Final Thoughts On A Crazy Election Season

The resume looks a little different these days and I have my Reading neighbors to thank.

Patch (Feb. 2017 to present) - Responsible for posting letters to the editor from pretty much every resident of Reading, Ma.

If you've been keeping track at home, and why would you, Reading residents have sent Patch more than 60 Letters to the Editor in the 31 days of March. That doesn't include John Arena's four-part series on the budget or Brook Chipman's many stories/pleas/letters asking you to vote no. I've never met Brook but it's pretty clear I'm no longer the hardest working man in journalism. Brook has changed that.

There is some good news. Stop the presses, the spouses of both candidates for selectmen support their significant other. It's not the most startling endorsement but if I was running for office I'm not sure my wife would endorse me. Kudos to Lynn Arena and Justin Scott for standing by their candidate. And ya, Patch doesn't need actually have a press to stop.

As for the candidates themselves, Reading is actually lucky. Both Arena and Vanessa Alvarado are good people, care about Reading, and are smarter than I am, especially when it comes to the town's budget. Unlike our most recent presidential election, no residents should be asking in frustration, "Is this the best we can do." The candidate forum at RCTV was good and I've gotten over the pain of not being asked to be one of the media participants. I guess they knew my first question to both candidates would have been, "how are your brackets?"

As for the override, here's the one thing I can guarantee. There are only about 30 people in this town who really, totally, completely understand the override question and the finances behind it. The rest of us? We're just the 19,000 voters who will decide its fate.

There's talk on social media about the influence of national groups. But to those who are concerned, rest easy. I'm guessing 99.9 percent of the town has never heard of those groups and about the same percentage couldn't care less what they're advocating.

The final days of election season are upon us and hasn't it been fun? Does anyone want to push the election back a month so we can keep going? Didn't think so. And oh ya, I almost forgot. Media types are supposed to endorse someone or some thing. But even with 32 years of work at the Boston papers I never understood the concept. Are you really going to vote how I tell you to? Surely you're smarter than that.

But here's one thing I can endorse, and that's voting. Get off your butts and go color in one of those little circles at the RMHS fieldhouse Tuesday. The town makes it easy with voting between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. Last Thursday, Town Clerk Laura Gemme said they had received 380 absentee ballots, up from the normal 100 with another day to go. That's a good sign, because no matter what, it isn't about the candidate or the issue you support. It's about voting. I'll be there around 1 p.m. Maybe I'll see you there.