From Lakewood Trustee Paul Serwatka:
The Lakewood Tax-Fighter Team is Officially Filed!
Well, The Lakewood Tax-Fighter Team has officially filed, as of yesterday morning, to be on the ballot for the April 4th Consolidated Election!
I would like to extend a sincere Thank You to the nearly 800 residents who signed The Lakewood Tax-Fighter Team petition, to get our team on the ballot!
As many of you know, we ran into a bit of a snag in late November, forcing our team to dispose of nearly 300 resident signatures and start-over, from scratch, on December 1st – with a December 19th deadline.
Thanks largely to the incredible turn-out at both of our teams two petition signing events at Turnberry Country Club, we were still able to obtain 50 new petition pages including nearly 500 more resident signatures, ensuring that we are quite able to withstand any of the petition/signature objections/challenges the others may have been contemplating.
There is now a 5-Day Objection Period in which objections/challenges can be filed. I will keep you posted of any news.
As you are aware, the Lakewood Tax-Fighter Team consists of the following candidates:
The Lakewood Tax-Fighter Team
- Paul Serwatka – Village President – Candidate
- Philip Stephan – Village Trustee – Candidate
- Richard Ritchie – Village Trustee – candidate
- Amy Fues Odom – Village Trustee – Candidat
Also filed for the April 4th election are:
Incumbent Trustee Ken Santowski – A 10-year incumbent trustee – is seeking to run to be village president. Trustee Santowski submitted petitions including 81 resident signatures.
Incumbent Trustee Gene Furey – a 10-year (or more) incumbent trustee – is seeking 4 more years as trustee. Trustee Furey submitted petitions including 112 resident signatures.
Former Trustee John Schrauf – who is seeking to, once again, become a trustee, submitted petitions including 112 resident signatures.
President Erin Smith has indicated that she requested/encouraged John Schrauf to run to once again become a trustee again and it appears he has decided to fulfill her request.
Current trustees, Jeff Iden and Bev Thomas have elected not to run again.
A Thought to Ponder
There’s been some talk from President Smith, Trustees Ken Santowski, Gene Furey and John Schrauf to the effect of how our team is “looking for control” or how this team “will have too much power” if elected…
But, I would submit to you, the very opposite is true!
It is This Current Regime That Has Too Much Control!
It is This Current Regime That Has Too Much Power!
and, it is this current regime that has PROVEN, time and again, that they can, and will, use this power and control for their own agendas – to the detriment of Lakewood residents – regardless of our wishes.
The Lakewood Tax-Fighter Team seeks only to remove their control!
The Lakewood Tax-Fighter Team serves only give this power back to the residents of Lakewood!
Our team’s recent, hard fought effort to bring about the historical success of the Lakewood Property Tax Referendum – which holds this and future village boards accountable to the residents before raising our property taxes to spend more of our money – should be a clear indication of our intentions. (and keep in mind that everyone of our opponents above worked against our efforts in getting this referendum on the ballot and successfully passed at the ballot-box!)
I fully realize that, while our intentions are good and noble, all too often those who govern over us, go astray and end up on an entirely different path than they promised, or perhaps even than they intended!
“The Road to Hell is paved with Good Intentions” as they say…
This is the very reason that myself and every member of The Lakewood Tax-Fighter Team has signed a written pledge of “Self-Imposed Recall”!
Each member of our team believes that residents should not have to wait until the end of a 4-year term, to “vote-out” an elected official who does not faithfully work to fulfill promises and diligently pursue the fulfillment of their duties.
We believe that any elected official who claims to serve and represent the best interests of their constituents, should willingly step-down from that office if asked to do so by those that he/she purports to represent.
If ever any member of The Lakewood Tax-Fighter Team is not fulfilling our promise to Lakewood residents, we have afforded residents a petition opportunity to have us voluntarily step-down and resign from office!
We Are Giving All The Power & Control To The Residents!
You can read more about our pledge, and our entire effort at:
I hope you will take the time to read our pledge to all Lakewood residents and I hope you will continue to share this and other newsletters with friends and encourage other Lakewood friends to subscribe to our newsletter and visit our website as well.
As always, your thoughts, questions and concerns are always welcome and always valued.
Paul, I never said anything about “too much power” or the like. I would strongly encourage your team to serve our community, attend to the Board meetings, join committees, run for office and use your talents to the betterment of our Village.
Please avoid slandering anything about me.
I have served honorably and am very proud of Lakewood
face it Gene change is coming you served and thank you!
Gene, thank you for serving the community honorably.
While I may not have agreed or will agree with every decision and/or vote you take, I know that you make the decision with integrity and class.
Thanks to Paul for taking up the cause to fight for those with no seat at the table.
My, my, 500 signatures on petitions to run for office of Lakewood?
That is so over the top it is almost comical.
But there must be good reason so many wanted to sign on.
To the competition, there is such a thing as TOO MANY signatures on a petition. And if the competition spoke to an expert about it, there is a challenge available to those petitions.
Just sayin.
Good job Paul keep up the fight for the people
Tax Fighting is commendable.
But folks, look at your tax bill and the line items.
Most of the money goes to the schools.
What is the “Tax Fighting Team” going to do about that?
Voters will be extremely displeased when they see what the “Tax Fighting Team” actually can do with property taxes.
Get educated folks – on your own – not from “tax fighters”.