Letter to the Editor: Troy Mayor Displays 'A Complete Lack of Integrity'

Troy Patch accepts letters to the editor. Send yours to jen.anesi@patch.com; please include your full name and hometown. Letters may be edited for clarity.

Dear Editor,

My name is Lynn Hodorek. I am 21 years old and I have been a Troy resident my whole life. I graduated from Troy High School, I have a bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University, and I am voting yes to recall Janice Daniels.

There are plenty of things that irritate me about the recall campaign, but the thing that really pushes my buttons is when the mayor’s supporters start complaining about how the mayor has been "abused" by citizens at the council microphone, and how the people voicing their dissent have been "inhumane."

Let’s clear something up right now: There is nothing abusive or inhumane about holding our elected officials accountable, especially when those elected officials have done such an abysmal job of doing that themselves.

From the beginning of Mayor Daniels’ appearances in both local and national news headlines, she has consistently failed to stand up and accept responsibility for her words and actions. She gave a weak apology for her infamous gay slur on Facebook, but only after she had defended it. She made no apology after her lengthy position paper at a council meeting earlier this year, which was filled with untrue statements.

Most recently, she purposefully misstated the name of the organization honoring former councilwoman Mary Kerwin with the Distinguished Citizen of the Year award, repeatedly saying it was the “Democrat Club” instead of the actual organization, Leadership Troy. And her defense? She thought she was “doing her a favor” by bringing Kerwin’s politics into a completely non-partisan award.

It’s no wonder why the mayor’s constituency is angry. Again and again, Mayor Daniels embarrasses herself and the city of Troy with her juvenile actions. And she refuses to take responsibility.

So when her supporters praise her for her "courage" and her "strength," I say, take another look. Ask yourself: is this courage? I call it cowardice. I call it poor leadership. I call it a complete lack of integrity. 

I urge all Troy residents to vote YES to Recall Janice Daniels on November 6.

Lynn Hodorek