DISTRICT 1 - Cynthia Polk
Four years ago Cynthia Polk lost to incumbent Shanie Shields by one vote. We can only imagine the difference in Salisbury if Polk, a local entrepreneur, had been the winner rather than SAPOA's chosen candidate. Voters in District 1 now have a chance to fix that error.
The District 1 race has been low key, with little media attention. Neither candidate has been receiving much attention outside of the district, which is a shame. Neither candidate is taking a public stance on issues which is greatly different from their opponents'. This makes an informed decision more difficult and reduces this race to one based more on personalities than on issues.
We believe that Polk would be the best choice for District 1, and for Salisbury. With jobs and economic revitalization the apparent top issues in this year's election, it makes sense that people should vote for a small business person. The third candidate, April Jackson, appears to be running on the strength of her family name and the support of the local Rudy Cane machine. Cane's endorsement implies that Jackson would take the same high tax, big government approach to city government that her supporter takes to state government. Salisbury needs innovative solutions to solve its problems, not simply a higher tax bill.
Shields certainly doesn't deserve a second term. While the official line of the Daily Times and the city's special interests is that the current council majority is the disruptive factor in city politics, anyone who bothers to attend legislative or work sessions of the council knows that it is Shields and her ally, Laura Mitchell, who have stymied progress. Shields has even gone so far as to advocate riots in the streets when she and her allies did not get their way over "The Bricks" project. Salisbury, and the people of District 1, deserve better.
DISTRICT 2 - Debbie Campbell
For eight years the groups which have historically controlled Salisbury government have attacked Debbie Campbell, usually through the pages of the Daily Times. For eight years Campbell has quietly went about the business of trying to make Salisbury a better place to live and work. Unfortunately for Salisbury, Campbell has only been able to accomplish much during the last two years. This was due to the election of Tim Spies and the formation of a working council majority that refused to simply show up and rubber stamp the proposals of the mayor.
We haven't agreed with Campbell on every issue. We don't need to. The fact that she will listen to a reasoned argument, and place the best interests of her constituents ahead of a handful of developers and landlords speaks volumes.
While incumbent mayor Jim Ireton likes to label Campbell and the council majority "The Party of No", almost every accomplishment Ireton claims in his quest for a second term is a direct result of the hard work of Campbell, councilwoman Terry Cohen, and Spies:
- Campbell, et al, prevented Ireton's proposed property tax hike without cutting city services.
- Campbell's work on the Crime Task Force, along with Cohen's bringing forward the Safe Streets initiative were the catalyst to a reduction in Part I crime.
- Campbell saved taxpayers over $1 million in the last year alone by cutting wasteful or unnecessary spending.
IF the "Dream Team" council had paid any attention to Campbell's questions, it is likely that Salisbury would not be having to pay TWICE for the failed waste water treatment plant.
There is no evidence that either of Campbell's opponents would be the type of council member that can move Salisbury forward. Jack Heath is a nice guy, who has refused to take a solid stance on any issue of consequence. He's basically running to be a "rubber stamp" councilman. The mess of high crime and massive debt left by the Mike Dunn, Gary Comegys, Lynn Cathcart "Dream Team" should turn off any concerned Salisbury voter.
We understand the appeal of Jake Day, particularly to any voter that gets his or her information from within the pages of the DT. Day has something to appeal to everybody. Why not, he has taken multiple stances on every major issue to date.
Salisbury deserves the hard work and honesty of Campbell.
28 comments:
Shields is in her second term now, coming up on eight years of what she calls service to her constituents.
Just voted for Debbie!
Day fully supports the new "stormwater utility" tax favored by Ireton -- nearly $19 Million per year for 12 years.
Does Jakey Day think that we can get "grants" for the cost of the 30 more police officers that he wants? Not even Louweasel Smith was that naive.
Get ready for much higher taxes if he, Ireton and Shanie are elected.
8:26
Me too (for Debbie Campbell).
"more than a ton of Ire" gets his talking points straight form the democrap talking points. The council of no. Who wouldn't say no to him? Guess he hopes to become president someday...(JOKE!)
Why do they need more police officers. They claim crime is down!
Debbie not only saved the city taxpayers a tax increase, she managed to find money to give our police officers a raise without raising taxes. We need more people like her in all areas of our government.
Campbell's proven herself and definitely has my vote. She is an intelligent, wise and experienced vet.
No offense to Day, but he has yet to prove himself and is still a naive, incompetent and inexperienced puppy who needs much more time before he is well-groomed and capable of being a city council member.
Does anyone know? What has (have) been Shields accomplishments during her tenure? This would be her third term. What the hell has she done?
I don't want someone "groomed" for the council.
Thank you, Debbie Campbell, for the HELL you have been through just trying to serve the people of Salisbury. You have done a great job.
Lets start in February to make it April in April!
Here's a thought I can't vote for the person I have always voted for Debbie Campbell .I have to vote for new districting people that I don't know and that have never visited our area, or even cared about us (President's Neighborhood Assoc. We need to get back to basics if you live in the city limits you should be able to vote for the candidate on the CITY COUNCIL YOU WANT, if not why should we have to pay taxes at all. I have voted since the age of 18 every single election and now am 64. Redistricting is done to be fair to ALL people but it's not,some of us have no rights anymore. We are stripped of rights and I am done with the elections
I'm no fan of Shanie, but Cynthia Polk seems like just a nice older lady who can barely string a coherent sentence together. She's been very unimpressive at the two candidate forums I've attended. If I were a district 1 voter my vote would be going to April Jackson.
I met Cynthia Polk and she is lovely to talk to one on one. I'm a mess public speaking, too, so who cares if she can put on a good show or not? I'd rather have someone real who will work hard instead of someone who is good on stage, but is aligned with some special interest group. Jackson struck me as hostile.
To the person upset that they are not in Debbie Campbell's district, maybe you should vote for Polk so Debbie will have someone nice to serve with instead of some mean type like she has had over the years.
My wife and I voted for Debbie today, lots of folks were waving to her out front, I assume that was a good sign for her.
Nice riding. through Salisbury seeing homeless people holding signs prostitutes trying to sell themselves mentally ill people talking to themselves drug dealers standing on the corner because they dont want to work a dirty river slum lords boarded up houses nothing downtown half ass fixed roads really Mr Ireton what have you really done with the tax dollars really.
I am rooting for Debbie. I wish I could vote for her, but I live outside of the city.
For District 1, I have come to the conclusion that Jackson and Shields are a tag team for special interests. The Dems and the slumlords are one and the same, so they ran two candidates to maintain that seat.
Your endorsement of Cynthia Polk seems right on the money. She works. Shields and Jackson, neither of them do.
I got an absentee ballot and Joe wasn't on it. Wonder how Liarton managed to temper with the ballots.
I voted for Debbie and wrote in Joe!
I voted for Debbie Campbell although I don't agree with her many times, but she is the best choice for Salisbury.
Not everyone has been groomed to be a great public speaker, that doesn't mean they won't make a good representative. Like jimmy boy a good speaker, (don't be fooled by a long tongue devil). I voted for the same person I voted for district 1 in 2009, Cynthia Polk.
Shanie has had 8 years and she's still not a good public speaker.
Best to you and yours Debbie -- We are all behind you. NICE JOB!
1243, was Ireton on it? If not, there's no tampering.
The mayor's race doesn't have primary. You should haven't seen anything except your district's council race.
Day's dissertation title: 'Uncovering a Hybrid Agro-Spatial Network through the Lawn'
Now, that is what we need here!
So sorry that April Jackson's grandfather sued the city in Federal Court to create a separate district that ostensibly gave more opportunities for Black people (not all minorities, just Black people) to be represented in city business, and, again ostensibly, their futures. We can see how miserably this has failed by looking at what's become the District 1 agenda under Shanie's lazy form of "leadership", which is hallmarked by a "gimme" mentality and an unending preference for someone else to carry the water and lay the plans with hopes of getting some scraps for "her people" while protecting the long-term interests of her friends, the big property owners.They, and the rest of us deserve better.
4:45 Creating so called minority districts is not ever a good idea. The reason being is because then the voters of a district are limited on who they can vote in and who they can vote out.
It's much better to have a whole group to vote in or out than just one person.
It was an idea created by slick,savvy lawyers to make them money and has hurt more than it has helped people.
Anonymous said...
Shields is in her second term now, coming up on eight years of what she calls service to her constituents.
February 26, 2013 at 8:20 AM
That would be "her people."
I would hate to live on Riverside Drive and have to think Shanie Shields is my Representative.
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