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A reader’s opinion
To the editor:
I
attended the Northeast Neighborhood Association’s candidate’s forum last Monday
night. It was well attended. The residents asked probing questions not just
about their neighborhood, but also about the outlook for the town in general.
I
was struck by a question from an association member and the response from the
candidates. The member asked the candidates if they were developers. All but
one candidate said they weren’t developers. Commissioner David Camacho
explained that he had built a couple of small subdivisions out in Franklin County.
Perhaps
the question should have been framed in the following context: Are you a
builder and do you build in Wake Forest? Have you ever accepted money from a
developer or family members of a developer to fund your campaign? Have you ever
had to recuse yourself from voting on items before the Wake Forest Town
Commission because you had a financial stake in the outcome of the vote? How
recently have developers or builders held fundraisers in your name? Have they
funded past campaigns?
Had
these questions been asked, the answers would have been as follows: Mr. Camacho
would have answered “yes” to all of the questions. Current Commissioner Velma
Boyd would have answered “yes” to the fact that developers held a fundraiser
for her and Mr. Camacho a couple of weeks ago at Heritage Golf Club. She would
have answered “yes” builders and developers have donated to all of her
campaigns.
Ms.
Boyd, Mr. Camacho, and former commissioner Rob Bridges would have had to say
“yes” that, in fact, most of the money they use to fund websites, buy signs,
pay professional pollsters comes from donations from builders and the
development community. Mr. Bridges would have answered “yes” there were times
during his tenure on the board that he had to recuse himself from voting.
In
fact, I attended meetings for a while where at least one commissioner per
meeting had to recuse themselves from a vote.
The
rest of the candidates, at this point, can answer “no” to those questions
because we haven’t had a chance to see their campaign finance reports. But one
thing is for sure, the other three can run from their development ties but they
cannot hide from the truth.
Wanda Mukherjee
Wake Forest
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