This is the third time I've run for office. Every year, THE most common question I get is about my political affiliation. I've heard other candidates for our local offices have the same experience.
The elections in Sugar Hill, as in a lot of cities, are officially non-partisan. The people who favor that setup maintain that party affiliation doesn't matter in local office, because local offices are primarily there to provide basic services like sanitation and street paving. Some go a step further and claim that it contributes to better cooperation between officials from different parties.
If the voting public is asking, they've decided it matters. And I agree with them. Municipal government is not as different from the other levels as some people want to claim or believe. Cities of all sizes demand and spend tax dollars and make policies that affect people's lives. They were always doing way more than paving and picking up garbage, and their spending and scope is increasing, not decreasing.
While I am not officially a member of the Republican Party, I have voted almost exclusively Republican since I registered to vote at 18. The last Democrat candidate I voted for, maybe the only one, was Thurbert Baker for Georgia Attorney General. The last Libertarian Party candidate I voted for was Eric Von Haessler when he ran for Senate in 2010.
I am for America and the US Constitution above all else. Nothing that comes from human beings will ever be perfect, but even with the Country's faults, it is still the best place in the world to be. That so many people have risked and given up so much to found the Country, come here since its inception, and continually protect it are testimony to that.
My involvement in local politics is an extension of my love of Country. This Country can only be the best if most states, counties, cities, and towns are the best. When bad ideas propagate at the local level, they stand to hurt the Country as a whole.
I'm going to vote alongside the party that I think does the BETTER job of taking care of the Country. I can only choose from the options provided on the ballot.
Getting along with other people in any regard is always a two-way street. But as far as I am concerned, if you love America, then I love you. After that, we can hash out any differences of opinion on the best way to take care of the Country and make sure it stays a great place to be.
My platform for these municipal races has been consistent for two and a half years now, and it's very simple - transparency, accountability, common-sense growth, and fiscal responsibility.
It's not anything partisan. It's just what any responsible and ethical government should be doing. Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, and everyone else have a right to see what their government is doing. They all have a right to expect their government to be accountable to them, not above them. They have a right to expect their government to handle growth in a fair way that respects and benefits current residents. They have a right to expect that their tax dollars, our community's joint bank account, be used responsibly to benefit the community as a whole, not just a few.
Any controversy that has arisen from that simple platform in our community has come from government officials of both major political persuasions who would rather not do things the way they should, and are so set in their bad ways that they'll attack a citizen who calls them out rather than self-reflect and clean up.
My observation is that what non-partisan elections REALLY do is facilitate the manipulation of voters by self-serving politicians. Real relationships start with being respectful enough to be honest.
While I may find common ground with individual Democrats on some issues, the fact is, I'm not a Democrat. To try to make Democrats think I'm one of them to get their vote would be manipulative and dishonest.
Likewise, seeking endorsements from very conservative candidates and officeholders (as my opponent did last year) to make Republicans think you're one of them, while not pursuing the most basic Republican principles (lower spending and smaller government) is also disingenuous.
If you compare my campaign to elected officials and other candidates in Sugar Hill, you've probably noticed it's a little more intense, and a lot more specific. I'm not just reciting empty platitudes and talking about superficial topics like the restaurants I go to and the shows I see. This isn't student government or a student activities board at a local college, so it shouldn't be reduced to a cheesy popularity contest.
I'm conscious of the fact that this is a REAL GOVERNMENT dealing with real issues, with access to real taxpayer funds, and real impact on people's lives. As such, people have a right to know what potential officeholders think about issues and how they're likely to act on them. They have a right and responsibility to make an educated vote.
I take that right very seriously, and it's why I work hard to put my impressions and viewpoints out in the public arena. If people disagree with my party affiliation or stance on a particular topic or issue, that's fine. At least they know, and I haven't lied to them. The City has consistently tried to block that. Not only do they not want you to know exactly where they stand, they don't even want you to know where I stand. Government blockades against information should concern voters in every political party.
I preach transparency. I practice transparency. These offices belong to YOU, and you deserve some details from the people who want to fill them.