Having followed the County Commissioner campaign as closely as I know how, I just went down to Town Hall and cast a single vote for Margaret Brown. Here's why: over the past eight years, where the county has made progress, Brown has been a leader. Not just a reliable vote in support but a true leader. I know some people have trouble with Margaret's personality or style but, on a five member commission, I think you have to give such key leadership on the issues the lion's share of the weight. As to the particulars, heres what The Independent has to say:
"since Brown's election to the board in 1996, the county has built more schools, parks, greenways and trails than in several decades prior. Environmental protections and recreation projects have blossomed under her leadership. The affordable housing bond and the county's living wage policy are direct results of her leadership. She initiated the Lands Legacy program to preserve rural farmland, and helped move the greenbelt--1,000 contiguous acres stretching across the county--from concept to near completion. Her critics have blamed her for the slow approval of bond-funded capital projects, but it takes time to do things right, and it's the commissioners' duty to plan for the long haul and implement projects carefully. "
Why no second vote? I just don't find the other candidates compelling, at least not enough to take a risk on Brown's re-election in this uncertain campaign.
I have great respect for Pam Hemminger's environmental commitments and track record and think that she could be a fine addition to the BOCC. I wish she had developed a broader platform and gotten some experience on county issues before running. Had she done so, she could have earned my second vote.
Moses Carey has always been a cautious vote for the status quo. I can find no reason to vote for him other than to recognize the importance of keeping an African-American voice on the BOCC and to recognize his recent courage with the merger issue.
Some people I respect are supporting Valerie Foushee. I don't know why. I have found her opportunistic ride on the nomerger movement very troubling. I don't think a responsible candidate should cooperate with the effort to have the merger issue obscure all others. Foushee has continually failed to articulate specific positions on other matters of concern.
Brown and Carey are running forthrightly on their records. The challengers are running largely on platitudes and the vaguest of proposals. Those who cast their votes based on platitudes usually get just what was promised them.
Only Brown has a record and a platform that I can support. That's why she got my vote.
Issues:
Comments
Thanks, Jeff. On February
Thanks, Jeff. On February 14, I wrote in support of the Voter Owned Elections proposal which was presented in Chapel Hill.
On June 26, I wrote about the answers given on the issue at the Sierra Club forum, as follows:
"None of the challengers had given much thought to the question of public financing of county electoral campaigns. The incumbents were quite articulate in support of that idea. Hemminger expressed concern over the cost, wondering “what if you had 50 candidates?â€
In the Sierra Club interviews which preceded the forum, Carey and Brown did not hesitate to give strong support to the idea. None of the challengers seemed particularly familiar with it.
Certainly no one could argue
Certainly no one could argue with that logic. I think you are right in that a single vote for your candidate is hard to argue with if you are worried about the seat. Certainly, for voting on an environmental record alone there is no disputing you have the right candidate. As you mentioned (and know) some of the problems have to do with process and/or perceived treatment by your candidate - that may be what you call personality. However, I think the betting wisdom is that your candidate will be safe and likely the top vote getter. (indications like $$, letters to the editor, number of contributors all point in this direction.)
I think you have correctly surmised that there is a big difference between putting the environment first and going with the flow. I believe the commissioners have very few dissenting votes and I think on land use one of the few dissenting votes in the past had commissioner carey on what would be consider the less environmentally sound or wrong side. Frankly, I don't see the reason to stay with the status quo with commissioner Carey. Hemminger would put the environment first - the wrath she got for just saying think about ways to reduce garbage we generate -- and that dumping garbage on poorer counties is not the environmentally sound or progressive thing in the long term --- seemed like a bold thought (or what you call platitude). However, I did NOT hear her say open more landfills here as people claimed.. Pay as you throw and biweekly pickup options are some more details that came out later. Also, her view that fees are not as progressive as property tax seem like an enviromentally sound heart in the right place kind of platitude too. (this woman has had a lot on her volunteer plate if you peruse it.)
As for Ms Foushee - the fact that Ellie Kinnaird is supporting her really is enough for me. (Ms Kinnaird is my personal most admirable elected official IMHO). Also, in driving through some parts of Carrboro the small mom and pop shops and hairdressers seem to have FOUSHEE signs not carey ones. Don't know what that means for this support group.
I think Brown is safe and people should think about a second slot seriously.
Having followed local
Having followed local politics, and in particular the County Commissioner for a number of years now, I went down to the Planitarium Tuesday and cast one vote for FOUSHEE and one vote for HEMMINGER. I won't go into a long analysis of all of the candidates and their records. Suffice it to say, that all have strengths.
However, it's time for a positive change in my view, and not just for the sake of change. If I look at both Moses' and Margaret's record, neither is as productive as Dan has described. And, his comments are doing a strong injustice to Valerie FOUSHEE who has worked tirelessly for our communities in many ways. She has hardly capitalized on the merger issue as Dan describes. If anything, she and Pam have taken pains to get their platforms out there in full view, avoiding the merger debate - - - their detractors have tried unsuccessfully to paint each as one-issue candidates; I like what I see in both FOUSHEE and HEMMINGER.
The merger issue has been solely fueled by the non-participative approach Brown and Carey routinely use with the public. Many people note their personal concern over Brown's "power politics," misleading rhetoric and intimidation approach. Out of control is what I've heard.
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