Editorial: Vote Plymouth County Commissioner Sandra Wright Out Of Office

Alex Bezanson is the only candidate in the race who opposes a casino and respects the will of the People of our Towns

For those of us opposed to a casino/horse track on the County Wood Lot there is a critically important race on the ballot tomorrow, for the office of Plymouth County Commissioner. One candidate, Alex Bezanson (D-Abington), opposes a casino. His opponent adamantly supports one.

That opponent, current County Commissioner Sandra Wright (R-Bridgewater), voted twice for a casino/race track; the first time was at the March 31st meeting of the County Commission, when, despite dozens of members of the public and Plymouth Town Meeting members wishing to speak on the matter, Mrs. Wright, who chaired the meeting, refused to take any public comment whatsoever, before voting to explore a lease of the Wood Lot to Boston South (a cutout corporation for the O'Connell clan of Quincy developers).

This vote, for public resources to be used to help wealthy Quincy oligarchs and their agents realize massive private profits, was egregious. The second vote was even worse.

After 88% of the voters in the May Town Election in Plymouth cast ballots against the casino, and a unanimous June vote and letter by the Plymouth Select Board, likewise opposing it, Mrs. Wright forged ahead, voting to enter into the lease on July 21st alongside her colleague, Mr. Valanzola, in flagrant defiance of the will of the People of Plymouth.

This lack of respect for local democracy is simply put, outrageous and shameful public conduct for an elected official. I have met Mrs. Wright, she seems to be a nice person; I also worked for Mr. Bezanson’s rival, Carlos Da Silva, in the Democratic Primary. But this is about policies and public votes, not personalities, and both Mr. Da Silva and The Plymouth County Observer strongly agree that it is important to vote for Mr. Bezanson and against Commissioner Wright.

I urge all Plymouth County voters who don't want an environmentally and socially destructive casino to cast their ballots for the candidate, Alex Bezanson, who opposes a casino and respects local democracy. Defend the rights of Plymouth, and indeed, every Town and City in the County, and turn Mrs. Wright out of office.