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Reporter Letters to the Editor

REPORTER FILE PHOTO|
REPORTER FILE PHOTO|

A final wish
To the Editor:
I wish to thank all of my friends, customers, co-workers and neighbors for making me a part of their families and lives. I shall miss each and every one of you and wish all the very best of health, prosperity and happiness.

CLARISSA WILLIAMS
Shelter Island

Editor’s Note: The much-loved Ms. Williams died February 17.

Push to shove
To the Editor:
I am writing in response to a recent push poll taken to determine electability in upcoming Suffolk County elections (see Suffolk Closeup, “Pushing the limits on campaigns,” February 5).

Push polls are phone surveys often with purposely deceptive questions meant to lead the caller in a direction that benefits a party candidate. A poll recently conducted to test the waters of a potential candidate for Suffolk County Legislature in the 6th district was not only deceptive, but downright dirty.

A number of leading questions including, “Did you know County Legislator Sarah Anker is against solar energy …” They’ve got that wrong. I’ve been an advocate of renewable energy, even prior to being the Town of Brookhaven’s first Director of Energy, where I implemented the “Go Solar” program.

Another question commented on my qualifications for my current position as a legislator stating that I’ve had “low level” government jobs. Wrong. I’ve not only worked in the corporate arena as a director at Citicorp, I worked in education as a public relations manager.

What exactly are the qualifications of elected officials? From movie star actor Ronald Reagan to attorneys, elected officials come in all shapes and sizes. The most important questions to ask when voting are: “Can I trust you? Will you treat me fairly? And what have you done and what can you do to help me?

I may not be an attorney, an engineer or a physicist, but with my 30-plus years dealing with community issues, I understand people and know how to get things done.

Deceptive push polls not only deter qualified candidates from running for public office, they give the word “politics” a bad name. Push polls are not only deceptive, they waste the time, energy and focus of elected officials trying to do their jobs. What’s surprising to most people is that anyone can say anything about an elected official and get away with it. And you wonder why so few people run for political office?

It’s a shame that political hacks stoop so low. I encourage residents to be skeptical when receiving political survey calls that can be just as shady as the scammers that have become so prevalent in our society. With elections nine months away, this campaign season is already ramping up to confuse, deceive and discourage voters.

Don’t let the political scammers steal your vote.

SARAH ANKER
Suffolk County Legislator