My Pledge to You: Ethical Leadership for Change in Plainfield

"Choose your leaders with wisdom and forethought. To be led by a coward is to be controlled by all that the coward fears. To be led by a fool is to be led by the opportunists who control the fool. To be led by the thief is to offer up your most precious treasures to be stolen. To be led by a liar is to ask to be lied to. To be led by a tyrant is to sell yourself and those you love into slavery."--Octavia E. Butler

The above quote was re-posted as a special request!

I am writing to offer my humble thanks to the Rebecca Williams for Council Campaign Team, to the New Democrats for Plainfield, and to the Second and Third Ward voters of Plainfield for your support in this year's election. Unofficially, I received 4,426 votes compared to my Republican opponent, who received 780. Once the official results are posted by the county clerk, those numbers may change a bit.  

OFFICIAL RESULTS (Union County Clerk): 

Rebecca 4,590
Jim           842
 
I want to thank Jim Pivnichny, a gentleman and a scholar, for being a worthy opponent. Jim lives in my neighborhood and, although we do not share the same political ideology on many issues, he has demonstrated his love for our city time and time again through his community volunteerism and continued advocacy for ethical leadership and transparency in government. I know that he will continue to be speak out on the issues of most concern to Plainfield and, now, as one of my constituents, I am beholden to him as well as the rest of the Second Ward and Third Ward residents of our great city. 

I want to congratulate my friend, Freeholder-Elect Linda Carter, on winning her seat on the county freeholder board. Linda bested the other freeholder candidates, due to Plainfielders coming out and supporting her. I directed Linda's very first campaign back in 2003 when she successfully ran for the 1st and 4th Ward At-large council seat running off-the-line as a New Democrat for Plainfield. It was fun being on the ballot with her this time around--go, Linda! I also want to congratulate First Ward Councilman William Reid on his re-election as well. I look forward to working with Bill and the other councilors to move the city forward.


Sincere thanks go as well to Second Ward Councilman Cory Storch and Third Ward Councilman and New Democrats for Plainfield President Adrian Mapp. These two councilors stood firmly behind me from the day I announced my candidacy, through the rigorous primary campaign, and on through to the general election. Their strong, unwavering, and sincere support clearly illustrated their commitment to moving Plainfield in the right direction. I look forward to working with them drafting progressive legislation for the benefit of our city.

I want to thank all my neighbors and friends for your help during the fall campaign season. Those of you who know me know that I LOVE knocking on doors and meeting residents. Unfortunately, with the shortened days of autumn, along with a very demanding fall teaching schedule, I was unable to canvass as much as I did this past spring. However, I remain committed to grassroots activism, and I will continue to visit block association meetings, events, and as many other community activities as I can, as well as to advocate on behalf of my constituents from my council seat beginning in January of 2011.

I want to thank my campaign team, especially Paul, Carmencita, Dorothy, Donald, Nat, Frank, Liz, Dan, Inez, Christian, Rick, Jeanette, Kieran, Carol B., Carol A-L., Siddeeq, Amelia, Linden, Carrie, Bobby, Shep, Nat B., Joylette, and the other dozen or so volunteers who helped canvass the Second and Third Wards on behalf of myself, Column A, and especially Congressman Frank Pallone.
 

I also want to thank ALL the folks who came out to vote last week. Plainfield DELIVERED on November 2, on the local, county, and state level! Plainfield delivered the plurality of votes for Congressman Frank Pallone in this year's election. Out of a roughly 15,000 vote victory over his Republican (so-called "Tea Party") opponent, Plainfield ALONE contributed about 8,000 of those votes--we must make sure that our representatives keep that bit of information in the forefront of their minds! 


Finally, I want to make sure that everyone understands that my service on the Plainfield City Council will be focused on good government. We are all aware of the issues facing Plainfield, and my pledge to you is that I will do my best to make sure that Plainfield residents receive a proper accounting of where our tax money has gone for the past few years; that Plainfield passes the strongest municipal pay-to-play reform ordinance possible; that Plainfield ends political cronyism and opens true competitive bidding for all public contracts--which will save taxpayers money; and that I will offer honest and ethical leadership. I take my role very seriously, and I hope to prove that in the coming years. Thank you again--I have great confidence in you, Plainfield, and I hope that I can inspire your confidence in me as your new elected official in 2011.

All best,

Rebecca