Thanks to The Daily Tar Heel for covering the Citizens for Livable Communities event last Saturday at the Town Library. It was one to be savored because everyone had a good time. Small discussion groups allowed the candidates and residents to explore the burning questions in a relaxed atmosphere. After attending the forums, the next step a voter needs to be informed is to apply critical thinking skills to what he or she hears the candidates say at these events and to compare this with what else is known about the candidate. In the case of an incumbent, the most reliable information is the candidate's voting record. For example, Lee Pavao' s quote about a sustainable future for Chapel Hill needs to be compared to his votes on development over his last eight years on the council.
Lee has a record on the council, and this claim is not supported by his voting record. In my recent four years as a council member (1995-99) out of 14 years in public service, I served with Lee and had plenty of opportunity to see the way he dealt with development issues. Lee was predictably uncritical of development and the potential for making it better.
We need a mayor like Kevin Foy who in his years of service to the town has led the council to improve development projects, and had the courage to vote down some that cost the community too much in declining environmental quality, overcrowded schools, and traffic.
Julie McClintock
Chapel Hill
