied all the options, and this is the best solution.

FACT: I asked the City to study a proposal that I called “the basket approach.” In this approach, we would group together in “baskets” of proposals similar projects that would impact the entire City, and put them on the ballot. For example, bike paths - have a ballot measure that would fix, improve and further connect bike paths throughout the entire City so that everyone in the City would benefit from it. Or, to alleviate traffic, place several solutions on the ballot as a “basket” ballot measure so that the entire community would benefit if it were to pass. The City refused to study my proposal! My alternate proposal would be temporary, be targeted to specific projects, give residents control over what capital improvement projects the City complete, actually be dedicated to capital improvements, have a sunset and be short term rather than permanent, and not create a situation where some neighbors pay more than others. It should have been studied. Voting against the income tax increase on November 2 will force the City to go back to the drawing board and find a better solution.

MYTH: Everyone else has a higher income tax - so should we.

FACT: We should be promoting that Powell only have a 0.75% income tax! Why don’t we? Draw business to Powell by using the fact that our taxes are low here. Just because our neighboring cities possibly over tax their residents and have bloated budgets does not mean we should too!

MYTH: Now is as good a time as any to ask for a tax increase.

FACT: Really? When we now have 1 in 7 living in poverty nation wide, tens of millions of people identifying themselves as being against tax increases, and private sector employees losing their jobs, this is not the right time to be asking for tax increases. Government must learn that, just like our households, there is a budget that must be lived by and the City should live within its means. In addition, Olentangy Schools will be placing a levy on the ballot in May 2011, according to the local newspapers. Should it pass, when you calculate that, the other taxes that many of us will be paying next year due to federal and state income tax increases, and other increases in our financial obligations to the government, this could mean thousands of dollars more per year for a family in Powell. Some calculations show $5,000-$10,000 or more depending on income and home value. When we are still in a recession with vacancies in downtown Powell, families struggling and a City that isn’t cutting spending first, raising taxes is not the solution.

Response to today's "Olentangy Valley News" Article

2010-09-07T17:49:00.000-04:00

Today's article in the "Olentangy Valley News" (http://www.columbuslocalnews.com/articles/2010/09/07/multiple_papers/news/allovincom_20100907_0436pm_5.txt) cites claims that the current tax proposal is the most fair and best option. I am not sure how a tax that doubles the tax for 38% of the citizens is a fair tax. Does that sound right to you that 38% of the people will pay for what 100% of the residents (and those who travel through Powell) use? And, especially, do you think it's fair that a tax be created that targets small businesses, like this one?
There is no way that this tax can be called "fair." Reminds me of how this was supposed to be "the summer of recovery" - it's great rhetoric but there is not any substance.

Additionally, you have no ability to say what these funds go toward. They are tied to capital improvements only through an ordinance, which may be undone. Even the ballot language refers to "general operations." The funds may be used for capital improvement projects that you do not deem to be important or necessary. It is wasteful spending.

Also, this is permanent and does not have any accountability. Why not use a target, short-time tax for a specific project or group of projects?

I agree Powell has a need for capital improvements, but not this way. There are other options; specifically, an option I presented earlier this year that has not been studied by the City.

If you have any questions, please call me at 740.917.0009, visit www.SaraMarieBrenner.com or email Sara@SaraMarieBrenner.com.

Sincerely,
Sara Marie Brenner
Powell City Councilman

In the news!

2010-09-02T16:35:00.001-04:00

Be sure to read the article in ThisWeeks News about Prestige Music Studios' expansion!

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Great Article on the Income Tax Increase Proposal from Olentangy Valley News

2010-07-29T23:54:00.004-04:00

Olentangy Valley News

City leader takes stand against tax increase

Councilwoman, others form group to oppose city income tax increase on Nov. 2 ballot

By LAURA ENGLEHART

Published: Tuesday, July 27, 2010 6:13 PM EDT

Powell will ask residents Nov. 2 for an income tax increase -- but a City Council member is leading the charge against it.

At its July 20 meeting, Powell City Council voted 6-1 to request from voters a change in the income tax rate from 0.75 percent to 1.5 percent.

Residents would receive a 1 percent credit for income taxes paid to other municipalities. Revenue generated would go toward capital improvements for 10 years.

"Our current tax structure has gotten us this far and it will only continue to get us to maintain our current operating expenses," said Councilman Don Grubbs. "We don't have enough money for capital improvements -- repairing failing sewers and old roads. Those repairs will be needed."

The income tax hike would bring in an additional $2.2 million a year for capital improvements.

Councilwoman Sara Marie Brenner voted against the ballot measure, as well as the credit to residents who work out of town and earmarking funds for capital improvement projects.

"I do believe the city needs funds, and I'm not trying to prevent funds from coming into the city," Brenner said. "We have things that need fixed and we can't expect the city to last forever on what it has.

"But we cannot create a tax that is permanent with no accountability and that doesn't give the people paying to be able to say what it goes toward," she said.

Sixty-two percent of residents work out of town and would pay no more in income taxes if the issue passes. Fifty percent of revenue generated would come from taxpayers who work in the city but live in other communities, city officials have said.

The 38 percent of residents who live and work in Powell would pay more in income taxes.

Brenner said she considers an income tax increase an attack on small businesses.

"This is a small-business tax, and it unfairly taxes a certain part of the community," Brenner said after last week's meeting.

Though she stands as the only council member against the ballot measure, Brenner said she is not discouraged in her opinion.

"I'm the only small-business owner (on council), and just as (council members) are standing up for what they think is right, so am I," Brenner said.

Brenner opened Prestige Music Studios Inc. in Powell four years ago.

She and other residents have organized Friends of Powell, a campaign against raising the income tax. Its website has swelled to more than 100 members in less than a week.

Grubbs said after last week's meeting that he welcomes any debate on the ballot issue.

"I'm interested to see what (Friends of Powell) has to say, and I'll speak up if I think it's not factual, but in terms of drawing a conclusion, that's up to everyone (as individuals)," he said.

Grubbs was against an income tax increase a few years ago when council members began their research, but switched camps after many conversations were held the topic, he said.

City Council has promised to dedicate any new income tax revenue toward capital improvements for a decade. Some residents who have attended recent council meetings have said the 10-year limit allows the city to use the money in any way it sees fit in the future, without a vote of residents.

That does not worry Grubbs, however.

"It does put the spending in the hands of future councils, but I'm not worried about council members going amuck (with spending), because of the strength of people like (Brenner) and those that come to (council) meetings," Grubbs said.

"They will make sure that council is spending the money wisely. I've always been confident that prior councils have done the right thing."

Meanwhile, Friends of Powell held its first meeting Sunday, July 25. It appointed resident Tom Kipfer as treasurer and made plans to distribute information by mail and by knocking on doors.

For more information on the income tax increase issue, visit Powell's website, cityofpowell.us. For more information on Friends of Powell, visit the website powellcitycouncil.info and register as a member.

The Powder Room

2010-07-29T23:31:00.002-04:00

Delaware Gazette

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

BRYAN BULLOCK

The shooting range at the Powder Room has been silent for more than seven weeks, but its owners are hopeful the sound of gunfire will soon return.

The City of Powell shut down the local firing range last month after concluding the facility raised safety concerns. Powder Room co-owner Bill Dixon said the issues have been addressed and the business is currently working with city officials to reopen the indoor shooting range.

The city on June 8 notified the Powder Room to cease operating its range after an inspection discovered holes in the back wall and roof of the business, damages city officials said were caused by bullets and/or bullet shrapnel exiting the building. A Powell police Sargent reported the damages after responding to investigate a suspicious vehicle at the business on May 27.

“We are very concerned about the safety to the general public at this time, due to the lack of safety precautions provided for by your use of the shooting range,” stated a violation letter sent by the city to the Powder Room following an inspection.

Dixon said the Powder Room fixed the safety issues immediately after learning about them and has prevented them from happening again. He said a plate that slid out of place in the shooting range’s bullet containment system was causing shrapnel to occasionally deflect through the roof. Dixon said holes in the back of the facility were caused by pests, not gunfire.

Dixon, who has owned the Powder Room for more than seven years, said he is eager to reopen the shooting range. He said he has been forced to lay off employees and cut salaries to keep his business afloat while the range is closed. Powell has allowed the business to continue its retail sales while concerns about the range are addressed.

“Not only does the range provide a healthy part of our income here but the people who use the range also come in to shop, so we have lost our foot traffic,” he said.

Powell Spokesman Jeff Robinson said the city will allow the shooting range to reopen once it is inspected and approved as safe to operate, something a registered architect or engineer could be permitted to do.

Powell previously notified the Powder Room to cease operating its firing range in March 2008. After addressing the city’s safety concerns, the business was able to reopen at that time. A city investigation found bullet fragments exited the range and hit a nearby property. The Powder Room, in response, spent more than $25,000 to update the range and address safety concerns.

Powell Councilwoman Sara Marie Brenner is currently working with the Powder Room owners to see that the range is safe and opened quickly.

“I have gotten involved in this matter because several people brought it to my attention,” she said. “I have requested that the city take prompt action to reopen the shooting range.”

In an e-mail obtained by the Gazette, a Delaware attorney who specializes in second amendment issues told Brenner the procedure to close down a shooting range in Ohio includes retaining an expert on the NRA Range Source Book. That expert is then required to provide evidence and an opinion as to whether the range complies with the source book, the document that under state law provides safety guidelines for shooting ranges.

Robinson said the violation notice Powell used to shut down the Powder Room’s shooting range was based on city code, not the NRA Range Source Book.

“Whether evaluating (a violation notice) based on that is a requirement per the Ohio Revised Code is a question for legal counsel and not one anyone here can answer,” he said.

Central Ohio Chair of Buckeye Firearms Association Linda Walker said she could not speak to the legal matter, but she is eager for the Powder Room to reopen its firing range.

“There aren’t a lot of business in that area that fulfill that need,” she said.” We definitely need the Powder Room to reopen.”

bbullock@delgazette.com

Vote NO on The Powell City Council Income Tax Increase Proposal

2010-07-21T15:52:00.009-04:00

For more information,

please visit www.PowellCityCouncil.info

and join the group!

After hearing from many residents who are against the income tax increase, Council voted last night to send the income tax increase proposal to the ballot this November. The vote was 6-1, and I was the "1" Council member who did not support this proposal. There have been many over the past few months who have written and called Council members, as well as come to the Council meetings, to express that they are against this proposal. Unfortunately, Council did not go back to the drawing board as the vast majority of those who contacted Council requested. Instead, they moved forward on the existing proposal.

Some are saying I have a personal agenda or that I simply do not want taxes increased. Neither is true. I have stated since last fall that I was not concerned about myself, but about the future economic development of the City as well as my strong opposition to what I consider to be a small business tax. In addition, I thoroughly understand that government has its place and function, and that we must have taxes to support the services government provides. In fact, I realize fully that the City does have a funding problem, and that we need money for capital improvements. However, the proposal presented by Council is not one that I can support.

Here are the most important points from the proposal:

The proposal DOUBLES the City's income tax. The income tax would increase from 0.75% to 1.5%.
The proposal is NOT equitable. This tax raises the funds for the City in two primary ways: 1) from those who live in Powell and work either in Powell or in an area without an income tax (such as Liberty Township); and 2) those who live outside of Powell but work in Powell. What about the 62% who live in Powell and work elsewhere? They won't see a tax increase. As one resident put it in the July 20 Council meeting, this pins neighbor against neighbor.
38% of the residents will pay twice the amount in income tax. Only 38% of the residents of Powell will be paying for what the entire City uses, when two communities (Murphy's neighborhoods and Golf Village) already pay thousands of dollars a year in special tax assessments. Granted, those funds do not go to the City; however, there is a point at which enough is enough with the unfair tax burdens being pushed onto certain sectors of the community rather than the entire population of the City. And, this 38% are primarily small business owners who live and work in Powell. That's right, of those who live in Powell, the small business owners are the ones who will pay double the income tax. When will government learn that we must stop putting the burden of everything on the backs of our job creators - the small business owners?
The tax is NOT permanently tied to capital improvements. Council will tell you that it is tied to capital improvements, but that ordinance expires in ten (10) years. And, the ordinance can be reversed at any time by future Councils (with the support of six (6) Councilmen). When the ordinance is reversed or when it expires, your tax dollars will then go into the general operations budget. If the capital improvements projects are projected to be completed in 20 years, why isn't this tax tied to capital improvements for 20 years or more? According to Council discussions, this was possible, but not preferred. Even the ballot language says that this is for "general operations and services," among other things.
This tax is permanent. There is no sunset. With bond issues, there is a "sunset" and voters know when the tax will expire. Council's recommendation, if approved, is permanent.
There is no accountability. Council can use the funds for whatever capital improvements it chooses, regardless of whether the voters view it as a top priority.
There ARE other options. Council continues to state that they have researched all options and that the current proposal is the best option. This is not the case. I have asked since early this year for the Finance Committee and Council to organize projects into "baskets" of similar capital improvements projects, and present to Council the cost to the voters for individual bond issues for each of the "baskets" created (such as one bond issue for finishing bike baths, another bond issue for repairing roads, etc.). This would mean that the issues could be staggered and sent to the voters when needed, voters would have an up or down choice on each of the baskets of projects (with the ability to vote down the proposal if the voters did not want that project completed), everyone who owns property in Powell would be paying for the capital improvements that benefit the whole city, the taxes would have a "sunset" and be temporary rather than permanent, and the tax would not target a specific sector of the population (such as small businesses). In the meeting minutes from the July 6, 2010 Council meeting, you can confirm that I reminded Council that I had not seen my suggestion in any of the presentations. In addition, I again reminded a Councilman at the meeting on July 20 when he was again restating that all options had been explored. They have not been - the Finance Committee members seem to have determined long ago that this was the structure they preferred (perhaps because they would not be paying any more in taxes themselves). Council and staff never studied and presented my suggestion.
This is a horrible time to increase taxes, especially on small businesses. We all know what is going on in the economy. Additional taxes from the federal government are also "coming down the pike," and we do not even know to what extent yet. In fact, Council discussed in open session that they did not want to wait until next year to place this issue on the ballot because they did not want to ask for another tax after all of the new taxes from healthcare and other measures were effective.
We will lose our reputation as a "low tax community." At 0.75%, we have a very low tax rate that attracts residents and businesses. If we double our income tax rates to be closer to that of other communities, we lose our competitive advantage. While we still may be a little lower, people may choose to go to another community because it is closer to work, they have more amenities (such as more parks, better traffic flow, a recreation center, etc.), or whatever other personal reasons they may have that may have otherwise been set aside if they could only pay 0.75% in taxes rather than 1.5%. Doubling the income tax will have a severe impact on the community.
The City is not making enough efforts to cut costs. If you view the recent Delaware Gazette article about salaries in Powell, you will see that they have increased, some by double digit percentages, over the past few years. I voiced concern about this last December, before I took office. In the Council meeting last night, other Councilmen confirmed that they do not plan to cut back because it will not raise the funds needed for the City for capital improvements. Of course, that is true; however, it is an ethical and moral dilemma to continue giving government employees, who are paid with your tax dollars and mine, salary increases year after year when the private sector is cutting back on salaries, laying people off, requiring days off without pay, and taking other drastic measures. We had the opportunity recently as Council to leave a few open positions vacant, and the other members decided to fill one of the positions now, another one this fall and leave only one vacant. If it were the private sector, there would not have even been a discussion - the positions would have been left vacant!
There are credits and reciprocity issues. Council will tell you that if you live in Powell and work in another city with an income tax, such as Columbus, that you will not pay more in taxes due to the system of credits that cities use. With the possibility of the State of Ohio no longer funding local government in order for the State to balance its budget, what happens if the system of credits and reciprocity goes away so that cities can have more money? Then, all residents in the City of Powell would be paying 1.5%. Council is assuming that the system, which Council cannot control, will remain as is. That is a foolish assumption in this day and age, considering the drastic measures that the State of Ohio will have to take in order to fill a budget gap of at least $8 billion.

For all of these reasons above, I do not support the Council's proposal. I hope that you will share this information with those you know who live within the City of Powell, and be sure to vote "no" on November 2, 2010.

For more information,

please visit www.PowellCityCouncil.info

and join the group!

Strings in the Olentangy Schools

2010-03-23T07:00:00.000-04:00

Over the past few weeks, many have discussed the fact that the strings program in the Olentangy Schools is being removed from the daytime curriculum and made an after-school program. Of course, this is concerning to me, even as the President/CEO of a music lessons company that would probably benefit from having the strings program removed from the school system.

However, music lessons and music performing do help students, especially children. There are many studies showing the relationship between music study and increased math skills, better reading ability, high test scores, and other academic statistics. There are also other studies that show music helps confidence, public speaking, reasoning and other more abstract skills. Not everyone can afford private music lessons (even though ours start at $75/mo right now), and continuing this program in the schools is important, even if it is a "pay-to-play" system.

Music is an important part of educating a well-rounded child. Sports and other activities are important, too, and all should be available as options. The social aspects of music at school (band, choir, orchestra) is sometimes what keeps children in music since private lessons usually lack the social aspects. We really try at Prestige to eliminate that with group classes and other activities, but not all students are so fortunate. Sports and sometimes more popular, especially for boys, because there is competition and a social aspects that not every music lessons school provides.

In the coming week and months, I hope that the schools can reach an agreement to keep music of all kinds, including strings, in our schools. If the school cannot afford it and it's "pay-to-play," I would support that alternative if necessary. We need to keep the option for music instruction and enjoyment open to all students so that each child has the opportunity to reap its benefits.

If I can provide anyone with further assistance on this matter, please feel free to contact me at 614.764.4000 x801 or SaraMarie.Brenner@PrestigeMusicStudios.com.

City of Powell Income Tax Update

2010-03-03T19:21:00.004-05:00

Today, an article is in ThisWeek News Olentangy discussing last Tuesday's finance committee meeting. Read the article here to get the details on the committee meeting. The committee's meetings are open to the public.

I think this is a fair article. I would prefer, in all honesty, that the City not spend any money right now on capital improvements due to the current economic situation - we should not spend money we don't have. However, if it is determined that there are projects that are "musts" and voters are willing to approve a small income tax increase, the other optional projects could be voted on separately as bond issues. This way, residents have the option to select projects they want. I understand entirely that we don't want our roads falling apart, but I am also not sure we've reached that point. You, the readers and voters, can determine that at the polls.

Additionally, a large income tax increase (or any income tax increase, for that matter) hurts those who live and work in Powell. Many of the Powell businesses have owners or employees who also live in Powell, and if the original tax rate of 2% were selected, those people would see their income taxes nearly triple. With the bond issues, everyone would pay equally for any of the optional projects residents decide they want by expressing their opinion when they vote. While the City performs surveys, since the surveys do not tell residents exactly how much money each of the projects will cost them, I am not convinced that the surveys can be considered entirely accurate. We all change our minds on things once we know how much they cost.

If a majority of the community doesn't want something, in these days of cutting budgets and saving our money, the City should do the same and save that project for another day. Governments, in general, should not spend money that they do not have.

What do YOU think? If you live in the City of Powell, please email me at Sara@SaraMarieBrenner.com or call me at 740.917.0009 to let me know. You can also attend the Finance Committees on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 7pm, or Council meetings on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays at 730pm. Double check with the City of Powell to make sure the meeting is occurring as scheduled before attending.

The Turnip is Running Out of Blood

2009-12-11T16:05:00.005-05:00

This is horrific. Congress is going to raise the debt ceiling, which many of us believe is a huge travesty. Where is some of this money going? Checkout these two articles. Federal employees are earning twice that of their private sector counterparts!

http://yesbuthowever.com/federal-employees-double-8136319/

http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20091211/1afedpay11_st.art.htm?loc=interstitialskip

Who's running the country - the government, or the private sector? Who is driving innovation - the government, or the private sector?

Ask yourself...is this the right thing for our government to be doing? If you agree with me that it's not, ask this question of the candidates next time you vote. Get the answer.

We need candidates for higher office who have experience in both the private sector and in government so that they understand both aspects and can help keep government spending under control by comparing to the private sector.

We need candidates for higher office who have experience cutting budgets, not just in the private sector, but also working through the government red tape to cut budgets and save us money as taxpayers.

I believe we should compare government jobs - jobs within cities, counties, etc. - to the private sector. Why should taxpayers be paying more for someone who works in the government than an equal position in the private sector? It's wrong, and it should stop.

And, if you agree with me, I hope you will help me at the local level in Powell in my new position on Council. The spending cuts, or freezes at the least, have to start somewhere. Government bloating itself far beyond the private sector has to stop. The private sector and everyday citizens cannot be sucked dry with higher taxes.

At some point, you can't get blood out of a turnip.

The 4th Option

2009-12-09T22:52:00.005-05:00

A few days ago, I received a questionnaire from a women's business organization. One of the questions was regarding health care, and what I thought, as a female business owner, was the right position for the organization to support. The three options were basically: 1) pass a bill with no public option; 2) pass a bill with a public option; or 3) do not pass a bill.

What about the 4th option? 4) Take the best health care system in the world, and just plug the holes.

That 4th option was not on the questionnaire.

The fifth question is: why not? Why don't people understand that there is another way to resolve this healthcare debacle that isn't even being considered? Of course, the more thorough, less expensive, less government option isn't even being explored by the big government, pro-trial lawyer, "government is the answer," SEIU-bribed, Democrat (not democratic) Congress.

First of all, let's remember that some of the uninsured either do not want healthcare by choice, are illegals here in this country and should not be given healthcare by citizens' taxpayer dollars, or are wealthy and do not find it necessary to have the insurance. That being said, here are a few things that could be done for much less money and without creating more government:

Reform medicaid to allow more people to be covered by it, and get rid of the waste in it
Reform S-CHIP (state children's health insurance program) to include more children whose parents cannot afford health care that could then cover their children
Do not take away the free choice of some to choose not to purchase insurance -- no mandates to require everyone to have insurance by force (or, according to the legislation, be jailed due to the IRS overseeing this mandate)
Provide tax credits to low and moderate income workers to purchase health insurance on their own, or perhaps give them access to Medicaid
Permit the purchase of health insurance across state lines to increase competition
Allow associations (chambers of commerce, NFIB, NAWBO, etc.) to create pools for health insurance
Do not allow people to be excluded due to pre-existing conditions or have their coverage dropped/cancelled when they become sick
Allow employees to keep their insurance when they change jobs or lose their current job
Keep decisions between the doctor and patient (not some commission in D.C.)
Allow seniors to live in their homes when they can, not be forced into a retirement center or nursing home

I realize this isn't everything, and I realize these are not all of the answers. However, I think it's important for someone to finally explain... There is a 4th option! Our choices are not a horrible bill with a public option, a horrible bill without a public option, or no bill at all. There is a 4th option!

Now, if only our Representatives and Senators in D.C. understood that...

Toys for Tots

2009-11-11T15:41:00.000-05:00

Help us help the Marines this holiday season! Click this link for details and information.

Vote November 3rd!

2009-10-27T20:02:00.000-04:00

As you know, I am a candidate for Powell City Council. The election will be held on Tuesday, November 3rd, and I would appreciate your support.

I am from this area. I was raised in Southern Delaware County, graduated from Olentangy and moved to Golf Village in 2003. I understand the changes this area has gone through, and I also understand where our residents want this city to go.
I live and work in Powell. I live in Powell, and I am President/CEO of a business in Powell. Therefore, I have a very vested interested in this area. I not only want to make sure our residents love Powell, but that it is an attractive place to bring businesses. Having strong businesses inPowell means a stronger tax base, and that leads to lower taxes for the residents. I am supportive of pedestrian scale businesses.
I will protect taxpayer dollars. I am a fiscal conservative, and I believe that the city needs someone on Council who will take a new, fresh look at the budget. When many of our residents are seeing their salaries cut or their jobs eliminated, the city does not need to be hiring new employees, considering increases in employee pay and spending more money. One of my first objectives will be to thoroughly review the entire budget and find places where we are wasting money, and make the voters aware so that together we can do something about it.
Solve traffic and congestion problems. I think we need to stop just doing studies and actually do something about traffic and congestion in Powell. Even if it's just coming up with the plan and putting it on hold until the money is available, we owe our residents an end result for all the time and money we have spent studying everything.
Strengthen our relationship with the township. We must stop the political bickering and finger pointing so that the lawsuits stop. The township and the city should not be suing one another. We must build a better relationship with the township, and I will be happy to lead or participate in that effort.
Community involvement. I am a former member of the Greater Powell Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, I was a part of the team to "stop the merger" when the Powelland Delaware Chambers were considering merging, I am a member of the Historic DowntownPowell, Inc., am serving on the new Capital Improvements Committee in Powell, and I previously served on the trash/recyling committee for Liberty Township. Additionally, I am on the Board of Trustees for OperaColumbus, and the Board of Directors of Amethyst, Inc. and Young Professionals of Columbus. My company is also a current member of the Greater Powell Area Chamber of Commerce.

I am not currently on Council, but would appreciate your vote. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. I would also greatly appreciate your sharing my name with your friends and neighbors, or forwarding this email on to them. I look forward to being the person on Councilyou can call with any questions or concerns. You are welcome to contact me anytime, and I will work foryou on Council.

Thank you in advance for your November 3rd vote!

Door to Door THIS WEEKEND!!!

2009-10-08T22:45:00.001-04:00

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Join Me Tomorrow!

2009-10-06T11:57:00.001-04:00

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Support Your 2nd Amendment Rights! Join us on Thursday.

2009-10-05T17:50:00.001-04:00

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Change, I Can't Believe

2009-09-27T23:40:00.003-04:00

Tonight, these are the headline articles on a popular web site:

Iran test-fires short-range missiles...
'Could reach Israel'...
Revolutionary Guards begin war games...
Venezuela exploring uranium deposits with Russia...
China to display upgraded missiles in parade...

India raises nuclear stakes; Can make high-yield weapons...

This is the change we can believe in?

Ohio Young Republicans

2009-09-26T18:17:00.002-04:00

Today, the Ohio Young Republicans (OYRs) are meeting in Toledo, OH to elect the new leadership for the organization. I am privileged to have been elected the Southeast Ohio Regional Vice-Chair for the OYRs. This is a part of the state where the OYRs really need to build new clubs to reach out to the younger demographic. I am honored to have been asked to serve this region of the state to charter and build new clubs, and look forward to it!

Ohio Young Republicans provide so much to the party in terms of grassroots support, and we do a lot of work for candidates. OYRs aren't the party of tomorrow, we are the party of today! Young Republicans, such as myself, are running for office and are in leadership positions all across the state and nation. We are also excited that our now former OYR State Chair, Lisa Stickan, was elected National Young Republican Federation Co-Chair at the national convention this summer in Indianapolis.

For more information, visit www.ohioyr.org.

What Does This Look Like to You?

2009-09-25T18:21:00.003-04:00

Whether people are doing this for a Republican, Democrat or any other elected official, this kind of indoctrination shouldn't be happening in our public schools (or anywhere else for that matter).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zrsl8o4ZPo

"He said red and yellow, black and white - all are equal in his sight." So Obama has declared us all equal? We were given equality by our Creator, not by Obama.

Here's another one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdPSqL9_mfM

What does this remind you of? Is this right? Positive songs and thoughts, motivating youngsters to be all they can be, debating the issues -- all of that is fine, and should be included. But practically worshiping a specific leader, regardless of his/her party, race, ideology, etc., isn't what America is all about.

Join Central Ohio Republican Women for Pat Tiberi's Hog Roast this Saturday!

2009-08-26T23:48:00.001-04:00

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Join me at this great event on Monday!

2009-08-20T08:50:00.001-04:00

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The Hypocrisy of the Liberal Left

2009-08-06T07:00:00.002-04:00

We all remember when the Big 3 executives flew to D.C. to ask for money, and they were ridiculed for not having driven there. Major corporations all across the country and being pressured into selling their corporate jets. The Economist has an article about what companies have been selling their jets, and there are some other examples in articles on CNBC's website, a Seattle-based site, and others -- just Google it. You can even look at all the used aircraft for sale!

After all the criticism corporations received for this, guess what our hypocritical Congress is doing? Take a look at the story from RollCall.com. And these aren't used airplanes, they're brand new.

In another note of craziness, Citi, a company that has received billions from you and me, wanted to buy a $50 million jet. What?!?! Of course, it was later canceled under pressure from Obama.

And some want these geniuses running our health care system? I don't think so.

The Business of Politics

2009-08-04T22:12:00.004-04:00

Through my campaign since May, I have emphasized on my campaign web site and my blog my opinions on the issues and what I believe I have to bring to the table. Apparently, others would rather just attack, spin and go negative. I really have to sit back and laugh that they obviously don't have any issues to attack me on, so instead they choose to just attack me with hatred and negative spin.

The business of politics has seen enough of this. Our country has so many vital things going on right now that we should be focusing on. Those issues and the issues facing the City of Powell are what are important to me and what I will focus on. Others can attack and throw mud, but I know it's all because they don't have any issues to question or discuss. I have offered to anyone who has a question or concern to contact me directly anytime, and I will be happy to speak with that individual about their questions. Mature discourse is important for coming up with solutions to the problems facing us.

Owning a small business has taught me what works, what doesn't, what is acceptable and what is not, what angers others and what pleases them, and how to work with a team to accomplish a mission. Through that, I've had learning experiences that have taught me a variety of things that I now work very hard to achieve with every client and employee. At my Powell music studio, for example, we have low employee turnover, a positive morale, great management and a team that works well together. We also have many clients who have been with us since we opened through thick and thin. I am grateful for the hardships and the successes, because going through both have taught me what is best to do to in business, for your team, for those you lead and, perhaps most importantly, for those you serve.

In the upcoming elections, I encourage you to set aside the "business of politics" as usual. We've all had enough of the horrible commercials, lit pieces, blogs and other propaganda that others create to just attack a candidate they personally dislike. Let's all support positive candidates with ideas and solutions. For mine, please visit www.SaraMarieBrenner.com. I look forward to serving the residents of Powell.

Amazing Group of Women!

2009-07-27T23:37:00.002-04:00

What an amazing group of women in Central Ohio Republican Women! We had our first meeting this evening at Kinsale in Powell, and had a great dinner meeting together. Our next meeting is August 24th at 7pm, location TBA.

We have almost 30 members now, and elected our officers and committee chairs tonight. This organization has some amazing goals in the coming months, and these women all had several common themes: they're upset about what's going on in the world, they want to be heard and they want to teach young women about the political situation so that they start making better choices (instead of emotional ones). When women band together, anything is possible!

The mission of CORW is to Win, Organize, Mentor, Encourage and Nurture!

W: Win! Help our candidates win elections. This will be done through being an integral part of local, county, state-wide and national campaigns.

O: Organize for the GOP candidates and parties in Central Ohio to get the job done. We all know that women can get the organizational jobs done the best! We will volunteer for campaigns and help candidates organize and execute.

M: Mentor young women to grow up with our values and become strong, Republican women themselves. This will include reaching out to our children, grandchildren, and college/high school students to educate them about the Republican Party and the importance of community service.

E: Encourage one another by building friendships and having fun with regular events. We will be a group that gets along with one another and truly works together as a unit.

N: Nurture others by giving back in our communities, including selecting a charity each year to assist and support. This way, we can do good for others in our community.

If you're interested in Membership, please join us for our next meeting or contact the club. This is a wonderful way for women to get involved in the Republican Party and to make a real difference!

Obama-Pelosi Health Care

2009-07-27T09:30:00.006-04:00

Have you seen this flowchart?

If not, take a close look, because if Obama-Pelosi Health care passes, this is the tangled maze of bureaucrats through which you'll have to weave to get any "care" through this new system!

Check out the Center for Health Transformation. They have an idea...cut the waste and fraud first! Gee, how ingenious. Too bad the Democrats who completely control D.C. cannot figure that out. Instead, they would rather ration care (which they will have to do to serve all the new people who will be added to the roles, some involuntarily), not save any money (the Congressional Budget Office is saying Obama-Pelosi Care will save a whopping $2B over 10 years...that's not change I can believe in!), force small businesses out of business (money doesn't grow on trees, so these penalties small businesses will have to pay will have to come from either raising prices and/or laying off people), reduce the number of doctors (have you heard and seen all the doctors who are saying they're going to leave the medical field if this passes?) and be the largest tax increase on record (unless they just decide to get the trillions of dollars from printing more money!). Does that sound like a sustainable program to you?

Of course, I agree that the health care system needs to be tweaked. In fact, I have personal experience with this with a test my doctor suggested and "prescribed" over a year ago, that Anthem denied. The insurance companies don't have any motivation to keep you healthy, and the drug companies make money when they keep you alive but sick. I don't disagree at all that the motivational factors for the health insurance companies need adjusted, but taking what is the best health care system in the world and making it like the system in Canada or the U.K. is not the way to do it.

Shift the fundamental perspective to preventative care. Provide incentives for health insurance companies, drug manufacturers and doctors to keep us healthy instead of just keeping us numb, sick and alive. And, when someone like myself has a test they is recommended that is definitely preventative care, don't deny it.

So yes, I agree that health care needs tweaking, but for goodness sakes - don't through the baby out with the bath water!

Remember, you can help stop this horrible legislation in Congress. To fax, email or phone your congressman or senators, see below:

Praying for Palin

2009-07-26T22:03:00.003-04:00

Full news article on Palin's resignation

When I heard a few weeks ago that Gov. Sarah Palin would step down today, I was shocked. "What's she thinking?" I thought, and "Why in the world would she do this to herself?"

Having been attacked myself over nothingness and outright lies, I can somewhat understand, to a lesser extent of course, what she is experiencing. It's unfortunate that politics works that way, and I believe it's why a lot of people don't get involved. If you don't have extremely thick skin in this business, especially as a woman, get ready... !

I do have concern that Palin's resignation will negatively reflect upon women to the loony-left fringe. I wonder whether they'll think that she portrays women as being too weak to do the job, and too sensitive to muster the strength to get through the rough patches. I hope that's not the lasting impression she will have for women and the movement for women in politics, especially Republican Party politics.

Whatever is next for Sarah, I hope that we can all step back and give her a chance to show us what she's going to do. While I don't agree at all with her resignation, because I never think that quitting is the right thing to do (unless there was something severe like a family member terminally ill), I am still willing to remember that her philosophies on conservative government are ideals that I support and want to see furthered throughout the country. Hopefully she will do something good with this resignation and surprise us all. I'm not saying she should run for President, but she doesn't have over a million dollars in her PAC for nothing! I hope to see her make good use of it for the good of the nation.

So, while many are casting judgment, suffice it to say I'll be praying for Sarah Palin. Maybe she can take this whole situation and really shine, not just for herself but for the ideals she and many of us hold dear.

RNC Women's Summit - June 25, 2009

2009-07-21T20:12:00.001-04:00

20 pictures
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RNC Women's Summit - Reception

2009-07-21T19:14:00.001-04:00

13 pictures
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Women Out to Make a Difference!

2009-07-19T00:07:00.005-04:00

I am so excited about the first meeting of the newly formed Central Ohio Republican Women. We have about 20 members and have our first meeting on July 27th at 7pm. If you're interested, please contact me for the location -- come and see what we're all about! We have some really neat things planned for women who want to get involved in their communities and politics, with a unified front for women in the Republican Party.

Monthly Meetings: The 4th Monday of every month at 7pm! Child care is available at our venue for just $7/child for 2 hours. So, don't worry about a sitter...just come and join us!
Fundraising Activities: We plan to raise funds for candidates, but also for local charities.
Charitable Contributions: We will select a charity or multiple charities to volunteer and raise funds for.
Mentorship Program: We plan to reach out to young women in high school and college to provide them with leadership programs and service opportunities, all while showing them why the GOP is the party for them.

And remember what WOMEN stands for!

W: Win! Help our candidates win elections. This will be done through being an integral part of local, county, state-wide and national campaigns.

E: Encourage one another by building friendships and having fun with regular events. We will be a group that gets along with one another and truly works together as a unit.

N: Nurture others by giving back in our communities, including selecting a charity each year to assist and support. This way, we can do good for others in our community.

We will do all of this while giving a public, positive face to the GOP for women! If you're looking fore more information, please visit www.corw.org. More to come!!!

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Sen. Boxer Gets Boxed

2009-07-18T23:52:00.001-04:00

Check out this video. I'm "proud" of the gentleman!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FE_jGD5nZ6U

Ohio Wising Up to Obama

2009-07-07T22:59:00.004-04:00

Finally!!! A minority of Ohioans support the job that Obama is doing as President. In a recent Quinnipiac Poll completed on July 1st, only 49% of Ohioans support the job that President Obama is doing in office, down from 62% approval in early May. The press release from Quinnipiac states that this is "considered by many to be the most important swing state in a presidential election" and this is "Obama's lowest approval rating in any national or statewide Quinnipiac University poll since he was inaugurated..."

Wonderful! Is it possible that Ohioans, and Americans, are finally wising up to Obama's centrist campaign but incredibly left-wing presidency? According to the poll, 48% of Ohioans polled disapprove of the way Obama is handling the economy. This is down from 57% in early May. Better yet for the Republican candidate for Governor, John Kasich, this newest poll shows that 66% of voters in Ohio are "somewhat dissatisfied" or "very dissatisfied" with the direction in which the state is heading, leaving only 33% to be "very" or "somewhat satisfied."

Is it possible that the independent voters, who won Ohio for Obama, are figuring out that his ideas aren't working, and that he isn't change we can believe in? Is it possible that the moderate voters who were trusting what Obama said in his speeches (despite that fact that his life proved otherwise) are realizing that he isn't governing from the center in a bi-partisan manner like they had hoped? YES!!! YES!!! YES!!! Now this is something we can believe in! Remember, this same poll shows that 48% of Ohioans disapprove of Obama's handling of the economy. That stimulus package that went for all kinds of wasteful projects (see some of them on a click from Hannity's show on YouTube) didn't actually create jobs. Just this past week, CNN showed a chart on the Sunday talk show "State of the Union" showing that the GDP shrank 5.5% in the last quarter compared to Obama's estimated 1.5%, in addition to his being way off on unemployment numbers and number of jobs being created. The stimulus just simply isn't working!

Why does all of this matter? For those of you who are told that your beliefs are not correct because it's not what Obama supports and says, GOOD!! You have a lot of people who agree with you completely! It's difficult sometimes to continue stating how you really feel when you don't think that anyone agrees with you, but know from this poll that you have support here in Ohio and throughout the nation. Even the U.S. Senate (Fisher or Brunner vs. Portman) race, which is slightly tipping toward the Dems right now, has nearly a third of the voters undecided. We need to make it our job to educate them! Make sure they understood that the economy grows under Republican governance (i.e. smaller government and lower taxes...yes, there are exception like G.W. Bush, but this is a generality), tax cuts are proven to work and wasteful spending never works. Tell all your friends and know that you have a strong sector of the population supporting you!

If you're interested in seeing all the information, you can download the entire Quinnipiac University poll here: Complete Quinnipiac Poll. Take a look!

So, the next time someone tells you the vast majority of Americans or Ohioans support Obama and you don't know what you're talking about, you can tell them, with facts to back you up, that they're wrong!

The Two Kinds of Pink Elephants

2009-06-29T16:39:00.005-04:00

I was invited to be part of the delegation from Ohio to attend the RNC Women's Summit in Washington D.C. this past week on Thursday, June 25 (thank you to Congressman Tiberi for that!). I and a few other ladies from Ohio, approximately 300 women from all of the country, experienced a wonderful day with Chairman Michael Steele, Jan Larimer and many great speakers and topics. The agenda included polling information from Linda DiVall and Kellyanne Conway, communication discussions with Dana Perino, Liz Cheney and Trevor Francis, gender gap commentary from Kate O'Beirne, political insight from the NRSC, RNC and NRCC, candidate recruitment with Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Barbara Comstock and Rita Meyer, and new media was discussed and presented by Todd Herman and various bloggers. It was a wonderful day, a fabulous networking opportunity and an incredible experience.

On Sunday, I attended the Ohio Federation of Republican Women (OFRW) Tribute to Women. Unfortunately, I didn't hear about this event from my county's women's club, but instead through another county's web site. Our county didn't send a woman to be honored as part of the tribute, either, as every county had that opportunity. I was really disappointed to see that I was the only one from my county in attendance. There were approximately 130 women from all over the state of Ohio along with Justice Lanzinger and Candidate for the U.S. Senate, Rob Portman. The women and their stories are amazing! Such strength, tenacity, fortitude and courage, not to mention the hours and hours of time spent volunteering doing the hard work for the Republican Party. I was thrilled to see that there is an event honoring all of these wonderful women.

All that I've heard, been told and gathered at these two events and others in the past few weeks has brought me to a conclusion: there are two kinds of pink elephants (women) in the Republican Party. At the Women's Summit in D.C. and the Tribute this past week, I saw the women who truly want to work for the party, bring other women into the party, support one another, and also not just vote for a women because she's a woman but because she's the best candidate. Unfortunately, I have also experienced the women who want to divide in order to attempt to conquer, who stab you in the back, and who really don't care about the women or the GOP (of course, I didn't see any of those ladies this past week at either of these events!).

Ladies, we have to work together, not against one another, in order to get things done not only for women but for the party as a whole. Using the party, women's clubs or other methods in order to gain control and have a platform isn't right, and people will find out about your divisive ways when you do this. If you have a county women's club that isn't having regular meetings, volunteering for a charity, raising money, supporting all candidates within the GOP or is being divisive, don't support it! Find other ways to plug in yourself, or contact me for information about how to connect with the OFRW or the National Federation. I had not even heard about the state and national conferences from my local women's club, but I have found the information on my own and gotten involved. You can do it, too! There are other ladies out there who think like you do and support conservative candidates!

I also hope that the Republican Party realizes at the national level that in order to attract women to the party it has to properly articulate its message. And, it can't just take the same brochure, make it pink, and call it women's literature! Women care about different issues than men, vote differently than men, and have different issues of importance based on income, marital status, ethnicity, education and other factors. The GOP knows this, but we haven't done a good job of explaining to women that we are the best party for them. But, the important part...after we "market" and explain all this, our candidates have to actually follow through! We've lost credibility over the years by saying we'll do one thing (i.e. smaller government) and not doing it (i.e. TARP). People are tired of that, and women, especially, are skeptical.

So ladies, let's make a real effort to work together -- not just by saying it, but actually doing it, supporting one another and working for the right cause! Let's not support the groups of women and individual women who like to form cliques, be divisive, back stab, gossip, blog about fellow Republicans and have back room meetings. We need a positive force for ourselves, our friends, our daughters and the causes we believe in.

I'm sure my comments here will end up on a blog. Honestly, that's fine! I know that I am working within the group who really wants to do this for the right reasons, and I encourage all of you ladies out there to take a second look at what you're involved in politically to make sure you're participating in the group that really is supportive, unifying and helpful of our cause.

Stay in touch with me for more to come on this issue in the coming weeks. This is a topic that is important to me, and I will keep you updated through social media sites. You can connect with me on:

Twitter

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Recipe for the GOP's Resurgence and Continued Victory

2009-06-15T12:14:00.009-04:00

In a recent Gallup poll, conservatives were found to be the largest ideological group. The conservative-bashing groups of the world will hate to hear that the conservatives came in at 40% and liberals at only 21%. The poll also explains that 22% of Democrats consider themselves conservative, while only 3% of Republicans consider themselves liberal. And, "close to half of political independents -- 45% -- describe their political views as "moderate." Among the rest, the balance of views is tilted more heavily to the right than to the left..."

My questions are these:

Why do 22% of Democrats who clearly are conservatives not consider themselves to be Republicans, or at least Independents? Of course, many, including myself, can argue that the Republican Party is no longer the party of the conservative because my party broke its promise to the American people to keep government small. However, one can also argue that the Republicans are trying to come back home and get it right finally, working to stop the growth of government at the federal, state and local level.
If 40% of the population is conservative and the majority of the independents lean conservative, what does the Republican Party have to do to earn and keep their voting loyalty? Obviously, the Republican Party needs to go back to its roots of conservatism, and then stay true to it. GOP candidates can't run on one thing and do something else once in office.

The Republican Party clearly needs to redefine itself as the party of the conservatives, and attract the 35% who consider themselves moderates through logical arguments that clearly are the best for the people. Most moderates tend to be fiscally conservative and socially a bit more liberal, not feeling comfortable in either party. However, if a moderate has to choose between tax cuts and gay marriage, the fiscal policy is going to trump the social issue, in most cases (with the exception of some social issues that insight a lot of emotion among specific groups, like abortion).

I spoke with a young lady I met a few nights ago about her political beliefs. She is African-American, in college, working, and very conservative (pro-life, supports tax cuts, wants to encourage companies to come to Ohio to bring jobs, etc.). However, she is a Democrat. We couldn't find a single belief typically considered to be a Democratic belief that she agreed with. She's a conservative, but a registered Democrat, apparently falling into that 22%! Why is this? Why does she think that her beliefs are best represented by the Democrat party when in actuality everything that she believes in is a Republican principle? The GOP has failed to properly educate people about the differences between the parties.

The GOP needs to do a better of job of articulating its platform clearly and succinctly, and then it needs to uphold it election after election. We can't allow the party to get fat, happy and lazy again and permit the expansion of government in good times and then complain about the growth of government from the minority. The party must have a clear vision, communicate it simply with a KISS (K.I.S.S. = keep it simple stupid!!!) approach, and then once we're in office we have to kick ourselves and keep our promises.

Clearly, the population agrees with us on philosophy, but we have to practice what we preach once we're in office in order to earn and keep the votes and support of the conservatives and the right-leaning moderates.

Iran & Israel: What's Going to Happen?

2009-06-13T11:45:00.006-04:00

I was watching MSNBC yesterday, and it amazed me how Andrea Mitchell was acting like the Iranian elections are "real." The Clerics support Ahmedinejad, and these explanations of a run-off election if it's close and other democratic sounding processes are just a front, and nothing more.

Links to various news stories about the election:

It's always been thought that the Iranian people are actually quite young, modern and open. They supposedly want to have a relationship with the United States, despite the state-run polls, and they don't agree with the rules of their Mullahs. The violent clashes that we're now seeing in Iran are a result of the government not allowing this supposed democratic vote to be at all democratic. With the high turnout they saw yesterday, you want my guess? His opponent, Mousavi, won and won handily. Mousavi supposedly even lost in his home town (yea, right). In the tribal part of the world, that just isn't plausible!

At least the US government (aka Obama administration) is admitting that the elections are "not credible." According to the foxnews.com article, the Obama administration believes "that the regime will look so bad as a result of whipping up Iranian hopes for democracy and then squelching them that the regime may feel compelled to show some conciliatory response to Obama's gestures of engagement." Why in the world would people who want to 'kill the infidels' feel compelled to show anything other than continuing their charge toward nuclear weapons so that they can obliterate the Big Satan and the Little Satan (the USA and Israel)? Come on, Obama, it's time to get your head out of the sand and stop thinking that the Iranians are going to break bread with you and suddenly be touched by the Messiah (yes, some sarcasm there -- couldn't help it). Listen to the words of the Iranian government -- the only thing they're going to feel compelled to do is threaten nuclear war, and they're close to being able to follow through on that threat.

In Israel, Netanyahu wisely is waiting to give his big policy speech until tomorrow so that the elections are done and the winner finalized. One can only assume that the re-election (or re-declaration) of Ahmedinejad will encourage him to continue his conservative stance on Israel's continuation of settlements in the West Bank, Palestinian statehood, the right of return and other issues in the Middle East. Obama isn't going to like that one very much. Honestly, though, what other option does Netanyahu have at this point? No one in the world supports Israel (unfortunately, it's looking like the US government is backing off its support, too), and they have given, have offered the Palestinians statehood (just 6 months ago the former PM offered it again and it was turned down...not by the Israelis!!), and we all remember watching live on TV the Israeli military removing their citizens from their homes by force in the expansion settlements. I do believe there should be a two-state solution, but this requires cooperation from the Palestinian leadership (again, here, the people aren't the problem -- it's the political leadership). Politically, perhaps it makes more sense for the Palestinians if they don't have a two-state solution so that they encourage enough hatred of Israel for the extremist view of abolishing it altogether to continue. That's definitely something to consider -- is it possible that the strife is better for the Palestinian leaders so that they don't lose the two-state solution as a political issue?

The Israelis and the Iranians both have a right of survival. The Israelis have the right to have their own state and live in peace, as do the Palestinians. The Israelis attack to defend themselves, not to begin a war offensively. It's neighbors and Iran, however, admittedly want to destroy Israel and don't want her to exist. You can argue that the Israelis took over that land by force, but it just depends on which side of the fence you're on. When you have millions of Jews being misplaced all over the world and several diasporas, what else are the people to do but ban together to create a Jewish state? Interesting, as well, that Israel allows Muslims, Christians, Jews and other religions to live peacefully within Israel while its neighbors do not.

The elections in Iran are an unfortunate continuation of the old policy of destroying Israel, the United States and the non-Muslim world. Again, this isn't the people's doing -- it's the government, and we must make that distinction. This isn't about Muslim hatred, Iranian hatred, or any other "-ism." It's about distinguishing between a government that isn't supportive of democracy or free speech and its people. It's about distinguishing between lofty hopes of peace and a state's ruler constantly giving speeches about destroying the Big and Little Satan while going on 60 Minutes to say he loves the American people and wants to form a relationship with us. It's about distinguishing between a people's hope to just keep the sliver of land they have to protect their people and a political class keeping their people in poverty and war to continue having a political issue to tout.

We're all smarter than the rhetoric we hear, and one of these days, hopefully the rest of the world will realize it.

The Concept of Low Taxes Just Doesn't Make Sense to the Libs

2009-06-07T22:57:00.004-04:00

Several days ago, I explained that I do not support a city income tax increase, which is being discussed in the City of Powell. On another local blog today, the author attempted to say that I shouldn't be complaining because I'm paying less than in other cities in Central Ohio.

Yes!!!!! That's the point! I ask you to consider these questions:

Which area(s) of Central Ohio is/are growing the most? Powell is among them. Why? Because people go where there are lower taxes.
Why are people leaving Ohio? Because we are one of the highest taxed states.
Why are people flocking to states like Florida, South Carolina and others? Because they are among the lowest taxed states. I've even talked to financial advisors who advise their wealthy clients to develop their primary residence in a state other than Ohio because the taxes are so high here. I have also spoken to business owners (other than myself, of course) who feel strongly that the business climate in Ohio is horrible for small businesses.
Why is NCR pulling out of Dayton to go to Georgia? Because Strickland wouldn't provide the incentives to keep them here, and Georgia would. What "incentives" are those? Tax incentives!!
Why didn't Honda build its additional plant in Ohio instead of Indiana? Tax incentives!!
I have a good friend who owns land in the Rickenbacker area and has been unable to get it developed, despite the fact that a few large (Fortune 500) companies have been interested in his property. Let me restate - a few Fortune 500 companies have been interested in building warehouses and/or factories in Central Ohio. Of course, those companies have built warehouses, but in other states. Why? One of the biggest reasons is that neither Mayor Coleman nor Governor Strickland would provide the tax incentives that the companies needed, despite my friend's speaking with the appropriate elected officials (all Democrats), and other states would provide those tax incentives. Ohio lost hundreds of jobs just from one of those deals alone.

Those who argue that we should be paying higher taxes in Powell "just because" we pay less than other cities clearly do not understand! You grow an area through encouraging people to come there, and both companies and people go where the taxes are lowest. Current numbers prove that. Anyone who argues to the contrary simply does not understand.

Government Controlling the People

2009-06-05T18:26:00.003-04:00

In a speech yesterday, Sarah Palin explains that the government will begin bailing out the states so that it can control the people. Watch the whole video: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2009/06/04/palin_government_wants_to_control_the_people.html

What do you think about this? Please submit a comment - I would like to hear!

Most agree that GM should not have been bailed out by the government. Many have issues with the bank bailouts as well. In my opinion, if the government were allowing banks to pay back the loans without continuing to add more hoops for them to jump through, then perhaps I would believe the government was really trying to help. However, despite the fact that many banks passed the "stress test" that the federal government applied, the government keeps adding more and more steps that they have to complete to pay back the money! Of course, the government doesn't want them to pay it back.

In the beginning of all of this, I was willing to give the government the benefit of the doubt, despite the fact that my "political gut" said something different. Now, though, when the government won't even let the banks return the money so that they can go back to being private companies, I now actually have to agree with Sarah Palin. Until the government shows otherwise, all I'm seeing is that they want control.

Are we going to put up with that as voters? Don't we have the right in the United States of America to be free - free from government control? This fall in your local elections and next year in the other races, be sure to pay attention to what the person is saying. If they're talking about "spreading the wealth," we all know what that means if you didn't know before. The only way to stop this slide toward government control is for the voters to speak.

So, be sure you "speak" through your vote. Get out there and vote! Let your voice be heard, and talk with your friends and neighbors. We cannot afford to just sit back and watch our government take control of the private sector. We have to work together to stop it, now, so that the American Dream still includes jobs in a private section when our children and grandchildren and searching for jobs.

Make sure you watch Sarah Palin's video. Even if you don't like her personally, listen to Mark Levin's reaction: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLvegBfCQb8.

On another note, enjoy the weekend!

Bernanke Agrees: Reduce the Deficit

2009-06-04T10:16:00.002-04:00

Now even Bernanke is saying that we have to reduce the deficit. Of course, he mentions tax increases which I completely disagree with, but the premise here is that even now Bernanke agrees that we must stop this spending.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124403584900281215.html

Liberal Blogs: Emotion, Exaggeration and Hyperbole

2009-06-04T09:44:00.004-04:00

We've probably all noticed this, but isn't it pretty amazing how the liberal blogs seem to be based on emotion, exaggeration and hyperbole? I would like to find one - just one - liberal-leaning blog that isn't full of stories where information has been thrown into a blender to make another completely different meal that the liberals eat up on their blog.

I'm all for free speech; otherwise, I couldn't do this! But, why do people spend time making up things on blogs? What's the point of that? Of course, usually, it's because they can't find any facts to back up their argument (frequently, because the facts they're looking for don't exist!). Do they not think that the population is smart enough to figure out for themselves that they have an agenda, and just say whatever they want to say to support that agenda? I'm confident we're all smart enough for that!

For example, when Obama argues this massive spending that will put this year's budget $2 trillion in the hole, how does he do it? He uses words and phrases like "unity," "brother's keeper," "caring," "equal opportunity," and anecdotes about people he's met (I hope) who are suffering under the current conditions. He doesn't provide facts and information to show how having a $2 trillion debt is helping anyone, he just sells it by making it a 'feel good' proposition. It's easiest for them (liberals) to do this when there is a recession like there is now because they can take advantage of the current situation to play on emotions (with their exaggeration and hyperbole!).

There are local blogs and national blogs - we all know which ones they are - that seem to not have an idea what a "fact" is. Those little factoids are actually quite important! When a conservative argues a position, it's backed up with facts, information and logic. When a liberal argues a position, it's backed up with emotion and feelings, it is usually mean-spirited in nature, and it's an attempt to make you feel guilty...and, of course, emotion, exaggeration and hyperbole.

You can see for yourself. Visit http://townhall.com/ to find some conservative blogs, and you'll see that most of them are backed up by fact. There are some of them that aren't, yes, but I'm looking at vast majorities here. Visit http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ or http://www.dailykos.com/ to find some examples of liberal blogs. Do your own research and see for yourself.

So, what does all this mean? It's just something to be aware of. When you hear an argument that is all emotion, exaggeration and hyperbole, remember to stop and look up the facts yourself, and don't trust the "facts" you were given because it's very likely that those aren't even the facts! Even something presented as fact probably isn't because the libs just can't help themselves - their emotions get the best of them and then, suddenly, new "facts" are created. On the other hand, when you only hear facts, make sure you're really thinking through the whole situation. Get a balanced approach, with accurate facts (as opposed to made-up ones), and you'll never be on the wrong side of the issue.

Taxes & Forced Charity

2009-06-02T12:12:00.005-04:00

"I work hard for what I have and I will share it with who I want to. Government cannot force me to be charitable."

For any of you who enjoy Glenn Beck, you're familiar with this as one of his 9 principles through the 9-12 Project. While you may not always agree with everything Glenn says (I don't agree with him all the time, either), let's start with this principle and examine it.

Those of us who own businesses, or for that matter are employed period, we have a paycheck that we can decide what to do with every week, 2 weeks, or whatever the frequency may be. I grew up in a country where we were encouraged to donate to charities and give back to the community, and if someone really needed help they went to their church or a charitable organization to get the assistance they needed, not the government. What happened to that philosophy?

Of course, I'm not a person who thinks I should just hog my paycheck. However, the government should only tax from my paycheck what it needs to perform its basic duties. We must review the bureaucratic layers and cut-cut-cut before we tax-tax-tax. That doesn't have to mean that we end up without any services locally, unless for some reason that's what the people want. What it means is that we force government to do exactly what businesses and families have to do - live within their means.

Since not everyone agrees with all of the charities out there, why should the government tell me where my tax dollars are charitably spent? Who says that's ok? If I work hard for my paycheck, I want to make those decisions, and the government that tries to tell me I can't is the government that thinks they're smarter than I am. So far in human history, that philosophy hasn't worked.

If government forces charity (through higher taxes), they can also use your money to support causes in which you don't believe. For example, if you are pro-life and the current government (like Obama) is pro-choice, they can use your tax dollars to support abortion clinics and other related causes in which you do not believe. Is this "for the greater good" or is it simply forcing charity?

In my case, as a candidate for Powell City Council, I must tie this in to the fact that the City of Powell is considering and studying raising the city income tax from 3/4% to 2%. Do the math -- that is nearly tripling the income tax! Yes, I understand that development has slowed and yes, I understand that the city needs money to function, but tripling the income tax? One of the aspects that I will studying over the next few months is the city's budget. I realize that many of my questions may not be able to be answered until I am actually on Council, but I look forward to reviewing the various department budgets and finding ways to save money within the City of Powell. We're taxed enough. And, for people like myself who live and work within the City of Powell, we would not receive the credit and would pay more in taxes. For the man or woman who is starting a small business in their Powell home and looks forward to moving into an office building, do we want them to use a City of Powell office building or look to go "over the border" just so they have the income tax credit? We have a low tax rate here in Powell, and let's consider that perhaps that is why our community's growth has been so explosive when others have not been. Companies and people want to go where the taxes are low.

People may say that this is selfish and that people with these philosophies just don't want to give to others. On the contrary! People like me want to be able to choose where to give their money and will give more if they can make that choice for themselves. Forced charity doesn't work.

~Sara Marie Brenner

Values, Principles & Politics

2009-06-02T09:01:00.005-04:00

Most people think that those three words shouldn't be in a phrase together, at least, not unless you remove "politics" from the phrase. I beg to differ. There are politicians out there who have values and principles. The purpose of this blog will be to highlight my values, principles, and yes, opinions, and to point out other politicians who are standing up for their principles and doing the right thing.

Values and principles are important in politics, business and in life. There is no reason why we can't share our values and principles and then apply them in the offices we seek or hold, and in the businesses we run. Yes, we've all made mistakes, but the important thing is whether one learns from those mistakes and moves forward as a better person.

This blog is not meant to be a responsive blog. There are many blogs out there - we all know which ones they are - that do nothing but bash other people. We could respond to that, but that won't be the objective here. And, this isn't anonymous. You know who I am - it's in the URL. If something is posted by someone else, we'll tell you who posted it. No more of this anonymous, defamatory junk, and no hateful lies; just explanations of values, principles, and how I or someone else is applying that to a decision or an opinion about a situation.

So, I hope you'll enjoy, and if you ever have any comments, feel free to post them. If it's defamatory, rude, argumentative, etc., the comment will be removed. If it's constructive, thought-provoking and sensible, it will remain. And, you may not comment anonymously.

Welcome to a new era of blogging. Enjoy!!!

~Sara Marie Brenner