Conflict of interest in local politics Thank you to The Gazette and reporter Mary Shinn for shining the spotlight on a very troubling situation in this upcoming City Council election. Her in-depth articles on March 28 and more recently on March 31, should make every citizen in this city very concerned. In each one of our six council districts, developers and housing associations have heavily, if not totally, financed their chosen candidate. Based on the Gazette reporter’s research, Nor’wood and the Housing & Building Association have contributed at least $60,000 in campaign funding to these six individuals: $10,000 to Mason District 1, $13,000 to Geislinger District 2, $15,000 to Skorman District 3, $2000 to Avila District 4, $10,000 to Henjum District 5, and $10,000 to O’Malley District 6.