Russell Williams
Well-Known Member
Many people complain that politicians are not honest. As a politician, it is been my experience that people do not want honest politicians they want politicians that say comforting things. Things that make the particular voters being addressed know that their concerns will be solved in ways that are in no way uncomfortable to the listening voters.
I offer the following example.
Once when I was running for reelection to a seat on the local Board of Education the candidates were at a candidates forum in Boonsboro. The Boonsboro citizens in attendance believed that Boonsboro High School did not get as much money per student as other schools in Washington County did. As best I remember the other candidates who commented informed the citizens that the school system cared about the students in Boonesboro High School and the candidates went on to list various improvements that had been made to Boonesboro High School.
When I spoke I told the audience the truth and suggested ways the Boonsboro parents could ameliorate the problem. I explained that Boonsboro High School got less money per student than South Hagerstown High School did. As best I remember, that year at Boonsboro High School about 10% of the students were on the free and reduced price meals program. That same year about 40% of the students at South Hagerstown High School were on the free and reduced price meal program. I had questioned the Board of Education staff and they explained that the federal government, in addition to the money paying for the food every student on free and reduced price meals gets, also sends to the school the student attends about $800 per year per free and reduced price meal student. Because of this extra $800 per free and reduced price meal student that goes to the school they attend the average money spent per student on South Hagerstown High School students was greater than the average amount of money spent per student on Boonsboro High School students.
I then explained to the audience what they could do to rectify the situation. I explained that they could ask the Boonsboro town government to try to get more section 8 housing built in Boonsboro. I explained that they could ask the Boonesboro town government to lobby the County to have public housing built in Boonesboro. I suggested that they could find ways to help Habitat for Humanity build more housing in Boonesboro.
In summary: I told the parents that their concern was accurate, I explained why the situation existed, and I told the parents what they could do to improve the situation that they were concerned about. To the best my recollection, to this day, not one citizen from Boonsboro has thanked me for being an honest politician. I also lost the election.
Russell Williams
I offer the following example.
Once when I was running for reelection to a seat on the local Board of Education the candidates were at a candidates forum in Boonsboro. The Boonsboro citizens in attendance believed that Boonsboro High School did not get as much money per student as other schools in Washington County did. As best I remember the other candidates who commented informed the citizens that the school system cared about the students in Boonesboro High School and the candidates went on to list various improvements that had been made to Boonesboro High School.
When I spoke I told the audience the truth and suggested ways the Boonsboro parents could ameliorate the problem. I explained that Boonsboro High School got less money per student than South Hagerstown High School did. As best I remember, that year at Boonsboro High School about 10% of the students were on the free and reduced price meals program. That same year about 40% of the students at South Hagerstown High School were on the free and reduced price meal program. I had questioned the Board of Education staff and they explained that the federal government, in addition to the money paying for the food every student on free and reduced price meals gets, also sends to the school the student attends about $800 per year per free and reduced price meal student. Because of this extra $800 per free and reduced price meal student that goes to the school they attend the average money spent per student on South Hagerstown High School students was greater than the average amount of money spent per student on Boonsboro High School students.
I then explained to the audience what they could do to rectify the situation. I explained that they could ask the Boonsboro town government to try to get more section 8 housing built in Boonsboro. I explained that they could ask the Boonesboro town government to lobby the County to have public housing built in Boonesboro. I suggested that they could find ways to help Habitat for Humanity build more housing in Boonesboro.
In summary: I told the parents that their concern was accurate, I explained why the situation existed, and I told the parents what they could do to improve the situation that they were concerned about. To the best my recollection, to this day, not one citizen from Boonsboro has thanked me for being an honest politician. I also lost the election.
Russell Williams
