Editor, The News:
Re: MR candidate bows out of election (The News, Oct. 7).
The recent article implying the cost of running a campaign for council is in the $10,000 range does a disservice to not only serious candidates, but to the entire process.
The basis of municipal governance is that it is available to all citizens.
The fact that some candidates believe it is necessary to spend huge amounts of money, more than most people have as disposable income for the entire year, breeds the contempt that many have for the whole process.
Just because some candidates are in a position to spend thousands of dollars on their campaign does not mean all of us do.
Most, including several of the incumbents, will be spending considerably less.
Personally, as a pensioner with four dependants, I will be spending between $500-$1,000.
This does not mean that I do not want the job, it is just that I cannot afford to spend more.
When the requirement for being a representative of the people becomes a factor of how much money/disposable income they may have will be the time that our democratic system will becomes meaningless.
Perhaps we are already there. I hope not.
Graham Mowatt
Maple Ridge
For less
Editor, The News:
Re: MR candidate bows out of election (The News, Oct. 7).
I’m running for a seat on Maple Ridge council and I don’t intend to spend anywhere near the estimates of the candidates quoted in the article.
I have made extensive use of social media, which costs absolutely nothing. I designed my own brochures and had them printed locally for less than $700. I will have 100 signs, which will cost less than $900.
Together, with the costs of a professional photographer for my campaign photo, I have spent less than $2,000 to date. I anticipate spending an additional $800 to $1,000.
My campaign will come in under $3,000.
I will also rely heavily on face-to-face meetings on doorsteps, in the malls and on the streets.
Anyone donating money to my campaign should know better than to do so expecting favours in return should I be elected.
Sandy Macdougall
Maple Ridge
No flash
Editor, The News:
Re: MR candidate bows out of election (The News, Oct. 7).
Thank you, John MacKenzie, for your support in the upcoming election.
Thank you, Claus Andrup, for exposing your cooperation to remove land from the Agricultural Land Reserve; I find your brochure quite misleading when you advocate being careful of urban sprawl and big box development.
For both of you to consider, in the last election I spent less than $2,000 and came in seventh.
I believe the citizens in Maple Ridge can make the right decision without being manipulated by flashy campaigns.
Carly O’Rourke
Maple Ridge