Editor, Gazette-Journal:

Our founding fathers created a government that placed most of its power at the local level and the least at the federal level. They knew that the local government was the one closest to the people and could best represent them. We have seen a complete reversal of that concept over the years.

Mandates are passed down to local governments that take away property rights and freedom from the people and local officials say they are powerless to do anything about it. That is simply not true. When a county recognizes that a mandate is harmful to it, there is a federal program (Coordination) in place that permits the county to meet with state and federal representatives on an equal basis to negotiate a solution to the problem.

Either the Mathews Board of Supervisors candidates who are running for reelection do not understand this or they are complicit with the mandates. Such was the case when the current Mathews Comprehensive Plan was adopted earlier this year....