• I wish…the Whitehall Development Director hadn’t disrespectfully tossed back at me the gift I brought to my hometown in the form of the seminal book on city planning, ‘Death and Life of Great American Cities’ by Jane Jacobs.

• I wish…newly appointed Councilman Bailey had been more respectful of his elected peer on council, Jacquelyn Thompson, and not dogged her to me, a stranger and constituent, within minutes of our meeting.

• I wish…the city would’ve been more respectful and appreciative of a native son’s return in 2008 to improve and restore the house he grew up in, particularly in light of the city’s own diminished status at the time.

• I wish…my city had been more considerate of its citizens in the deepest part of the economic downturn when, in the depth of Winter, January of 2009, they demanded I paint my entire three-story house in 3 1/2 months.

• I wish…Councilman Bailey focused more on the humane and just and respectful thing than simply the authoritarian thing.

• I wish…elected leaders were more citizen-centric than government-centric.

• I wish…Mayor Maggard cared more about ethical principles than she does herself.

• I wish…Whitehall citizens kept themselves informed of their government more and came out to vote in larger numbers.

•I wish…elected leaders and more of those running for office respected the citizens more by giving them lots of information to make fair and informed decisions.

• I wish…my city had understood Vietnam veteran Dave Deluca better but it was easier for them to only see the surface and cast him aside based on that simplistic view (when you’re running a citizens government, who has time for citizen consideration?).

• I wish…my city’s government had a deeper understanding and appreciation of Whitehall’s residents than they do code and legislation and authoritarianism.

• I wish…my city’s government respected not just the law but its spirit and intent too.

• I wish…one didn’t seemingly have to suspend one’s principles when elected to office and have to choose between morality and governing.

• I wish…people would have the courage of their convictions and lead instead of being part of a pack.

• I wish…Councilman Chris Rodriguez cared more about the spirit and intent of the law and the community he serves (Ward One) than he does his own self-interests.

• I wish…citizens weren’t so afraid of their government so as to speak out when wrong is being done.

• I wish… elected leaders chose to heed conflicts of interest over their own self-interests.

• I wish…people read more books and understood a wider array of subjects, particularly in those who ask to lead our community.

• I wish…government officials adhered to principles of trustworthiness over self-interests.

• I wish…Whitehall’s government had a deeper understanding for and appreciation for the economic strata of all the citizens, not just those like them.

• I wish…my elected officials, when they say, ‘…and justice for all’ actually took that to heart and ensured it for all whom they serve, lest they appear hypocritical.

• I wish…that when my city’s government sells the citizens on something the city wants to do, that the citizens would see through their sell job and take it with more critical analysis.

• I wish…the leader of our city cared more about scruples and ethical principles than she does about business and development.

• I wish…people would stop dogging poor black people.

• I wish…people would improve their minds and deepen their sense of empathy and love for their fellow man.

• I wish…people cared more for fellow human beings and citizens in their community than they do greed.

•I wish…Mayor Maggard respected the U.S. Constitution all the time.

• I wish Mayor Maggard was a leader of people and not business.

•I wish…people gave half the damn they should.

• I wish…leaders understood that the gold in Whitehall resides in their community’s people and not the surface things they think are so important.

• I wish…critical thinking was valued as highly as television programs or egos.