If we can’t make the Edgewood/Joppatowne area see the light we will just take the light they do have away from them. Politically speaking this is the right move. It benefits the Republicans and that is what we are supposed to be for, right? Socially speaking this is a very un-democratic thing to do. Since we all know that no democrat in Edgewood/Joppa stands a chance against the Republicans in the rest of the county we are ultimately silencing them. Some of you say, “Yeah, so what?” I do not live in the Edgewood/Joppa area but I know many people who do. They feel neglected by our elected politicians on Main Street and in our police force. Part of me says they need a voice. The problem is that we know that area will choose a democratic voice. Dion Guthrie is probably the worst thing that could happen to District A. He is unable to work with most of the other Councilmen and he is just downright socially inept at times. Will Republicans from Bel Air and Fallston care about Joppatowne and Edgewood? Maybe, then again, maybe not. If I were running for County Council and lived in Forest Hill and I was a Republican, do you honestly think I would go door knocking in Edgewood or truly care about the status of their schools and neighborhoods? That’s a 30 minute drive from my house. As long as Edgewood’s problems stay in Edgewood, I’m fine. I don’t think that is right. They need a voice on Main Street, elected by them. Do they need Guthrie’s voice? certainly not! I am not defending Guthrie by any means. One democratic seat on the Council would not be such a threat if the others just acted like true conservative Republicans and not farmer bashers, land grabbers, or vote switchers.

Another reason I oppose countywide elections is the lack of direct accountability. It is easier to replace one person than the entire Council. If my Councilman starts voting a way that I don’t like, he’s gone. When the entire Council starts voting the wrong way it is much harder to change things. In my book, there is less accountability when you represent the entire County. What I want is a government that is directly accountable to a specific group of people in a specific area. I want this because these specific people in these specific areas have specific concerns that are specifically unique to them and them alone. The different parts of our great County are very diverse and I feel they need direct representatives. Joppatowne is completely different than Whiteford and Dublin is a little different than Edgewood. They deserve a different voice tailored for them by them.

The final reason I oppose countywide elections is the tendency larger elections have to create the “good ole boy” network. It is a lot more expensive to run a countywide election so right off the bat you are preventing 90% of the citizens from running. If I am a well respected farmer from Darlington and have the respect of my community I should be able to represent them without having to campaign in Constant Friendship.

When I am elected to the County Council in 2014 in a countywide election, the first bill I am going to submit is the creation of a new dump in the old District A. There won’t be anyone to stop me except a bunch of people who don’t vote for me anyways.