To the Editor,

Robeson County has been run by Democrats for decades and look where it has gotten us. We are the poorest county in the state. We have the highest murder rate in the state. We have a high unemployment rate. Yet people continue voting the same way. Only one of our county commissioners, David Edge, is a Republican.

Our commissioners are the fourth-highest paid in the state and they each have $40,000 per year to spend as they please. Commissioner Tom Taylor said in The Robesonian 10 years ago that he believed in cutting their funds. That was 10 years ago, when our commissioners were the 12th-highest paid in the state. Here we are, 10 years later, and our commissioners are now the fourth-highest paid in the state and still have $40,000 each to spend per year. The voters finally have a choice this year.

Republican Dennis Harrell is running against Taylor. Harrell is a retired pastor and a true conservative. He will respect our tax dollar and our community. Some have said that Christians should not run for office. Voters may choose to continue re-electing more of the same or they can put someone new in office who will make conservative choices.

Some people are saying that Mr. Taylor is nice guy or that he has done too many favors for them not to vote for him. Dennis and Tom are both very nice and both would help anyone they could. If Mr. Taylor had truly wanted to do something about the discretionary funds and their pay, he would have by now. It is simply time for change. We need to send David Edge some help. Vote Republican.

Hila Wilkerson

Lumberton