Friday, August 01, 2014

Jim Lefler for Oshtemo Trustee

In the special election for Oshtemo Trustee, Jim Lefler is the clear choice.

Oshtemo Trustees are elected to four year terms in presidential years.  David Bushouse was a trustee for 16 years who was narrowly defeated in 2012.  Shortly after the election, one of the winning candidates resigned, and Bushouse was appointed to fill the vacancy until a 2014 special election.

Bushouse is nominally a Republican, but he has never had any involvement with the local Republican party.  His record as a trustee does not clearly distinguish him from the democrats.

There are several serious issues with how the incumbent trustees are managing the township.

1. They pushed through a special assessment for additional police protection but never negotiated an agreement with the Sheriff.  Thus we are not receiving the additional protection that we are being assessed for.

2. They have a fund balance on hand that is far higher than what is appropriate for sound fiscal management.

3. They created a "Downtown Development Authority" that collects money but so far has done nothing but buy a defunct gas station at Stadium and 9th and do nothing with it.

4. They are now trying to create another authority along the Drake Road corridor that would collect tax money and do who knows what with it.

The existing board in Oshtemo is widely disliked by other local government officials.  They are mismanaging taxpayers' money.  Dave Bushouse has been on the board for 18 years and he will not be part of the solution.

Jim Lefler is a smart, fearless conservative who will shake up the existing clique on the Oshtemo board.  He has significant financial experience in business.  He is the leader of the VanKal Tea Party Patriots and is active in the Kalamazoo GOP.  He deserves the support of conservatives on August 5.

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