As a former Westfield resident of 31 years I still have great interest in the progress and growth of this wonderful town where my wife, Maureen and I, raised our two sons. I read The Leader on a regular basis and try to understand why certain things are happening. I was really annoyed when I read that new Mayor Brindle and her team are spending the surplus on every day activities and I thought the former mayors Bud Booth, Allen Chin and Ron Forgerio would never do that because they understood economics 101. Just recently I read a letter to the editor from a former Democratic council member, Tony LaPorta, who was an effective council member suggesting to Mayor Brindle what the surplus is REALLY supposed to be for and I thought the new mayor must be trying to emulate President Joe Biden, “spend and hide it.”

When I read that JoAnn Neylan was running for mayor I thought “great” because she has always been a bright and capable council member. So I will suggest to my old friends still living in Westfield VOTE FOR JOANN NEYLAN before we run up a deficit.