South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

Kolb ‘has neither experience nor credibility,’ Oakville reader writes

To the editor:

I am proud to say I worked as a union member for over 35 years at a local utility company. Working in manholes, pits in the ground and climbing telephone poles was hard and at times dangerous. With a steady income, I was able to pay the bills, my taxes and send three kids to college.

I respect every union wanting to get the best wages and benefits for its members. But I am dismayed to get fliers and postcards encouraging me to support a Mehlville Fire Protection District board candidate who has neither experience nor credibility. Reading Jane Kolb’s materials shows they were created with absolutely no thought to honesty. Many of her statements are clearly false.

How is it that the firefighters’ union wants my vote, while so many of its members have second and side jobs doing non-union painting, plumbing, carpentry and electrical work, taking away work from other union workers in those fields, since they have lots of free time?

In the past, we have all seen the mismanagement and fiscal irresponsibility when the firefighters’ union controlled the fire board, with ever-increasing taxes to prove it. Now we have an honest board that reports to the homeowner-taxpayer.

I myself do not plan to support their puppet candidate. I encourage you to compare the past to the present. The past is way too scary and costly for the taxpayer.

I have supported Aaron Hilmer since 2005. He has done a remarkable job. I am hoping other men and women who are in unions and have lost work due to others cutting into their livelihood will do the same.

Paul J. Alvino

Oakville

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