O P I N I O N
The Soapbox
Stand up. Speak up. It’s your turn.
Thirty years ago, I asked the voters of Manchester to give me the chance to lead their city and turn it away from stagnation and decay, and toward a more optimistic and hopeful future. Thirty years ago, we faced a failing economy, a looming bank and mortgage crisis, a rising crime epidemic, and a sense that Manchester’s best days were behind her. But the people decided to make a change at City Hall and elected me as Mayor, a position I would hold for 10 years during a period where we grew the economy, built a new airport, revitalized the Millyard, attracted new industries to replace our shrinking ones and restored confidence in Manchester. When I left office, we were considered one of the best cities in America and we were the envy of many, many communities.
Thirty years later, Manchester is again at the crossroads. People are increasingly questioning whether our better days are behind us or if this city is worth fighting for. Young families increasingly choose the suburbs rather than living in Manchester and much of the economic growth that has incurred in the region is happening in towns like Bedford, Derry and Londonderry rather than in our city. Crime is becoming commonplace, homelessness an excepted part of city life, drug abuse all too familiar to our citizens, and everywhere in the city we are beginning to see declining neighborhoods and a lack of community spirit. Simply put, we need a change of leadership at City Hall.
That is why I am voting for Victoria Sullivan for Mayor, and why I hope each of you will support Victoria as well. She will support city budgets that stay under the tax cap and that won’t bankrupt taxpayers. She will work directly with our Police Department and get them the resources to prevent crimes rather than just cleaning up after them. She will tackle the homelessness crisis head-on and will work on a Manchester solution that doesn’t kowtow to a leftwing agenda from outside our city. She will be a listening Mayor and a Mayor of the people. She will be the leader we need and deserve.
Like many of you, Victoria Sullivan came to our city with the hope for a better future. She and her husband came to Manchester over a decade ago to join her parents who moved here many years before that. Victoria and her husband saw a community that their family could be proud of and one in which they believed would be a great place to raise their family. She is running for Mayor not because Manchester is currently facing adversity but because she sees a better future for our city. She has the vision, the leadership, persona and smarts to be a great Mayor and if you give her your vote on November 5th, you will not regret it.
Finally, I urge you to not only vote for Victoria Sullivan for Mayor, but also those candidates for Alderman and School Board who support her agenda. It’s hard to steer the wagon if the horses aren’t going in the same direction as you are.
Beg to differ? Agree to disagree? We welcome your thoughtful prose on topics of interest. Send submissions to carolrobidoux@manchesterinklink.com
Raymond Wieczorek of Manchester is a former mayor of Manchester and founder of Wieczorek Insurance Company.
