In a recent letter, Democratic County Board member Tom Betz endorses my opponent Sam Smucker. He notes that there is no Republican candidate in the race, and then says my opponent is “the only qualified candidate” on the ballot.

Mr. Betz has partisan political reasons to pretend that I don’t exist and claim that I’m unqualified. As a Green Party candidate for County Board in district 8 in 2006, I got 25% of the vote in a race for two seats against him and his fellow incumbent Ralph Langenheim.

As I’ve campaigned this year, the reception I’m getting from voters is more positive than in 2006. They’ve read about me in the paper because, unlike my opponent, I’ve been getting up and speaking at county board meetings and standing up to the board leadership on the mess they’ve made of county finances.

Smucker is promising that the risky move to put the County Nursing Home under private management will shore up its finances, which have deteriorated to the point where they threaten other county services. I not only opposed that move, but have worked alongside community leaders like UI professors Rachel Schwartz and Belden Fields to get to the bottom of the nursing home finances and inform the public so that you can help make informed decisions about the future of this essential public service.

As much as Mr. Betz would like you to think that you have a single, unopposed Democrat on your ballot, you do have a choice, thanks to me and the many volunteers who have helped me knock on thousands of doors and reach voters in Urbana, Champaign, and Savoy. Check out my campaign or contact me at [email protected] and make an informed decision on November 4th.