By Jo Galante Cicale
It’s campaign season.

I know this by the all the political ads hitting FB, Twitter and those wonderful standbys, the print and broadcast media. And, there’s wonderful news as we approach elections.

Candidates everywhere are promising to lower my taxes. I can hardly contain my excitement or my cynicism. I base this combination on my naturally positive and hopeful personality coupled with my years of political experience in a myriad of positions as campaign worker, lobbyist/advocate, and community activist.

I’ve heard that if only we increase economic development our taxes would plummet. So look what’s happened in places like Long Island where development overtook every inch of space and where my family and friends now pay $15,000 or more in annual real estate taxes.

Political candidates on the island promised jobs, economic development and lower taxes.

In fact, jobs, economic development and lower taxes are the buzz words for all campaigns and all candidates. No creativity there, and none needed. Apparently voters still want to believe in the yellow brick road and the Wizard of Oz.

No matter who gets elected, our taxes will not diminish now or ever. I’ve lived through decades of political administrations on the local level and guess what? Not one – Democrat, Independent, Conservative or Republican – ever lowered my taxes. And economic development often occurred in spite of local bureaucracies, not because of them.

So what’s a voter to do?

Here in Saugerties, where I live, I base my vote on overall improvements to my quality of life.

I grew up as a tough street kid in the rough and tumble neighborhood of the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Now I like being a quiet peaceful country resident where I only have to fight off mosquitoes and bears, skunks and bunnies.

Vote for what’s important to you besides jobs, economic development and lower taxes. You’ll probably end up with a better political leader, less angst and, hopefully, a wonderful lifestyle for you and your family.

Jo can be reached at guestwriter@zestoforange.com.