I went to the island forum on July 25 at Ober Park. The Democrats say they love us. They say they want fully funded education, healthcare for all, housing for all and, of course, to fix the transportation system. Most think these things can be paid for by shifting the tax burden, and as always, they’re threatening to add an income tax.

I can’t remember when the schools had enough — no matter how much money they get, they cry for more.

As for health care: eat right, exercise and get plenty of sleep. Hopefully you’ll never need medicine. There would be plenty of housing for everyone if everyone wasn’t so many. Same with transportation.

Typical of most forum meetings, over-population was not part of the discussion.

I would like to vote for a leader. Someone that offers a realistic destiny, someone that will ask people to behave in ways that make it so. I want to look forward to a future where the human condition really does improve. Growth has never been a solution.

The republican candidates were absent so I don’t know what they might have offered, but the way things are going, you might as well vote for Santa Claus.

— Jeff Schnelz