Lange seeks seat on Wheatfield Town Board

Barbara Lange has announced her candidacy for councilwoman on the Wheatfield Town Board.

She is endorsed by the Democratic Party.

Lange has resided on Marigold Drive in Wheatfield for the past 18 years with her husband Greg and their son. Over the past few years, she was shocked to hear of the dire financial situation Wheatfield was facing.

It was surprising to her that the current Town Board appeared to have no understanding why the town had financial issues and their lack of accountability for the fiscal issues was of even greater concern, she said.

Lange feels it is time to put people who represent the taxpayer back on the board. Wheatfield residents need a new choice and voice; and that is the sole reason she chose to run, she said. Lange wants to put responsibility and accountability back into the job description of a Town Board member.

In her view, she said, this upcoming election should be about whether or not you are satisfied with the decisions the current board members have made regarding services and taxes.

Lange stated: "We have given them the past two years to address issues that not only were from their past, but also the issues that have arisen since. We have lost services to pay for their previous decisions. You cannot solve problems without addressing the origin. You cannot simply excuse their votes because it was under their leadership that Wheatfield got into this fiscal crisis. They had the responsibility to vote to protect our financial stability and stop unnecessary spending. The question is ... did they? Are they truly part of the solution or are they part of the problem?"

Lange believes the board should work for the taxpayers.

"The concerns and welfare of the taxpayer should be the driving force of the actions of the board. In the past two years, FEMA, the library, youth center and mosquito control are only a few of the issues that had a major effect on our community and the quality of life of our residents," she said. "I questioned the motivation behind the board's actions on issues. The board's decisions once again, had the appearance of being based on their personal opinion instead of that of the expressed views of the public. I attended meetings where people took time out of their schedules to tell the board what they expected, and yet what I saw was a board which was unable or just unwilling to relate to its constituents."

Lange said she understands that the economy has hurt many and everyone needs to do more with less. As a board member, Lange plans to listen to concerns and actively try to resolve them without sacrificing the financial stability of the town.

"We must become creative in problem-solving and not do things like we did in the past; but think outside the box. We can make compromises in order to address issues and still keep our finances in check," she said.

"If you feel as though you have lost your representation in this town's government; perhaps you need to consider who best represents your interests next time you vote," she said. "I'm running to give the people of Wheatfield a choice. If you are happy and content with our current state of affairs, you should vote for the incumbents. I know they think they have done a great job and will continue to serve as they have. If you think it's time for a new perspective regarding how things are done or need to be done in our town, I will give you that."