Continued Development of Downtown Lakewood at Risk in this Fall's Mayoral Election

I confess to being a little worried about the low profile of this fall's mayoral election here in Lakewood. The race for mayor doesn't have the glamor or the emotions of a presidential election, but in many ways the choice of mayor has far more direct impact on our lives.

Mayor Bob Murphy has guided our city brilliantly through a period of urban renewal and focused city government on issues like sustainability, job creation, and affordable housing. Belmar and downtown Lakewood wouldn't exist without his leadership.

Murphy, however, will not be on this fall's ballot. Instead, we have a stark choice.

Local businessman Adam Paul has pledged to keep Lakewood going forward in roughly the direction laid out by Mayor Murphy. He listens, he works to solve problems, and he favors smart growth like Belmar.

His opponent, Ramey Johnson, represents a real threat Belmar and the idea of downtown Lakewood. She has promised to focus on maintaining Lakewood's "rural character," is suspicious of urban renewal efforts like those in Belmar, is hostile to public transit, and is vehemently opposed to the taxes necessary to keep our roads paved and our parks green.

Put plainly, Ramey Johnson is anti "la vida Belmar."

So spread the word. If you love living in Belmar, if you're excited about the vibrant urban space that's grown up here in downtown Lakewood, Adam Paul needs your support.