My Endorsement Goes To Matt Kelty - Even Though I Said I Would Not

My endorsement will not swing the election for mayor one way or the other. Then again, my vote may well be the deciding vote. I was not going to endorse anyone, but as the hours grew shorter my mind said, do it. So I am!

I am going to do it with bullet points

Matt Kelty is an outsider. He owes no one that is in office. His financial support has come from the grass roots and a few like minded people. He did not attract several hundred thousand dollars of money from law firms, contractors, and so forth from places like Indianapolis, Chicago, and Michigan.

Matt Kelty is not from "this is the way we have always done it" club. By not knowing this is the way it is always done, opens the chance to explore new avenues in how the City of Fort Wayne runs. It provides a chance for the taxpayers to come forth with new ideas.

Matt Kelty has firmly stated the OmniSource property should not be purchased without full disclosure and City Council approval.

Matt Kelty has stated he will see Harrison Square through. However, there will not be, what has become the norm in local government building projects of, "Oh, by the way we need to add this and that to the cost!"

Matt Kelty has promised to hold the line on property taxes. At first he said he would cut taxes but as the campaign ran on, he learned that was a promise he could not keep. Instead of continuing with a false promise, he modified his platform to hold taxes.

Matt Kelty has been subjected to more political stress then most Mayor's face in three years in office. While some of the stress was at the hands of people within his own campaign he stood tall. He did not duck the issues. He took the heat. To me, that means if something happens within in the city he will be there to take the blame and get it corrected. He would not hide and let someone else be the fall guy. It is hard to believe we will hear "no comment!"

Matt Kelty is concerned about jobs. Without jobs, Kelty understands all the public-private feel good projects will only serve as a monument to a failed period of time in Fort Wayne in generating jobs.

Matt Kelty does not see entering economic development, backed with tax payer guaranteed bonds, as a wise mode of operation. Kitty Hawk is the latest example of poor decisions made by others.

Matt Kelty will stream line all the boards and commissions. Ones no longer serving the best interest of taxpayers will be done away. People appointed by the Mayor who appear to have a conflict of interest will be asked to resign or will not be reappointed.

Matt Kelty will see that the public has input on projects. No longer will unknown groups, who happen to be appointed by the mayor, will become the mouth piece of the public. Look at what Mayor Richard did to the people who volunteered thousands of hours to the North River project, only to learn he was not being honest and open with them. He was using them to try jamming a land purchase down the throats of the public's throat.

Matt Kelty will try to work with the people already employed within the city. Many are employed at the sole desecration of the mayor. These people will be given a chance to work with Kelty. If they elect not to, they should move on before being forced to move on.

The legal issues are real. However, as I have said from the time they where handed down that they most likely will go away or he will be found innocent. I still stand behind that belief.

The birthday cake was a joke that just went from bad to worse. We all have been around places where a joke was told or a cartoon displayed that turned out to be just in poor taste. This is just one of them. It is not a deciding factor of being a good mayor.

I will not bash Tom Henry, like those who oppose Matt Kelty have. Tom Henry is a good man and does not deserve to have every little error that his campaign has made, to become a focal point to ridicule the man.

While some have said Kelty has little support from fellow Republicans may be true. However, at the same time, the elected Democrats have not rallied around Henry. No city wide public endorsements from Mayor Richard, who Henry said he would follow many of his ideas. No city wide public endorsements from council members Tim Pape, Glynn Hines, Tom Hayhurst, and John Shoaff. Let alone state representatives Win Moses and Phil GiaQuinta.

So as I go to sleep tonight, I know in my heart I am doing the best for my family and myself in voting for Matt Kelty