Letter: Public employees can be trusted in elective offices

Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2003 | 8:51 a.m.

What a pity. The sponsors of the expensive and offensive ad against public employees holding elective office, which ran in Sunday's paper, can't see beyond their bulging wallets.

Public servants are naturals for public office. Public servants are drawn to what they do by a commitment to the common good and elected office is an extension of that commitment. Public servants are well aware that the private sector pays better.

Tax protesters have benefited, immeasureably, from what taxes provide. Professional and ancillary workers improve and protect the quality of life in this community. They work in the public schools, the public university system, the public hospital, the public health department, the fire department, the police department and for local and state government. Do you mean to tell me that these protesters have not benefited from any of that?

We pay taxes because we want our children to be well educated; we want to live in a safe community; we want a rapid response when we have an emergency; and we want to be safely cared for when we are ill. We want to drive on safe roads, we want to eat in safe restaurants. This list goes on and on.

Give me a public servant anytime. It beats having the vested interests of those who line corporate pockets with self-serving voting records and hidden agendas. Sounds like those tax protesters wouldn't blink an eye over concerns about such things. Imagine the good that they could do if they would focus on what is best for this community.

PATRICIA VAN BETTEN

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