Help Decide Salisbury's Future - VOTE TODAY!

Today is the primary election for the District 1 and District 2 Salisbury City Council seats currently held by Shanie Shields and Debbie Campbell.  Your vote today can help determine the future of Salisbury.

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.