Last modified: Thursday, August 2, 2007 10:58 PM EDT RUBUTTAL: City wants shows more than condos BY DARYL HANLIN I haven't stopped chuckling since reading Mark Flanagan's column "Signs and center show lack of history" (July 25) but, before I begin, for the readers' benefit, I would like to make some candid observations. To start, when you're a candidate for office you need to deal with the media, and some of us really like to. However, it's like coming into contact with a strange dog, you may want to shake their paw and offer them a treat, and you do so, at the risk of them biting your hand off, or when you turn and walk, there's a chance the dog will bite you in the butt! That may explain why Kevin Dumas remains silent! (Give them nothing and they won't bite, does Kevin think? Or Kevin doesn't want to let on he has nothing to offer?). As for myself, I rather enjoy frank discussions. I'm looking forward to the fun and fight of some serious discussions on building a new downtown! Flanagan's use of the royal "we" leads me to conclude The Sun Chronicle is just a little biased against this candidate and my plan. First, I can see why The Sun Chronicle would support a condo plan; it's just a little bit self-serving don't you think? After all, the proposed condo population stands to increase the paper's circulation and bottom line! Yes? But, I'd like to ask with some interest, why have the other candidates been campaigning for about a year unscathed? They've had events, kick-offs, photo ops, announcements, constant good press, right? Yes. Strange that I became first to qualify for the ballot, and immediately, The Sun Chronicle slams my proposal for downtown Attleboro the next day! I created a plan, sent it to the paper (thanks for printing it), the mayor, the city council and the ARA. I asked all to debate and consider my proposal. My proposed plan for downtown Attleboro is the overwhelming favorite with the voters! In a short amount of time, I have investigated whether or not the citizens of Attleboro want condos or entertainment. Here's the shocker: After speaking/polling well over 700 people, their answer, yes, they proclaim, with overwelming support! They want entertainment and business, not condos! This is a large sample polling of the voting public! Many have said Dumas is turning downtown Attleboro into a ghost town, and I agree with them! That's why I'm in this race, because it's what the people want: Entertainment venues! It's their city and tax dollars! Dumas, is out of touch with the public and the voters! Dumas and his sidekick, the ARA director, have concocted a fast-track, bogus plan for revitalization! It does nothing! It revitalizes nothing! Dumas plans on spending your hard earned tax dollars and dump them into a plan with three separate phases, for a guesstimated grand total that will far exceed $61 million dollars. When Dumas says they have grant money, it's still taxpayer dollars! Dumas's proposal to build three to 500 condo units, is just a plain stupid fallacy! There are no architectural blueprints for such a complex! Smoke and mirrors for re-election? Let's examine, Dumas has fast-tracked this proposal past state officials. On the surface, it looks like a legitimate proposal. The screaming problem! Dumas has put the cart before the horse. He doesn't even have a developer, nobody, Nada! Condos are not even selling. Want proof? drive by the ones over on West street, where Roberts Ford use to be, last I heard, they could only sell a couple of units. The remaining foundations protrude from the ground, like a monument to a coming disaster! If Dumas's revitalization plan is supposed to be so great for the city; and create a strong economic market, a market The Sun Chronicle endorses, then why on earth is Dumas so eager to stick us with a brand new 3 percent meals tax? Sorry Kevin, something smells here! It's a bad dish you're serving! Since The Sun Chronicle is in such favor of a condo market, I'm willing to compromise. When elected mayor, I will propose to build Attleboro's first skyscraper, the Reynolds & Markman luxury office-condo complex, to be located on the present site of The Sun Chronicle. Thump! DARYL HANLIN is a candidate for mayor of Attleboro.