Letter: Keep national politics out of mayoral election

Lee Geanuleas
St Augustine, FL

Dear Historic City News Editor,

It seems the nastiness and silliness that afflicts our national politics has arrived in St Augustine.

On Monday I received in the mail a political ad blaming Mayor Nancy Shaver for our traffic problems. I note the rather expensive political mailer was paid for by the “Sun Coast Patriots” from Fort Myers. Out-of-towners falsely smearing our selfless and hard-working Mayor and trying to mislead the people of St Augustine.

Ironically, the card accuses the one elected official who has worked diligently to develop solutions for congestion, including greater use of remote parking for visitors, limiting the size and frequency of special events downtown, argued for increased funding to fix our bumpy streets, dramatically improved the city’s focus on fixing our long neglected infrastructure and who was a singular and steadfast voice on the Commission for getting our money’s worth out of the on-going mobility study.

Although she’s only been in office two years, of our five commissioners, Mayor Shaver has “led the charge” to create solutions and put our money where it can do the most good. And let’s not forget her amazing and tireless leadership both during Hurricane Matthew and in its aftermath.

We need to keep Nancy Shaver in office and elect others who will work with her to implement real solutions.

But just like we see at the national level, a political ad brazenly twists the truth and falsely portrays a person who has worked hard to meet our challenges as “the problem.”

If it weren’t so sad and scary, it would be hilarious.

That should tell you all you need to know about this mayoral race.