Dear Fellow Libertarians,
I'm writing you today to tell you about an LP member who is taking the quest
for smaller government to the ballot box.
Matt Beato is a college student at William and Mary, and already has won local
office. He currently serves as an elected Director of the Colonial Soil &
Water Conservation District.
Now, he's running for the Williamsburg City Council.
Matt joined the Libertarian Party of Virginia at the state convention on March
29, 2008. Readers of this list who attended the state convention may remember
my introduction of Mr. Beato late in the day.
Beato says he is running for office to end city government activities aimed at
solving 'problems' he believes can be addressed with more liberty. Among them
are:
- Ending the City's plan to purchase rental houses and resell them with
covenants to require they be owner occupied. "This has cost the city between 4
and 10 times the projected deficit for this year," Beato says. "This, to me,
is a very negative type of government involvement -- it uses tremendous amounts
of money to take students and low-income workers out of potential houses and
makes it so only wealthy people can live there. Also, this is an attempt for
the city to restrict neighborhoods from having group homes."
- Revising the City's occupancy laws. "Only three people, unrelated, can live
in a house at this point, even if the house has four or five bedrooms. This is
wrong. Such micromeddling is not a legitimate function of government," Beato
says.
- Making zoning less restrictive. "To me, zoning should be expansive, not
restrictive," Beato says. "Attempts by the city government to control in this
manner have merely prevented the free market from providing what people want
downtown."
- Making government more transparent and open. "Right now, [council] meetings
are held at 2 pm, the only locality in Hampton Roads that does so. Meetings
cannot be in the afternoon when working people have to work, Beato says.
Beato thinks Libertarian Party members should find his campaign worthy of their
support.
"This campaign provides LP members an opportunity to support a youthful
candidate at the local level. I have a good chance to move up in the political
system and have some real influence in politics in Williamsburg. Because so
much government exists at the local level, this is a key way to have an actual
influence on it. Statewide Libertarian candidates are good, but have such a
little chance of winning that supporting them cannot pay off in the form of
real government reduction," he says.
Beato believes he has effectively recruited a built-in constituency. "Since
about 1,200 students are registered to vote in Williamsburg, I have a support
base in the community of about 500, and the most votes anyone's ever gotten in
a City Council election is about 1,250, I can win if we turn our voters out,"
he says.
Beato says there is what he refers to as a "libertarian Ron Paul Republican" in
the race, Terence Whele, as well as a "libertarian-leaning Republican", Gil
Granger. Since 3 of the 6 candidates will win, it is OK to look at this and
support multiple members. "This is a chance to really have an impact on a 5
member council," Beato said. "All three of us can oust the city government if
we win, and reverse the ordinances that engineer social control.
LP members interested in making an investment in Beato's campaign should take a
few minutes today to do so, as the election is coming up quickly.
Write a check to:
Beato for City Council
PO Box 1032
Williamsburg VA 23187
Alternatively, donate directly via Beato's campaign PayPal page:
http://www.tinyurl.com/3xrq7w
For more information about Beato's campaign, see his campaign website:
www.MattBeato.com
The election will be held on Tuesday, May 6, 2008. If you wish to help Matt,
please take a few minutes to send him a contribution today.
Thank you for your time and attention!
-- Marc Montoni, Secretary
Libertarian Party of Virginia
P.S. Remember -- the election is just a couple of weeks away. Please consider
lending your support to Matt Beato today!
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Further reading:
1. Candidate debate on April 9:
http://www.dailypress.com/news/local/williamsburg/dp-local_wbgforums_0418apr18,0,6045790.story
2. OPINION: "Stakes are high for students in City Council election", by Devan
Barber:
http://www.flathatnews.com/opinions/2038/stakes-are-high-for-students-in-city-council-election
3. Article explaining zoning prohibition against more than 3 unrelated people
living in a house together and attempt at social control by zoning generally:
http://www.dogstreetjournal.com/story/1016
4. City of Williamsburg's purchase of houses to remove them from the rental
market:
http://www.flathatnews.com/news/1707/harrison-house-loses-city-27000
5. Colonial Soil & Water Conservation District website (note that they seem to
be a bit slow in keeping the website up-to-date; if you call them they will
give you the current list of Directors, which includes Matt):
http://ColonialSWCD.VASWCD.org
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Libertarian Party of Virginia
http://www.LPVA.com
Phone: 703-715-6230
