Cyndi Lamm Is Too Extreme For Lincoln

Previous Republicans who have run for mayor of Lincoln have presented themselves as moderates in light of the fact that Lincoln has been a purple city. (We are currently trending blue.) They have tended to run as non-ideological technocrats who would competently manage the city. In contrast, Cyndi Lamm is running a very unusual and extreme campaign for mayor of Lincoln. Lamm has strayed from that long time GOP theme and has run a hard core right wing ideological campaign under the radar screen.

In her on-line paid advertising, Lamm has presented herself as an ally of Donald Trump and has emphasized polarizing wedge issues likes guns and abortion. Two recent mailers she sent out used language taken directly from the Trump rhetoric, for example: “make Lincoln great again” and “drain the swamp at city hall.” In contrast, at public forums, Lamm presents herself as a thoughtful moderate and technocrat.

The real Cyndi Lamm is the staunch right winger who is out of touch with most of Lincoln’s voters. Her long time background as an anti-LGBT activist and extremist is troubling. While Lamm has since moderated her formerly hostile and extreme language on the LGBT community, she hasn’t changed her views. Instead, she told a reporter as recently last year that “her values and principles have remained the same” since 1994. In addition, Lamm has publicly opposed the fairness ordinance designed to protect LGBTQ individuals from discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations.

Lamm is not only too radical for Lincoln, her new proposal to cut the wheel tax by 1/3 reveals that she is either pandering to the voters or simply doesn’t understand the basics of our city’s finances. Lamm’s proposal is simply not realistic. We normally spend $62 to $65 million a year on roads. Cutting the wheel tax by 33% cuts $6.25 million.

There are no easy choices or a free lunch when it comes time to pay for the city’s infrastructure - bond issue, impact fee increases, sales tax increases or wheel tax increases. The task force established by the recent 1/4 cents sales tax increase will consist of far smarter business people than Cyndi Lamm .

Lamm has been on the City Council for four years and could easily have spoken up about reducing the wheel tax then. Cutting the wheel tax doesn’t allow the city to move the dial forward on street improvements that make Lincoln an attractive place to do business and raise our families.

The city of Lincoln has thrived under Democratic leadership for the last twenty years. Chris Beutler has moved the city forward and is probably the best mayor in the history of Lincoln. Unfortunately, Lamm wants to move the city backwards and wreck all of that progress. She is too extreme and risky to serve as our mayor. Electing Lamm would send a signal that Lincoln is no longer a welcoming city.

That’s why it is so important to elect Leirion Gaylor Baird mayor. Leirion will continue that progress and keep the city moving forward. Please vote for Leirion Gaylor Baird on May 7! The stakes are too high for you to stay home!