The Work Continues

I want to first congratulate Rev. Tracey on her primary victory last night. She was very gracious in her comments, and she will now be the At-large Democratic candidate for Plainfield, a seat that serves all four wards of our city.

I also want to congratulate Adrian on his re-election as the Third Ward Democratic Council candidate. As the finance expert on the council and as an experienced legislator, he remains invaluable. Adrian rose above the vicious attacks by his opponent, and the people responded by returning him to office to continue to deliver the quality services they have come to expect from him.

I also want to thank my campaign team of Rebecca, Carmencita, Paul, Rick, Cory, and all the other volunteers who pulled together for this race. Rebecca, you are the hardest-working Democrat in Plainfield, and your political know-how remains invaluable. I am so glad you are on the city council--your progressive, ethical, and compassionate voice is needed. For Paul and Carmencita, I cannot thank you enough for the long hours you put in. Rick and Cory--my brothers--thanks for all that you did.

 

As for me, I remain committed to the betterment of our city as a teacher, as an athletic coach, and as a role model and mentor to my students and to all the young people in our city. I am a grassroots person, so I will continue my public and active role, and I hope you will join me as we work through the challenges facing Plainfield.

Peace,

Roni

Courier-News Ambushes Me with Unfounded Allegation by PMUA Commissioner Tracey Brown

I was shocked and disappointed to read the Courier's online story today concerning the Democratic primary race in which both I and PMUA Commissioner Rev. Tracey Brown are candidates (You can read the story here).

Reporter Mark Spivey writes that "Rev. Brown claims that Taylor and her campaign attacked the reputation of [Brown's] church."

Neither I nor my campaign has ever made a personal attack on Tracey Brown nor have I or my campaign made any negative reference to her church. In fact, I have friends and students who belong to her church, and I have previously said, I respect the work her church does in the community.

Let me make one thing perfectly clear: This campaign is about how voters can make a decision on a candidate. And I believe that has to be based on answering the voters' questions about a candidate's public service.

I am disappointed in two ways with Spivey's reporting. First, he never relayed Rev. Brown's allegation to me when I was interviewed, and failed to give me a chance to answer it.  Secondly, he let Rev. Brown get away with smearing me evidently without challenging her to prove her allegation either by showing him campaign material in support of her claim or vouching that she had actually heard such remarks. These are serious professional lapses for a journalist, and the calls, emails, and Facebook messages I have already received from my supporters about this story show all clearly show that they feel the Courier has done a sloppy, biased, and non-fact-checked story.

This is hardly the standard of objective reporting we have a right to expect from a newspaper and I certainly hope the Courier News apologizes, even though such an apology would no doubt come after the election is over.

My entire career in public service, whether in my ten years on the Board of Ed, my service as a Plainfield Housing Authority commissioner or my volunteer activities with organizations like the League of Women Voters, has been to conduct myself in an ethical and above-board fashion and to hold myself accountable to those who have given me leadership responsibilities.

I certainly hope the voters will see this smear for what it is, an untruth, and will support me in Tuesday's Democratic primary election by voting for Veronica Taylor on Row 7B.

Yours truly,

Roni

Courier News:  "Plainfield race heats up amid talk of candidate's PMUA history"