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Ken Cuccinelli won't protect women's freedoms

I got so mad when I heard about Bob McDonnell's anti-woman views and thought it couldn't get any worse. But Republican candidate for attorney general Ken Cuccinelli came along -- boasting about being called "one of the staunchest ... conservatives the Old Dominion has to offer."

It disturbs me that just two years ago, Cuccinelli co-patroned HB 2797, which defined human life as starting from the moment of fertilization and classified embryos as people, and he wants to outlaw abortions even in cases of rape or incest.

He's spent his state Senate career repeatedly opposing reproductive rights. Last year, he sponsored an amendment to defund Planned Parenthood's services that tremendously benefit women. And thanks to him, the state Department of Motor Vehicles now sells "choose life" license plates, directly funneling money into deceptive crisis pregnancy centers that disseminate medically inaccurate information.

Cuccinelli has a personal agenda: to chip away women's freedoms. As a Virginia woman who's sick of politicians meddling with my basic rights, my vote on Nov. 3 is for Steve Shannon, who won't let government take over women's minds and bodies.

Endorsements aren't the newspaper's job

Re: "Austin and Graham in Botetourt," Oct. 21 editorial:

This is what is wrong with our country today -- newspapers endorsing candidates for office. Your job is to report the news unbiased. It's not your place to tell the citizens who to vote for. You just need to report the facts and let us decide whom we think is the best candidate to serve us. Keep your nose out of politics.

You also need to get your facts straight. It's Terry Austin and Kathy Graham Sullivan.

Holland is enforcing state tax laws

Re: "Walker can lead effective office," Oct. 20 letter:

Someone must set the record straight. For a campaign to take unsubstantiated, politically motivated opinions and turn them into misinformation is not what works in Roanoke.

We will not be fooled by letting Sherman Holland take any blame for a sales tax distribution that was registered at the state level and twisted around locally to publicly spout figures that are not relevant to our commissioner's office. Ever since Holland took office, he has passed every yearly audit by the State Auditor of Public Accounts and by KPMG, an independent auditor that is hired by the city.

Certainly, anyone who knows state tax law realizes Holland does not work for City Manager Darlene Burcham or city council, therefore state law does not authorize any local/municipal auditor to pry into our personal tax records or conduct issue-motivated performance audits.

Thank goodness for the tax laws and the man we elected 12 years ago to uphold and protect such laws. I am not in favor of getting my wallet out and handing over what I have to someone who just moved into the city in April.

This type of campaigning won't work in Roanoke. Instead, I will cast my ballot for a good man, an honest man, a man of integrity: Sherman Holland, commissioner of revenue.

Keep Putney in Richmond

I fully agree with your Oct. 20 editorial, "Return Putney in the 19th," that "Voters in the 19th District ... could do no better than to return Putney to office."

I remember well Del. Lacey Putney's first campaign in Botetourt County in 1991. His campaign promise then was the same as it is today, to do the very best to represent all of the people of his district in a manner they deserve and expect from their elected representative. He has kept that promise.

As a retired schoolteacher, I know firsthand that Putney is a strong supporter of quality education for all of Virginia, and he is the author of legislation providing funds to assist retired public employees and retired teachers with the cost of their health insurance.

We are fortunate to have Putney as our delegate, and I hope others will join me in voting for him and keep our strong voice in Richmond.

We can do without Mason's deception

Every time I turn on my television, a Gwen Mason ad is airing. Mason says she ran for Roanoke City Council because she was tired of wasteful spending. She says she cut spending, beginning with her own salary. In fact, she voted for her salary before she voted against it.

In 2008, her expenses billed to the city were the third highest, right behind Alfred Dowe and Nelson Harris. Mason ran for council in 2006 with a campaign advocating building an amphitheater only to vote against it later. Again, she voted for it before voting against it.

Mason's Web site says she is independent. In 2008, The Roanoke Times quoted her as saying, "I'm a Democrat by DNA," ("Fans of Clinton accept defeat," June 10, 2008, news story).

Mason tries to present herself as a conservative running in a conservative district. On her Web site, she says, "I will apply the same leadership skills that I have demonstrated in Roanoke to the House of Delegates." We don't want that to happen.

Bill Cleaveland has been an attorney for 17 years and has served as a substitute judge. Let's send this man with integrity and high moral values to Richmond.

Commissioner Holland is doing the job well

I cannot believe that Christopher M. Walters ("Walker can lead effective office," Oct. 20 letter) has ever met or had any dealings with Commissioner of Revenue Sherman Holland. Holland is one of the most polite and intelligent individuals I have ever had the pleasure of dealing with.

He is very efficient in performing his duties, with 12 years experience as commissioner of revenue and 28 years of total service with the commissioner of revenue's office. His office procedures have been reviewed and have passed the yearly audits by an independent auditor (KPMG) and also by the commonwealth of Virginia auditor of public accounts for the past 12 years. You can't ask for more.

My vote will go to Holland, a man with experience and integrity and, most important, a Christian.

Cuccinelli will help Virginia families

Ken Cuccinelli is a man of integrity and vision. His passion for what he wants is inspiring and contagious, and his stand for Virginia's families is exactly what we need. Cuccinelli has always supported family values by ensuring that women are fully informed about alternatives to abortion, while supporting women in crisis pregnancies. Cuccinelli voted to prohibit partial-birth abortions in Virginia, while his opponent has not taken a stand, even refusing to answer a question on the topic in a June debate.

Cuccinelli understands the importance of our children's education, with his long record of supporting school choices, including home-schooling. His opponent has had very little to say about education.

His opponent has not had much to say about anything of substance.

Cuccinelli knows how the office of attorney general works, and he will use that office and all of its resources to serve Virginia families. If our families are not protected, we all lose.

Please vote for Cuccinelli to become Virginia's next attorney general.

To our letter writers

The Roanoke Times will publish letters through Sunday about candidates in Tuesday's election. Submissions must be received by 5 p.m. today to be considered for publication.