To the editor:
Bernard Shaw once said, “Democracy is a device that insures that we shall be governed no better than we deserve. Whose fault is it? … It is the fault of you the people. Your public servants serve you right; indeed, often they serve you better than your apathy and indifference deserve.” Let us not be apathetic or indifferent this time and let us go to the polls to vote for our next mayor on Nov. 5.
Democracy’s great advantage, over other forms of government, is its ability to renew itself. Periodic renewal is essential for progress and improved government. It is not healthy for a democracy to have the same politicians in power for a prolonged period, be it at the national or the municipal level. The 22nd Amendment of the US Constitution states that “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice…” It is unfortunate that this has not become a requirement for any and all elected positions. However, what the self-serving politicians have been avoiding to sign into law, we the voters can enforce with our vote by using the enabling power of democracy in action!
At the national or state level there are checks and balances; there is daily press and media coverage and vigilant opposition parties. All of these bring irregularities and misdeeds (real or perceived) to light. Municipal governments, especially the small ones, such as boroughs, are not subject to the same level of scrutiny by these “watchdogs” of democracy and honest government. Thus the need for renewal is even more vital in local, especially small, governments, like Tenafly. Just as we do not want a President for life—as in China and Russia—we do not want a career mayor for life either.
Four terms (16 consecutive years) have been two terms too many for the current mayor; a fifth one should be unacceptable! Since he did not see it proper to bow out gracefully, we should help him to do so with our vote! We, the Tenafly voters, now have the chance to do it on Nov. 5 by voting for Mark Zinna.
No individuals should take their elected positions for granted and neither should they expect to stay there forever. On Nov. 5, we will find ourselves at a hinge point in our local political history, between repeating some of the mistakes of the last 16 years, and welcoming a new era of our town’s restored and improved municipal services and real, cost effective, not unjustifiably expensive, projects defined, self-servingly, as “completed under budget,” just because they were grossly over-budgeted in the first place! As a long time professional engineer (P.E.), licensed in two dozen states, I happen to have some expertise in this area.
Let us heed the admonition of Bernard Shaw and not be apathetic or indifferent this time; let us all vote because we need change, renewal, and progress in Tenafly. We need to vote for a “new” mayor. We need to vote for Mark Zinna who has lived here, and served Tenafly as councilman, for many years, and whose personal and professional resume qualifies him to be our next mayor.