Sounds like an attempted coup is in the works at the Mecklenburg County board of commissioners. If it happens, Chairman Jennifer Roberts, a Democrat, could lose the gavel.
Roberts, a Democrat, was the top vote-getter in last month's election and thus stands to be chairman. But that's tradition, not law.
Word is that fellow Democrat Harold Cogdell is making his own effort to be chairman. He would probably need to secure Republican votes to make that happen. Democrats control the board by a 5-4 margin.
Roberts posted this on her Facebook account today: "The voters of Mecklenburg have indicated their continued support for me as top vote getter. Harold Cogdell will come round to realize that now is not the time for a personal power play."
She added: "It is time for the County Commission to focus on service, and the needs of the community. It is not time to be divisive and to succumb to personal ambition and backroom deal making that does not serve those who elected us."
In an e-mail to the Observer this morning, Roberts said she and Cogdell "trust and understand each other." But she also referred to "budget promises" being made as part of "back room conversation."
Cogdell could not be immediately reached for comment. One possibility: Cogdell is promising to vote for a revenue-neutral tax rate as part of next year's revaluation, and to make Republican Jim Pendergraph the vice chair. That might win him the four Republican votes which, with his own, would be enough to seize the chairmanship.
It all makes for captivating political intrigue, but also perhaps more than that. Cogdell and the Republicans could be cutting deals on not raising next year's tax rate. That would contradict Cogdell's campaign pledge not to make promises on the tax rate before he knew how exactly the budget numbers were shaping up.
Roberts, a Democrat, was the top vote-getter in last month's election and thus stands to be chairman. But that's tradition, not law.
Word is that fellow Democrat Harold Cogdell is making his own effort to be chairman. He would probably need to secure Republican votes to make that happen. Democrats control the board by a 5-4 margin.
Roberts posted this on her Facebook account today: "The voters of Mecklenburg have indicated their continued support for me as top vote getter. Harold Cogdell will come round to realize that now is not the time for a personal power play."
She added: "It is time for the County Commission to focus on service, and the needs of the community. It is not time to be divisive and to succumb to personal ambition and backroom deal making that does not serve those who elected us."
In an e-mail to the Observer this morning, Roberts said she and Cogdell "trust and understand each other." But she also referred to "budget promises" being made as part of "back room conversation."
Cogdell could not be immediately reached for comment. One possibility: Cogdell is promising to vote for a revenue-neutral tax rate as part of next year's revaluation, and to make Republican Jim Pendergraph the vice chair. That might win him the four Republican votes which, with his own, would be enough to seize the chairmanship.
It all makes for captivating political intrigue, but also perhaps more than that. Cogdell and the Republicans could be cutting deals on not raising next year's tax rate. That would contradict Cogdell's campaign pledge not to make promises on the tax rate before he knew how exactly the budget numbers were shaping up.
We're not casting a vote on who should be chairman, but in this volatile economy, it's not smart to be locking in your budget vote almost seven months before the budget takes effect.
-- Posted by the Observer editorial board
-- Posted by the Observer editorial board
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7 comments:
We're not casting a vote on who should be chairman, but in this volatile economy, it's not smart to be locking in your budget vote almost seven months before the budget takes effect.
-- Posted by the Observer editorial board
You just did and you have always been a Roberts bootlicker.
Just got an email from 'Henk Jonker' about all this. An email that I signed up for to be informed of news from the county commision. However, this is also Jennifer Roberts' fundraising email system as well. Isn't that just a tad unethical? If you want to know about County News from the Head of the County Commision, you have to subscribe to her personal political newsletter?!? I personally hoped the more intelligent people of this county would have booted her and her liberal lunatics out on their butt in November, but apparently they didn't make it to the polls. So I definately do not want to read her drivel about how wonderful she is just to hear about county issues easily. Anyone else think the same way, that using political emails to inform consituents is just a tad off the mark in the 'good thing to do' column. Isn't it like Chip Bailey using the county emails to raise funds? Just wondering....
2007-12-13 Articles
School Board Snubs Public
Rhinotimes
December 13, 2007
Contrary to common sense, reasoned logic and what most people would consider basic fairness, the top vote-getter in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education at-large election, Kaye McGarry, was not appointed chairperson of that body.
The school board is supposed to be non-partisan, but politics usually enters the fray on a regular basis. Tuesday night's decision by the board majority to deny McGarry the chairmanship, and by extension to ignore the public vote of confidence she received in November's election, was a prime example. McGarry is a Republican. Democrats hold majority control of the school board, and once again ignored election results and named one of their own as chairman.
Incumbent school board chairman, Democrat Joe "Coach" White, was picked to continue his reign. White, it should be noted, finished a distant third in November's election.
...and the school board elections are supposed to be nonpartisan...
I said it 100 times or more before the election; "you get what you vote for" and the people of Mecklenburg County put Roberts and her ilk back in power.
Committing to a revenue neutral tax reevaluation is a principled stand for which one does not have to wait until the budget season begins.
If Jennifer Roberts cannot make this pledge then she is not opposed to a tax increase and the Observer should report this.
Et tu, Brute
Ole Harold better have a remote car started, and have the dog sample his food before he eats it. Jenifer "Gotti" Roberts warned you.
Great Blog!
Don't you think all solutions are Local?
Here's a post of interest:
http://bigthoughts-smallgovernment.blogspot.com/2010/09/power-of-county-commission.html
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