MAGGIE BROOKS FOR CONGRESS? GOD HELP US

Maggie Brooks

Rochester, N.Y. -- A few thoughts about the Brooks for Congress announcement today: When it’s all said and done, history will be the final judge of the Brooks administration in Monroe County. And as far as we can tell, the Brooks legacy will go down in history as one that afforded opportunities to those who are financially insulated from any harm while the disabled, middle-class, poor and working poor were left with higher fees, limited services and a lower standard of living. 

Maggie Brooks tried unsuccessfully to take money away from our schools with her FAIR plan; a deal the taxpayers are still smarting from. She also eliminated funding for the Center for Disability Rights, and hacked away at lead paint funding which would make our children less safe. Under the Brooks administration, according to the Dept. of Labor, we have endured a net loss of 22,000 jobs since she has been in office.

Tax levies have risen seven times over the past seven years. If you want bigger income inequality, under performing schools, less regulatory controls on the water we drink, in the air that we breathe, or tainted meat for that matter, Maggie Brooks is your candidate. If you want a government that puts profit before taxpayers, than vote for Maggie.

If you want D.C. representation where only the one percent are cared for, vote for Maggie. If you want a more corrupt political system whereby cronyism and kickbacks rule the day, Maggie Brooks is your candidate. We now live in a county where our children are worse off than they were just 10 years ago-- it's no coincidence that is when Maggie Brooks became our County Executive. The title of the Children's Agenda report was aptly titled, "A Decade of Decline." No kidding. And, if you want more obstructionism in the House of Representatives and a minority player who is virtually unable to "bring home the pork," then consider voting Republican.

If you want a candidate who is anti-worker and anti-equality, go ahead and vote for her. Here's another wake up call. In last November's election, she wasn't even the top vote getter in Monroe County-- Sandra Doorley was. Maggie will be vetted like she never has been before and eventually some simple truths will emerge-- ethics violations, misdeeds and just plain dishonesty. Sooner or later the Teflon will wear off the frying pan. And, lastly, if you cannot make the connection between local GOP policies and child poverty rates in Rochester, you are living in a fantasy world.