In regards to the letter from David Hines (“Time for new ideas on City Council,” Auburn Reporter, Oct. 21), Mr. Hines felt John Hayes Holman and Wayne Osborne presented well-thought-out ideas and plans at the debate for the City of Auburn. He felt Virginia Haugen and Frank Lonergan were dour, negative, taking cheap, unwarranted shots at the Auburn Police Department.

Your car has a blown engine. Your children are using drugs. You have prostate cancer. Your home is being foreclosed … all these are negative problems. And, no, no, no, don’t tell me about them.

Citizens must get over the idea that bringing up subjects that could be or are problems is a negative act. Do you want councilmembers who are telling you what you want to hear, or councilmembers who are aware of problems and bring them to the attention of the citizens of Auburn?

As for Haugen’s remark regarding “the City has no money,” my understanding is that is the case. So trying to make plans without money in the budget is something even President Obama is struggling with on a national basis, along with most of the rest of the world.

If Lonergan thinks there is a problem within the Auburn PD, I am certainly behind him suggesting that this be investigated.

Politics unfortunately has the power to make some things public, and for many reasons keep some things hidden from citizens. We need aggressive, strong, assertive, people on the Council who are seeking out the problems that Auburn citizens should be aware of.

I am sure we will hear the long endured, usual political promises and pledges from all of the upcoming candidates in the next year.

Mr. Hines, I suggest if you want to hear only the standard propaganda from Council candidates, I am sure you will get your wish. And, of course, there is always the warm and fuzzy Disney Channel.

As a voter, I would rather hear the problem we should be solving, and having councilmembers watching my back.

– Patricia R. Horn