It’s Tougher To Help When You’re Anonymous
By Rick Taylor, Mayor of Pennsauken Township
“All easy problems have already been solved.” – Anonymous
I don’t mind my quotes being anonymous. In fact, that’s part of their charm. However, when I receive an anonymous letter sent to the Mayor’s Office, that really leaves a lot to be desired.
I don’t mind talking with residents or business owners that have a problem with something in town. It’s my job as a member of Pennsauken’s Township Committee and as mayor. And as your mayor, it’s my responsibility to handle sensitive issues discretely. In all of my years serving our town in this capacity, I have never broken a confidence in this regard. But getting an anonymous letter leaves a lot out. I lose the ability to follow up with that person and find out more about an issue, something that can go a long way in helping to resolve a problem. Our administration also can’t tell you what we’ve found out, or how things got resolved.
Technology doesn’t help this problem either. Everyone has a right to speak their mind, but when it comes to posting an anonymous comment, often times what is typed is hardly civil and rarely productive. Hiding behind a screen name and venting might make people feel better, but it isn’t going to lead to a solution.
I can understand why people would want to be anonymous. A person may not want to let a neighbor know that they’re complaining about the upkeep of their property. Or they may be afraid that if they complain about their municipal government, they’ll somehow be “punished.” This couldn’t be further from the truth. Every member of Township Committee and each person employed by Pennsauken Township have a responsibility to serve our residents. We may not always agree, but our goal is to maintain and grow our town and to support those who live here. We all have the best interests of Pennsauken in mind.
So I encourage all of our residents, if you have an issue with something happening in town; if a neighbor or a business isn’t keeping up with their property; or there’s a problem with one of our staff, let us know. And sign your name; there’s no need to hide. We’re here to help each and every resident, and we’ll do our very best to do that every day of the year.
On behalf of myself and the entire Township Committee, I hope that you and your families enjoy this wonderful fall season.
