Officials better listen to constituents

Published 9:00 pm Friday, October 7, 2005

My husband and I bought a home in Smokey Point a little more than a year ago. We were so excited to have a brand new home, a fenced yard, a great neighborhood and to have made such a sound investment. We learned only a few months later that ISC was eye-balling the area for its newest NASCAR track. We wrote letters to our legislators and the county executive pleading with them to think about the impact that 80,000 people, the noise of races, and insufficient roads would have on our quality of life.

Would any of these elected officials want this built in their backyard? Would they worry that their property value would decline or that they wouldn’t be able to sell their home for a fair price? Would they worry about the impact it would have on the already swollen roads? How about the health concerns related to fumes and noise?

No, they probably don’t worry about any of those things because it does not affect them. The track is not being built near their homes. They are salivating over dollar signs and empty promises. So, here is a promise that I can guarantee for those elected officials who don’t listen to what their constituents want: you have lost my vote.

Jennifer Rhodes

Arlington