The AlbanyCentral editorial board, as well as our owner, publisher, and parent company have deeply agonized over AlbanyCentral's endorsement policy in respect to Albany's upcoming watershed election. Never have we faced such a difficult decision. Never have we sat for so long on the sharp horns of dilemma. But we feel obligated to make our voice heard, so after weighing all the factors carefully, writing position papers, and conducting peer reviews, we have finally reached what we consider to be a good (and for us, a very courageous) conclusion:
THE JAVANDEL-PILCH-THOMSEN TICKET IS THE ONE FOR YOU!!
A vote for this ticket will:
-- Break the Sierra Club's current iron-fisted grip on the city council.
-- Re-energize the concept of "Abany First" in an intelligent and rational way.
-- Asssure that Green interests will be preserved and supported.
-- Return city government to a process guided by openess, civility, and a willingness to listen to everyone.
-- Strike a realistic and equitable balance between Albany's need for open space and its need for economic development.
For those of you who love and appreciate Albany for the special little city it is, this is your ticket!
So what was all our soul searching about? The answer is that in making this endorsement we maybe planting the seeds of our own demise! Please understand. We have milked the burrowing owl for about all the humor we're going to get out of it. We can't live on owl jokes forever! In reviewing our inventory of comedic material, it is clear that we desperately need some new stuff. And it is our reluctant conclusion that a LIEBER-PANIAN-TOOMEY dominated council would be far-and-away the best source for the type of material we love to lampoon.
Under a continuation of the Lieber regime we could gleefully look forward to more ridiculous appearances by Norman La Force at city council meetings, and watch the number of economic development consultants rise from the two part-timers we have today, to ten full-time professionals plus a lighted highway sign. We would expect to see the plastic wrap on our library/community center futher disintegrate as it continues shredding to tatters in the fall and winter winds. And of course there are always those nutty gaffes, crazy proposals, and tyranical outbursts we note at council and committee meetings. All these things represent prime grist for our humor mill! Our bread of life, as it were.
We are not suggesting that you vote the Lieber ticket just to have a few laughs. No, no, no!! We are simply pointing out the chance we are taking by supporting the return of good government to Albany. And of course, all this may affect you as well. If AlbanyCentral cannot maintain its current levels of hilarity, you will be forced to find new forms of entertainment to fill in your spare time. So sacrifices maybe required all around; but, on balance, we believe they'll be worth it! So we stepped up and did our duty. Now go do yours!
IMPORTANT ADVISORY TO VOTERS
When entering the polling place, never ask the polling workers who to vote for. Of course, being insders, they actually do know, but they won't tell you. Every year Sanders asks them for a few hot tips, but all he gets is talk about Federal rules and things like that.
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