Letter: Joshua Schaffer seeks Akron mayor's office, offers ideas
Mayoral candidate promotes bold ideas
I am a registered candidate for mayor of Akron. You may hear a lot of talk about potential candidates in the media, but I am an actual candidate running on bold, progressive ideas. If you like the way things are going right now, vote for the people already in office. Everybody talking about running is an establishment official, who got us to where we are now.
The population is significantly decreasing. Some crime is up, and police confidence is down. We can make Akron safer through bold environmental action, police reform, mental health and addiction funding and decriminalizing marijuana. We must immediately stop arrests for marijuana to free up time and money for hard crime. Meanwhile, murders are unsolved while the police, judges and prosecutors deal with marijuana crime that is not putting safety at risk. We must defund the police marijuana budget, and use the money as positive reinforcement to give officers with the least citizen complaints a hard-earned raise. This is a win win for the police and people, a compromise of police reform with a crime reduction-focused agenda.
These are just some of my plans. If you want to learn more, visit my website at JoshGets.us.
In conclusion, if you like the past, and how things are now, vote for any establishment politician. If you want bold change, moving toward the future with environmental action, police reform, crime reduction and more jobs, I can deliver. Akron can be at the forefront of green jobs, low crime and futuristic community policing. We can be a beacon for other cities on how urban progressive politics can create prosperity for all. If you vote for me, Akron will again be prosperous, and a shining star of a city.
Joshua Schaffer, Akron
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron man running for mayor opposes marijuana arrests
