A STRONG INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE

I am writing to urge your support of Iang Jeon for Lexington’s Board of Selectmen.

A fellow Town Meeting Member, I know Iang to possess the skills, experience, and independence to make him a vital addition to the Board. As a finance professional, I have been impressed on many occasions as I watched Iang dissect complex budget documents and ask pertinent questions.

Lexington is at a crossroads. It is a beautiful community, but one whose tax bills have risen amongst the fastest of the Commonwealth’s 351 cities and towns.

We have a long history of tax inflation well in excess of the general rate of inflation. This obviously cannot continue indefinitely, but what is being done to stop it?

We must elect candidates such as Iang who have the skills and knowledge to conceive innovative solutions, and are willing to make the difficult decisions required in a fiscal crisis.

Iang is an independent-minded candidate not beholden to any political establishment. He will not be intimidated, and has the courage of his convictions. In the face of entrenched special interests, Iang will persevere, and do whatever is required to help lead Lexington out of its financial crisis.

But Iang cannot do this alone — he needs your help. Please visit www.lexij.com, where you can learn more about Iang, read his platform, and offer your help. Or email him directly at ij@lexij.com. Let him know that on March 1, you are willing to make a stand for Lexington’s future.

 Alan V. Seferian,
Augustus Road
Lexington Minuteman 1/7/2010

JEON, MAUGER FOR BOARD

Our taxes are up 5% from last year, yet the Selectmen have no plan to curb such unsustainable increases. The Fiscal Task Force noted that overrides cannot pass in this depressed economy, but its only concrete recommendation is to deplete the Town’s $7 million reserves to balance upcoming budgets. Instead, we must find ways to operate more efficiently, so that tax increases (via overrides) are only a last resort. As a liberal Democrat, I consider this a critical priority and a moral duty to promote economic and social fairness: otherwise, we will “price” residents with limited financial means out of Lexington.
Iang Jeon and Deb Mauger understand that we must systematically identify better ways to run our municipal services, schools and employee benefits programs.

Iang knows how to analyze budgets and operational data and ask the right questions. Years ago, he asked how many employees the schools have, well before any functioning system existed to track school full- and part-time employees. I disagree with some of Iang’s views, but these do not directly impact the Board of Selectmen, which sorely needs Iang’s energy and creativity. Not to speak of diversity (of ethnic background and opinion)…

Deb’s independence – her questions about the Munroe building, which the Selectmen wanted to sell for $1,000, were excellent –, financial expertise as former CFO of Harvard Business School and openness to differing views will also strengthen our Board of Selectmen (which would be all-male without her…)

Iang and Deb will examine some key issues the Board of Selectmen has ignored, and will push for action to:
- seek savings on health costs: Brookline will save $4.8 million annually by joining GIC.
- limit our subsidies to other employers: Concord’s salaries are higher than in Lexington, but its contribution to health premiums is lower than ours, leading more employees to subscribe to health benefits from their spouse’s employer, not from the Town.

Electing Iang Jeon and Deb Mauger is our best chance to keep our municipal services and schools strong while limiting future tax increases.

Patrick Mehr
Town Meeting member, Precinct 3
Woodcliffe Road
Lexington Minuteman 1/14/2010

URGE SUPPORT FOR JEON

I’m writing to urge your support of Iang Jeon for Selectman.

We have a beautiful community with wonderful schools and town services. However, for years, we’ve merely kept services level while increasing taxes at one of the highest rates in Massachusetts.

Today, spiraling health costs, declines in state support and Lexington families struggling in this recession mean we will need to seek new solutions. Iang is the person we need, an independent voice with fresh ideas.

For years, Iang has been a leader in identifying financial issues in this town and working to fix them. He has repeatedly shown the keen analysis and attention to detail that we need today more than ever. He has also shown that he will listen to the voices of those who might otherwise be neglected, especially our senior citizens.

Iang has never been afraid to speak up on difficult issues. As Selectman, he will help make the tough decisions that need to be made to contain spiraling health costs, minimize tax increases, improve transparency and accountability in town government, and find innovative solutions to our problems.

Iang needs your help to win this election. Please visit www.lexij.com or email Iang directly at ij@lexij.com. Let Iang know that you’ll support him on March 1 so that together we can make a stand for Lexington’s future.