Endorsement: I'm former 1st Asst. District Atty Bryce Lair and I support Josh Lee for Vinita Mayor
To my Vinita friends: I have nothing negative to say about the current mayor personally, he’s always been good to me. I’m writing this...
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JOSH LEE
FOR LIBERTY - FOR BUSINESS
FOR MAYOR
LATEST FROM THE CAMPAIGN
ABOUT ME
Here is what you can expect from Josh
A TEAM APPROACH TO GOVERNMENT
I believe it is foolish to think that one person has all the best ideas or all the connections to make things happen. Having one person run everything is not leadership; it is a dictatorship.
If elected, my administration will use a team approach. We have assembled an Advisory Committee made up of different people from around the Vinita area. Each person wants to see our community prosper. Each person is committed to helping come up with ideas to make our city better. Each person is committed to using their unique connections to help our ideas thrive. If we win the election, this committee will become the Mayor's Advisory Committee, and it will hold monthly meetings to plan for the future. Anyone with unique connections, new ideas, or just a heartfelt commitment to helping make Vinita a better place to live, work, and raise a family is welcome to serve on this advisory committee.
A COMMITMENT TO GROWTH
Vinita is shrinking. 95% of towns similar to our size are growing faster than us since 2000. This is not a trend we can sustain any longer. We must get serious about bringing in new business and helping our current businesses be successful and stay open.
If elected I promise to support our local businesses, encourage and support entrepreneurs, help our local workforce, attract new businesses, and make our industrial park attractive to businesses.
PROTECTION OF YOUR LIBERTIES
No ideal is more central to the founding of the United States than that of individual liberties. It is a central component of what we are as human beings. Liberty is directly related to our self-worth and our dignity. Fear should not so easily strip us of our liberty, our dignity, as it has done recently, right here in Vinita. My opponent declared it a crime for citizens to go outside their homes during certain hours; made it a crime to attend church; made it a crime for pastors to open church doors; made it a crime to go to a loved one's house; made it a crime for business owners to open their doors and try to earn a living. His actions are unforgivable.
If elected, I will never take away your liberties. I pledge to never close down your business and to never take away your ability to earn a living and feed your family. Most importantly, I will never interfere with your ability to attend church and worship when you please and as you please.
I will also respect the 2nd Amendment to the United States Constitution, and I will see to it that the City of Vinita will not enforce any state or federal laws that are unconstitutional and violative of your 2nd Amendment Rights. Vinita will be a 2nd Amendment safe haven, just as our founding fathers originally intended.
TRANSPARENCY
If elected as Mayor of Vinita, there will be a new attitude brought to City Hall. This new attitude will serve as a stern reminder to all elected officials of whom they work for - the citizens. Vinita's government will be transparent and will not operate under the cloak of secrecy. Meeting agendas will clearly state what is going to be discussed. Every council meeting will be streamed online so people may see how their city is being run. Agendas will be available on the website with the same information the councilors see and will no longer be hidden from the public. We will use fewer executive sessions, so there is less discussion hidden from the citizens. When we do use executive sessions, they will be clearly described, so every citizen will know exactly what topic is being discussed - no more vagueness. We will no longer prohibit city councilors from talking to city employees. We will obtain up-to-date training for all city leaders on the Oklahoma Open Records Act and the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act. Vinita will respect the importance of an open and transparent government.
If elected, I will seek changes to our municipal code to require all elected officials to complete a Personal Financial Disclosure Statement as provided for by the Oklahoma Ethics Commission, disclosing all financial interests that they have. Our citizens have a right to know what business interests their elected officials have and be aware of conflicts of interest between their public duties and private economic interests. If our elected officials stand to gain from actions taken by them or not taken by them, then that information can not remain secret. Elected officials should be in their position to serve the citizens, not to profit from it.
FISCAL RESPONSABILITY
I believe that the City of Vinita wastes money in areas that do not directly help the citizens of Vinita. Tens of thousands of dollars are spent each year to make our elected officials' lives better while doing nothing for the citizens or the employees of the City.
If elected, I promise to carefully scrutinize the money spent and always ask myself "does this help our city or does it only help our elected officials?" If it only helps our elected officials and not our city then I will not support the spending of that money.
It is dishonest to tell our city employees, who keep the city running day in and day out, that we can not afford to pay them a higher wage while our elected officials waste thousands on far less important expenses. Our citizens and our employees must come before us as elected officials. I will see to it that this change in philosophy is made.
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