To the Editor:

Seems as though we have seen many letters recently criticizing Lewiston Mayor Robert Macdonald for following through on his “Enough is Enough” campaign promises. Are these letter writers mouthpieces for city and state representatives who don’t know how to deal with an honest politician?

It is so refreshing to have an elected official who is not afraid to do what the people who put him in office want. Bob was elected after running a campaign that promised to address the many issues that we are currently confronted with.

These included welfare reform, efforts to increase our tax base, thus lowering property taxes, and the need to change Lewiston’s image to one of pride rather than one of a welfare city.

None of these issues can be addressed without confrontation. Bob is a person who is not afraid to stand up and be heard. He is our voice and is doing exactly what we expected him to do.

He has met with other representatives, gone to Augusta, voiced his concerns and offered different approaches to issues only to have it fall on deaf ears, as no one wants to “rock the cradle”.

If only our other elected officials would follow in his footsteps, Lewiston would be in a better place. Most of our representatives are afraid to speak up for the injustice that is being directed at Lewiston.

Does anyone really believe that our current situation with the turnpike would exist if someone would have taken a stand many years ago? Would our economic development efforts have been more successful if we had better roads into the area like Brunswick, Augusta and Bangor?

And would we have the need to increase the general assistance funds to compensate for some of the cuts in TANF made at the state level?

Keep up the good work, Bob. Your constituents want you to continue your fight to return Lewiston to the proud city it once was instead of its current title of “Maine’s Welfare City”.

Jacqueline P. Smith

Lewiston