Paul’s Letter to Santa
Dear Santa,
I hope this letter finds you well with your sleigh tuned up and your reindeer carb-loaded for the big night. I’m writing with a simple holiday wish:
Help me qualify for public financing so that the community can have a Baltimore County Council candidate powered by the people — not the naughty-list super big developers.
Now Santa, I’ve tried to be good this year. Really. I’ve stood up for Kelly Madigan & transparency, fought against backroom deals, argued (politely!) for a people-centered approach to growth and even worked non-stop to keep District One together through redistricting. I haven’t even complained about zoning in all of my conversations. That deserves something in the stocking, right?
But here’s where I need a little help from you and your elves.
You understand the importance of local decisions — zoning, infrastructure, development, schools, stormwater — because you see which neighborhoods are thriving and which ones are one pothole away from a sleigh breakdown. County Council races may not trend on the North Pole News Network, but they affect every family on your list.
And the good news, Santa?
We are a whisker away from qualifying for public financing.
Once we cross that line, we’ll instantly be halfway to our full campaign goal.
That’s basically the political equivalent of finding an extra cookie plate behind the Christmas tree.
But raising the last bit quickly is crucial. We can’t start designing mailers, producing videos, or unleashing festive digital ads until we’ve got the funds to make it all happen.
Now, Santa… if your elves have already given, please give them a gold star and an extra marshmallow in their hot cocoa. Their generosity has carried us right to the edge. If they have already maxed out at a $250 donation, see if they can forward this email to their friends who care about issues like open space for reindeers to play and roam.
But if they can muster one more little sprinkle of elf magic, even a tiny additional gift will push us over the line and unlock the full power of the Fair Election Fund.
And if there are elves who have been quietly waiting until the last minute (classic elf behavior), please let them know that now is the perfect moment. A donation today is the ultimate holiday gift to the whole community — helping elect a council person who believes growth should benefit everyone, not just whoever has the deepest pockets.
Also, Santa, I’m sure you’ve noticed the new bond initiatives currently being considered by the council that will increase borrowing to a whopping 1.2 billion since 2022 causing working families to face constantly rising property taxes. This follows the same old pattern: socialize the cost of development but privatize the profit. I know you’d never approve a system where the elves do all the work and a few big donors get all the toys.
Thanks for listening Santa and please pet the reindeer for me.
— Paul Dongarra
P.S. Elf-sized donations are powerful! A gift of $150 or less gets matched as much as 4:1. That’s better than magic dust.
Checks can be made payable to Stand with Paul Dongarra and mailed to PO Box 3103 Catonsville MD 21228. If they choose to send a check, however, they must print out this receipt, sign it and write yes it they are a Baltimore County resident.
