To the Editor:

Let’s give credit where credit is due.

Mayor Jim Councill did a fine job for the City of Franklin with his tireless energy throughout the 1999 floods and he should be commended.

While the financial past does not always repeat itself, it is more times than not a good predictor of the future. Four years ago, our mayor said that the budget was cut to the bone and that taxes would have to be raised.

Then along came newcomers Benny Burgess and Barry Cheatham and they, along with Raystine Johnson and Mary Hilliard, discovered the mayor’s slush fund. This consisted of funded and unfilled positions in the electric and public works departments. By eliminating these positions, substantial savings kept us from the need for a tax hike.

Next these four brought to light the fact that the million-dollar-plus electric department emergency fund had been spent by a former city manager acting on the mayor’s behalf.

Mayor Councill has, throughout his political career, advocated higher spending and higher taxes. At the end of the day, this mayoral election is simple. If you want higher spending and higher taxes, vote for Jim Councill. On the other hand if you want a mayor who is committed to maintaining services while keeping taxes as low as possible, then vote for Raystine Johnson.

Norwood Boyd
Franklin