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The votes are in
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Published: October 7, 2009
There may well be an anti-incumbent fervor brewing across the nation as a result of deficit spending and plans for major health care reform in Washington.
But the incumbents in Statesville's municipal elections coasted to victory Tuesday.
The unofficial results speak volumes about the current state of our local government and the level of civic involvement in our community:
First, you can win a seat on the City Council with as few as 81 votes if you live in Ward 1. Maybe city officials should consider eliminating the wards and going to an entirely at-large council.
Second, almost 90 percent of registered voters couldn't be bothered to cast a ballot even though they had more than a week to do so. Wonder how many of the nearly 14,000 people who didn't vote would be up in arms if they suddenly lost the right to vote?
Next, Mayor Costi Kutteh's landslide victory is a clear endorsement of the time and effort he has put into the job during the past four years. Like his recent predecessors, he has been a tireless worker and cheerleader on behalf of the city. Voters took notice.
Finally, voters must approve of the path that the current council has set for the city. There's really no other way to interpret the fact that all four incumbents in contested races won, although John Gregory faces a run-off. During these tough economic times, the council has embarked on an ambitious plan to spend $28 million to redevelop the downtown district and Highway 115 corridor. If and when the council raises property taxes to help foot the bill, voters and non-voters alike will have no one to blame but themselves.
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