A Note Regarding a Recent Dispatch Article

On Wednesday, the Dispatch printed an article regarding the income tax increase going to the Bexley ballot. I was quoted in the article (briefly), and I just received an email regarding the quote, and I wanted to clarify something.

In the article I'm quoted as saying:

"Since the public meeting, we've received essentially no comments at council," Councilman Ben Kessler said. "I've received a couple emails, maybe, from residents."

I did say this - and it is true. However, it is the only thing I am quoted as saying in the article, and the resident who wrote me felt I was being flippant about the issue. I totally understand her perspective, given the context.

Here's the real context: I gave an approximately 15 minute telephone interview. A lot was said regarding the tax issue. One of the questions I was asked was something like "have you received any comments since the public meeting and the online survey?", and the answer I provided to that question is what was quoted.

The hazards of communication are one of the more frustrating aspects of service on council. It's seemingly impossible to adequately convey one's thought process - hence this blog (which is, arguably, in itself inadequate for several reasons). Regardless, it is what it is. If you're one of the two people who reads this (sarcasm?) and you also read that article and thought the same thing as the resident who emailed me, hopefully this explanation is helpful.