Who isn't a candidate for the 7th Congressional District next year? Aside from those outside the district, the field appears to be wide open. Republican State Rep. Jon Elrod threw his name in this week, forgoing a second term in the State House for a chance at an opportunity to ride the GOP wave for another year (he hopes). Former Congressman, and current Rep. Julia Carson's mentor, Andy Jacobs (D), supports Carson's grandson, current CCC member Andre Carson, who has all of a summer of public service. Then there's other Dems looking at the jump to DC. Outgoing Mayor Peterson could make the jump (Hudnut did it in the 70's), State Rep. Carolene Mays, or even former Deputy Mayor and Marion County Prosecutor candidate Melina Kennedy, heck Rep. Carson could say she's better and run for another term.
Point blank, keep your eyes and ears open for announcements in the next couple of months, maybe even an outsider with inner circle ties could throw his or her hat in the ring, and make things really interesting!!!
15 November 2007
12 November 2007
Property Tax Plans
I was listening to Steve Simpson (WIBC-AM) tonight and he said that Sen. Luke Kenley (R-Noblesville), the point man on taxes in the Senate, has devised a plan as part of the blue ribbon panel for permanent property tax reform. The plan, to be tomorrow, will cut the taxes by 50%, even more than the 1/3 decrease stated by Gov. Daniels. What are your thoughts??
Shades of Gray
Outgoing CCC President Monroe Gray is out of touch and out of his mind. Following the stinging defeat of the Democrat majority, mostly attributed to Gray's ongoing ethical inquiries, Sweet Pea has announced he wants to be Minority Leader in the next Council. The CCC's VP, Joanne Sanders, the only Democrat to win an at-large seat, wants the same position.
The Marion County Democrats are a fractured machine at best. When Rozelle Boyd, a Councillor from pre-Unigov, is defeated soundly, there is no hope for them it sounds like other than being in the minority for a while. Yes, politics is cyclical, but when the machine that produced so many elected officials (Congresswoman Carson, Senator Bayh, Mayor Peterson, Councillor Gray) is now responsible for the downfalls of many of them as well (pushing through a 65% county income tax increase in an election year, going negative in an airtight mayoral race against an underfunded candidate with a better message), the people operating the machine need to step back and evaluate the situation.
The Marion County GOP worked the big-tent angle to perfection, and with the presidential, congressional, and gubernatorial races, not to mention state legislators up for election next year, will the Dems look at the errors made this election, and correct them for the next time? The Democratic Party used to stand for equal opportunity and social justice, but do those principles only apply to those that have the juice??
The Marion County Democrats are a fractured machine at best. When Rozelle Boyd, a Councillor from pre-Unigov, is defeated soundly, there is no hope for them it sounds like other than being in the minority for a while. Yes, politics is cyclical, but when the machine that produced so many elected officials (Congresswoman Carson, Senator Bayh, Mayor Peterson, Councillor Gray) is now responsible for the downfalls of many of them as well (pushing through a 65% county income tax increase in an election year, going negative in an airtight mayoral race against an underfunded candidate with a better message), the people operating the machine need to step back and evaluate the situation.
The Marion County GOP worked the big-tent angle to perfection, and with the presidential, congressional, and gubernatorial races, not to mention state legislators up for election next year, will the Dems look at the errors made this election, and correct them for the next time? The Democratic Party used to stand for equal opportunity and social justice, but do those principles only apply to those that have the juice??
07 November 2007
It's Finally Over
It's been a long time overdue on this place...way overdue. As we all know there was a bit of a Republican Revolution in Marion County. Both Indianapolis and Lawrence elected GOP mayors, and the CCC went from 15 D-14 R to 17 R-12 D. I was involved as the Libertarian candidate for Lawrence mayor, so I had front-row seats to all of the drama involved, quite literally.
With four candidates running, I knew this would be an interesting race from the get-go. The incumbent Deb Cantwell (D), former township assessor Paul Ricketts (R), independent Ron Ryker, and myself. I wanted smaller government, free of partisan bickering and moving forward for Lawrence. Cantwell alienated the police and fire departments (the latter her former employer), then pulled a shady waterworks deal only Tom Schneider could appreciate three weeks from the election. She made her bed, now she's sleeping in it.
As far as the rest of the county goes, what genius thinks that they can pass a 65% income tax increase and get away with it?? Apparently that genius was Mike O'Connor, and he got bit in the butt for it. Losing both the CCC and the Mayor's office is something that only pure arrogance does. O'Connor was purely arrogant, looking past Council President Monroe Gray's ethical problems, the income tax increase, and a demoralized police force, running ads painting Indianapolis as a worry-free city. Too bad it was false advertising.
The next four years will be very interesting. I want to see what Ballard and a relatively green CCC will do, and, more importantly, I'm interested in what Lawrence will become in the next four years; will it be a return to the old guard, a continuation of business as usual, or will the city keep moving forward? Only time will tell.
With four candidates running, I knew this would be an interesting race from the get-go. The incumbent Deb Cantwell (D), former township assessor Paul Ricketts (R), independent Ron Ryker, and myself. I wanted smaller government, free of partisan bickering and moving forward for Lawrence. Cantwell alienated the police and fire departments (the latter her former employer), then pulled a shady waterworks deal only Tom Schneider could appreciate three weeks from the election. She made her bed, now she's sleeping in it.
As far as the rest of the county goes, what genius thinks that they can pass a 65% income tax increase and get away with it?? Apparently that genius was Mike O'Connor, and he got bit in the butt for it. Losing both the CCC and the Mayor's office is something that only pure arrogance does. O'Connor was purely arrogant, looking past Council President Monroe Gray's ethical problems, the income tax increase, and a demoralized police force, running ads painting Indianapolis as a worry-free city. Too bad it was false advertising.
The next four years will be very interesting. I want to see what Ballard and a relatively green CCC will do, and, more importantly, I'm interested in what Lawrence will become in the next four years; will it be a return to the old guard, a continuation of business as usual, or will the city keep moving forward? Only time will tell.
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