To the editor:

I’m voting for Emily Brewer as the Republican nominee to represent our district.

Her opponent served on the Isle of Wight Board of Supervisors with me and voted for every real estate tax and budget increase ever proposed.

He even wanted to increase the real estate tax in mid-year an additional 4 cents in September 2012, following a 25-percent increase to the citizens the previous year.

I’ve seen a number of letters supporting Mr. Alphin from Smithfield and Windsor. I don’t guess those people appreciate the annual Fourth of July fireworks, which Mr. Alphin tried to cancel about five years ago, even though the $11,000 cost to the county was miniscule in a budget of millions.

The towns contributed to the fireworks and recognized the value of the events in terms of American pride and economic benefits. He lost, and our citizens have continued to enjoy celebrating our nation’s birthday.

Mr. Alphin opposed the new Isle of Wight Volunteer Rescue Squad building, which serves the whole county.

I served a full four-year term and had to get re-elected in order to serve as chairman in 2012. For 2012, the board bumped the Hardy district supervisor ahead so she could serve as chair before her term ended. I expected the same for another supervisor in the same situation, but she was denied because Mr. Alphin later decided the chair should be from the district that had not served as chair for the longest period, his district. He is serving his third consecutive year as chair.

Now Mr. Alphin has decided he deserves to be the Republican nominee, instead of someone who has worked within the Republican Party for years to get other Republicans elected to office, someone who was elected as an alternate to the Republican National Convention last year.

See the pattern?

Emily Brewer is and has been a Republican for many years and worked to get other Republicans, including President Trump, elected, long before she became a candidate. Mr. Alphin — not so much.

Please join me in electing Emily Brewer, a true Republican, to represent us on June 13.

Al Casteen

Smithfield