Article published Nov 2, 2007

Elect Jolley

I'm voting for Mary Jolley for city commissioner. Here's why. She'll support citizens' rights to vote on significant community changes, e.g., the proposed coal-fired plant. Jolley will support the city manager abiding by a budget agreed upon by the mayor and commissioners — not allowing the manager to juggle budget line items to suit his fancy. She'll support the mayor and commissioners being accountable for where taxpayers' money goes. When we vote for money to be spent on a specific project, she will not quietly allow that to be spent on anything else. Jolley will support the rights of private business — not participate in any attempts to take over private business, like Great Falls Ambulance.

Jolley also will do something our current mayor, some of our current commissioners, and city manager don't have time for — actually read reports, studies, budgets, and the like so that she is familiar with issues and questions. She has been doing this for years and attending public meetings to question policy.

One of the things I really like about Jolley is that when she doesn't know the answer to a question, she will say so and then ask qualified people for information and explanation. She is honest to a fault, as well as candid. Ask her a question, and you will get an answer — not just a promise to get you an answer.

Vote for Mary Jolley for city commissioner. She is your clear choice to achieve open, honest government in Great Falls.

— Suzanne Porter, Great Falls