Jane and I want to thank you for your support. We can take great pride in the many achievements we’ve accomplished together over the past 20 years in elective office in Lakewood.

Thomas J. George, Building a Better Lakewood

As our campaign slogan “Building a Better Lakewood” suggests, some of the signs of our progress are obvious. High profile construction projects are progressing at an unprecedented rate from one end of Lakewood to the other.

“Building a Better Lakewood,” however, means more than just bricks and mortar. It means bringing the community together to achieve common goals. It means working to maintain and improve existing housing stock. It means operating City Hall more efficiently and effectively to maximize our resources.

A lesson I learned in my early days as a Councilman that still remains true today is that the key to success is citizen participation and involvement. From my first day in the Mayor’s office, I’ve had an open door policy. I’ve attended block parties, school events, D.A.R.E. culminations, seniors’ dances, grand openings, neighborhood meetings, birthdays, retirements and many other events in order to keep in touch with Lakewood.

I’ve kept my promises from the 2003 campaign.

• We’ve made safety first.
• There have been more new developments than anyone can remember, much of it focused on the East End.
• We’ve put more into our streets, sewers and water lines than we have in decades.
• We’ve brought the award-winning Main Street Program to downtown Lakewood.

For the first time in a long time, the major institutions in the City are all working together. Being Mayor is a tough job that requires making tough decisions. It’s hard to make everyone happy. I have no agendas, no ulterior motives, other than making the best decisions for Lakewood. I eagerly look forward to the coming campaign, meeting new people, rekindling old friendships, hearing your thoughts and joining together in “Building a Better Lakewood.”