Letters, we get letters

The opinion pages of the Independent are intended to be a forum for citizens to express their opinions on issues of importance in the community. The letters to the editor are a way for citizens to make their concerns known to the public at large and to the elected and appointed officials who are responsible for running their towns.

Greater Media Newspapers has had a long-standing policy that during election campaigns we do not publish letters to the editor from candidates or from their campaign managers. The opinion pages are not a free campaign promotion for one political party or the other.

Years ago the campaign season ran from Labor Day to Election Day. These days the campaign season runs from May (before the primary election) through November. If we chose to, we could practically fill our pages with letters from candidates and campaign managers, with rebuttals to those letters, and rebuttals to the rebuttals.

That is not what we choose to do.

Candidates generally have three things to say. One, they want to bash their opponents. Two, they want to announce an initiative they would pursue if elected. Three, they want to say how great they are, without saying what they will do if elected.

If a candidate wants to bash an opponent, he should buy an advertisement. If a candidate wants to announce an initiative or a platform, he should call the managing editor and ask for coverage of the issue as a news story. If it is deemed worthy of news coverage, that is the way it will be pursued. If a candidate wants to sell himself, he should consult with a public relations executive.

Campaign managers are not running for office and no one in the general public cares who they are or what they have to say. They should remain behind the scenes and let the candidates do the talking in press releases, news stories and public comments.

Greater Media Newspapers has been liberal with its letters-to-the-editor policy in an attempt to provide space on our opinion pages to any voice, but in the past year too many voices have done too little to advance public issues and too much to advance their own agenda.

That will stop, beginning now. From now, going forward, letters from candidates and campaign managers will not appear on the opinion pages.