Mr. McIntyre, the former mayor once convicted of taking bribes, brings only disunity and a step backward if he re-enters the political arena.

The Chronicle used to champion local candidates, black and white, who brought a positive message - especially in terms of boosting the economy and improving the overall quality of community life. How inconsistent that the editorial page now has a soft spot for Mr. McIntyre when there are other progressives, black and white, who would be better candidates for mayor.

In fact, when it comes to fostering unity and progress, mayoral candidate Robin Williams has a solid record of service. He is already garnering support from progressive Republicans and Democrats - among blacks, whites, the rich and poor of our community.

When Mr. Williams was a state representative, no one questioned that he worked hard to bring back to Augusta hundreds of thousands of dollars in local economic assistance - money that went to everything from new parks to aging schools ...

Why not support this excellent mayoral candidate, whose stated task is to work across partisan and racial lines for a better quality of life for all Augustans?

Vicki McPeake, Evans, Ga.