Zill: No Need For Personal Attacks Over Portsmouth's Elections

In a 10/30 letter to the Portsmouth Herald a city resident, Mr. Duffy, criticizes me for making “vague” complaints about the current council. For some reason, the Herald will not publish my response so I’m putting it on the incredibly awesome Portsmouth Patch.

I’ve intentionally taken it easy on our current public representatives this election cycle because they seem frayed, perhaps because they’ve relied too heavily on the city manager for the positions they’ve taken, only now realizing his impact.

However, what’s Mr. Duffy's excuse for being vague?

He didn't mention a single council achievement that earned his regard or the public's, except referencing a blog.

In short, his “celebration” of incumbents is to complain about me and other residents who've simply expressed their preferred representation over the next two years.

Strangely, he acknowledges rising property taxes, fear that the city is becoming unaffordable for lower-income residents (many life long) and clean water as central public concerns, which are the very platforms of several candidates endorsed by the Portsmouth Citizen Alliance, the group he shuns.

He highlights the painstaking labor of councilors; however, he fails to realize that concerned citizens work just as hard at mastering an issue, a task made nearly impossible when there isn't transparency in City Hall.

For example, in just one minute watch exasperated resident Pat Bagley, back in May of 2017, explain the problem with city council decision-making-- go to the 1 hr. 04 min. and 45 sec. mark:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FPNCEan7Jg&feature=youtu.be

Ironically, he complains of a “group” presence that doesn’t want incumbents reelected, but what about the political action committee two years ago that got many of the current councilors elected? I encourage him to read Gerald Zelin’s exceptional letter ( Herald, 10/29) before he throws more stones.

I don’t do Facebook, write abusive letters to city councilors, join groups casually, or attend many public meetings, but I do care about my community and I don’t like the direction the city has taken.

It’s my right to campaign for those candidates I believe are most needed in city government now. Why doesn’t Mr. Duffy exercise that same right instead of making vague, cheap attacks that inform no one?