With the municipal election slated for Monday, we at The Scarborough Mirror encourage all of our readers to exercise their democratic right to vote.

Attention has not been been paid to the needs of some of Scarborough's most high-risk communities, areas plagued with criminal violence, poor public transit, and a lack of social and recreational services for both seniors and young people. A strong slate of councillors is the first step to making change a reality.

To that end, we offer the following council endorsements:

WARD 35 (SCARBOROUGH SOUTHWEST)

We endorse Gerry Altobello. The incumbent councillor has done an excellent job at the local level. He served as chair of the planning committee in the past term and we'd like to see a more aggressive and proactive role from him on city-wide issues.

WARD 36 (SCARBOROUGH SOUTHWEST)

We endorse Brian Ashton. A smart, veteran councillor who knows his way around City Hall, Ashton deserves to be returned. However, we'd like to see him put his vast experience to use and become a leader at the council table.

WARD 37 (SCARBOROUGH CENTRE)

We endorse Michael Thompson. With his past experience as assistant to former councillor Lorenzo Berardinetti, we believe Thompson will make a strong local representative. He grew up in the area, and though he did live downtown he has moved back home.

WARD 38 (SCARBOROUGH CENTRE)

We endorse Glenn De Baermaeker. This was the toughest choice of all as a number of good candidates were seeking to fill the seat left by Brad Duguid. We also liked Virginia Jones, Duguid's former assistant, but we give the nod to De Baeremaeker based on his work with former Scarborough councillor Doug Mahood and his prominent role as an environmentalist who has taken on politicians and politics at all levels. However, we endorse him with the warning that he is elected to serve the people of his ward, and not to use his position as a city councillor for environmental crusades.

WARD 39 (SCARBOROUGH-AGINCOURT)

We endorse Michael Del Grande. It's time for a change in this ward, as incumbent councillor Sherene Shaw has not been doing a particularly impressive job. Del Grande has nine years of experience as a separate school trustee and lives in the ward, all factors we consider to be assets.

WARD 40 (SCARBOROUGH-AGINCOURT)

We endorse Winston Ramjeet. The winds of change need to sweep through all of Scarborough-Agincourt and hopefully they'll take incumbent Norm Kelly with them. Ramjeet has a business background and has also done a lot of volunteer work promoting youth employment and working with immigrants. We see him as the best alternative to Kelly, who does not deserve to be re-elected.

WARD 41 (SCARBOROUGH-ROUGE RIVER)

We endorse Bas Balkissoon. A veteran councillor, Balkissoon is already a strong voice at City Hall. He proved he is a man not to be trifled with as he helped bring the computer leasing scandal to light.

WARD 42 (SCARBOROUGH-ROUGE RIVER)

We endorse Paulette Senior. She's a strong alternative to incumbent Raymond Cho. Senior has solid connections to the community and knows well the important issues facing this ward which has the highest percentage of people under the age of 24 in all of Toronto. Cho does an excellent job of self promotion, but the ward needs a lot more that what he's given it for the past 12 years.

WARD 43 (SCARBOROUGH EAST)

We endorse David Soknacki. The incumbent councillor has done an excellent job and deserves to be returned.

WARD 44 (SCARBOROUGH EAST)

We endorse Ron Moeser. The incumbent councillor has served the ward well, and achieved the important things. Moeser deserves to be re-elected, but needs to concentrate on ward work year-round and play a stronger role at city council in the future.