Why an anonymous mailing in Winfield?

Residents of Winfield received an anonymous piece of direct mail recently regarding village politics. Why would someone in a small village like Winfield want to spend a couple of thousand dollars to influence your views or sway your vote and not identify themselves?

Winfield United is a civic, all-volunteer organization of residents from all neighborhoods of Winfield. We came together five years ago in response to a village board making decisions that were not favorable to residents in several neighborhoods of Winfield.

WU has a terrific record of civic activity and volunteerism, assisting at the Winfield Criterion Bike Race, Good Old Days, various cleanup programs, Winfield School fund raisers, the WU Annual Tree Sale and more.

WU has also been effective in helping elect responsible, qualified people to village office. And, yes, our members make campaign contributions to candidates for local village board positions in order to promote good, open government in Winfield. We feel strongly that campaign contributions and political campaigning by residents is more representative and more democratic than village elections being swayed by funding from developers, engineering firms and others who stand to benefit financially from decisions made at village hall.

In the ongoing debate about what is best for our village, let's be open and honest about who we are and what our objectives are. Anonymous letters attacking community organizations and elected public officials are reckless attempts to slander an organization.

Let's celebrate our right to freedom of speech and be wary of insidious attempts to denigrate local organizations and public officials. If we take a position on road funding, how village officials are elected, or the speed limit on Winfield Road, let's openly make our argument and let our argument stand on its own merits, not on the disingenuine slander of others.

Rock Rockett

Winfield United board of directors