Any “naysayer” worth their salt won’t surrender till they have the final word. So here is that word: Yes! When faced with your choice on the hospital referendum in November you will vote yes! You will do so because the only real choice is yes! Some local healthcare or no! No local healthcare. So you will vote yes!

Now those who framed this “choice” for you will tell you that you are making an informed decision when you vote yes! That by voting yes – you are saving “our hospital.” On this point let’s be clear: The legacy of our hospital, Massena Memorial Hospital, has ended with this Town Supervisor and this Town Board. When you vote yes! You will be preserving healthcare, not saving “our hospital.”

So, when you vote yes – you will not be making an informed decision, but rather, an inevitable decision. An inevitable choice between accepting less rather than nothing. Ever since the closing and pull out of General Motors, this community has been faced with a history of inevitable decisions:

When Reynolds merged and shuttered their operations, an Alcoa was better than nothing.

As Alcoa scaled back operations and employees, some Alcoa jobs were better than no Alcoa jobs.

Then when Alcoa split into two, some Arconic and some Alcoa jobs were better than none.

Now a Canadian National operated railway, is better than no railway.

And in November vote yes – because some healthcare is better than no healthcare.

Sadly, Massena has become a community accustomed to accepting less. We elect representatives that promise us more but inevitably deliver less. We look for them to put forth real effort in finding real solutions. Solutions that preserve what we have. Solutions that help us grow. These types of solutions require real work and not just accepting the first bailout or olive branch extended.

So vote yes – this November, because less healthcare is better than no healthcare. But please remember: When a community routinely accepts less, it becomes less of a community. So your other choice on the November ballot will be to vote yes – for those who will make the effort to provide you and this community with more!

Bob Elsner

Massena Town Council candidate