LETTERS: Both City Council District 2 candidates are poor options

Palm Coast Observer
Opinion

Both District 2 council candidates are poor options

Dear Editor:

After primary voters chose more moderate positions over extremism, divisiveness, and unacceptable behavior in our August primary election, there remain a couple of troublesome candidates who have moved on to the November general election.

Theresa Pontieri and Alan Lowe will face off for a City Council seat, and both have pasts that are problematic enough to create a decision-making dilemma for voters.

Do we choose Pontieri, an attorney forced to resign from our Sheriff’s Office for racist comments described by Sheriff Staly as so offensive, divisive, and inflammatory that community relations could be adversely affected if she remained with the office?

The sheriff’s severely descriptive concerns do not bode well for someone seeking a seat on our City Council, an entity that also is well known to have had its offensive, divisive and inflammatory moments.

Should voters simply discount the sheriff’s decision that it was unacceptable and detrimental for Ponieri to remain in a position with his department, but accept that she is OK for a City Council job?

Or do we choose Alan Lowe, a handyman and a member of an ultra-partisan local Trump Club that by its nature sends a divisive message?

And this is a candidate who in his past aligned himself with the extremist Sovereign Citizen movement that has been described as a domestic terrorism threat, disavowed his U.S. citizenship, claimed he was not subject to U.S. laws, didn’t pay his income taxes, and never voted until he was on a ballot.

Garnering votes with this kind of past would by most accounts be difficult.

We are going to be stuck with one or the other come November, but voters should never have to be put in the unwelcome position of having to decide which candidate is going to be the least problematic.

Voting should have an air of optimism to it, hope for inclusive governance and the betterment of the community as a whole with quality candidates who have measured demeanors to choose from.

It should not be, as we are facing in this race, an unpleasant coin toss between two candidates who probably should not be on the ballot at all.

Robert Gordon

Palm Coast

Lowe: City should not raise taxes this year

Dear Editor:

Our city of Palm Coast is experiencing the crushing weight of pain at the gas pump, grief at the grocery store and supply chain shortages, all making life difficult.

Failed economic policies have created this hyper-inflation and recession and that’s hurting us all.

Here at home, were I your city councilman, I would do my part to ease everyone’s pain. I would not vote for any increase property tax payment this year. A flat tax rate is still an increase, as property values went up.

In my 39 years of living in Palm Coast, I never envisioned that our city budget would be a quarter of a BILLION DOLLARS, and yet, here we are!

In these financially difficult times, we must all tighten our belts and that includes our city government as well.

The burden of tax increases is not the answer. I will always fight so you can keep more of your money in your pocket.

Alan Lowe

Palm Coast

Editor's note: Lowe is a candidate for Palm Coast City Council, District 2.