The County Government hasn’t changed yet because no one has asked John Zappala
how to fix it. ( John is a home restoration contractor. His employers are his customers and in County Council, his
employer will be you!)
Zappala, is looking ( to represent) the people of District 2 .... which
would represent Lakewood, Westpark and Brookpark.
".... The uniqueness of the 2nd District needs to be safeguarded.”
( This why he is running) “It is absolutely imperative that from the ground up [the county government] starts living
within the means of [its] budgets, just like your household and my household need to live within the means we have before
us,”
.... Zappala aspires to bring some common sense to the council, to not only remind them that the money they
use must be well spent as these checks were not written by faceless masses, but were “written at people’s kitchen
tables.”
".... Too much of the way things have been left the doors opened for that kind of violation
or misuse of the public trust.”
.... “I think the county needs to take the lead in [the housing issue],”
said Zappala noting additionally the recurring problems of absentee landlords and homes that are abandoned and in disrepair.
“I run a business, I am a landlord. I know how to make things happen. I know the answer to all these landlord problems
in this community.”
On the issue of business in Lakewood, Zappala wants to help develop a kind of “business
ambassadorship” for the county that would work to incentivize business owners to come ....
“Once a business
owner opens up his checkbook, he now has a stake in the community and the people in it.”
“I am a business
owner, I work for somebody everyday. I know what it is like to live paycheck to paycheck, to raise a family, to put kids in
college, buy health care and make a payroll,” said Zappala. “Those type of qualities have a much better chance
of succeeding on this council. My goal is to work for the residents in my district. They expect me to go out and be their
voice, make the right decision and .... I will open my mouth. I will demand the accountability and integrity of
any elected official.”
“The goal of the campaign is to give them ( all the people ) the truth
about what is going on at County Council, so they can make an informed decision,” said Zappala. “I believe that
once someone meets me and understands who I am and what I represent that they might [vote for me over someone else].”
“I
just want people to know that I can be the voice of common sense and reason on that council. I believe that my conversations
at the county level have nothing to do with partisanship as much as they have to do with responsibility and integrity.”
