Opinion: William Ralph Makes Case For Dedham Selectmen

In the following letter to the editor, Dedham Selectmen candidate William Ralph makes his case to the voter. The Dedham Town election is this Saturday, April 13.

My name is William Ralph and I am running for Selectman. This election is not about me; it’s about Dedham and the issues we face. The new Board will be making some very serious and important decisions — about the new Town Hall, rising taxes and the very real potential for huge tax increases, a new Town Manager, excessive debt, and more. All these issues require transparency from our leaders in order to make the best decisions.

One of my biggest concerns is debt. We have come to accept debt without question. The Robin Reyes Fund, created to help pay the Town’s debt, and financed by the town’s meal and room occupancy taxes,has dried up, forcing us to add taxpayer money to supplement the excessive debt payments. We had to add an additional $700,000 at the last town meeting, and the schedule requires millions more over the foreseeable future for capital projects. That’s not how it was supposed to work, and it increases our taxes.

We have great candidates this year. I personally like them all. But this election is not about them, either. It’s about the issues, and ultimately about you, the taxpayers. The most important thing you can do as a voter is to choose the person who you feel will bring the most value to the Board. This year, the crucial skill-set is financial and I believe that I bring the most value to the table in the financial arena. I’ve turned many companies around, including companies on the brink of bankruptcy and companies already IN bankruptcy. I identified the issues preventing us from getting a AAA bond rating, analyzed the Robin Reyes fund, predicted the parking meters in Dedham Square would lose money and so much more. By redefining processes and creating or improving efficiencies that result in cost savings, I can reduce taxes without reducing services. Having been intricately involved in the Dedham budget, I know it can be done.

We’re fortunate to have two seats this year. I’m asking for one of your votes so that we can make smart decisions about the future of our town and the way taxpayer money is spent. Find out more about me, William Ralph, at dedhamsolutions.com.