Support these candidates for controlled growth
Ever since land development became the big business in Charles County in the middle of the last century, election after election, there were just two kinds of public officials elected. One kind was the descendants of the original wealthy class going back for centuries. The other kind was people who were only too happy to do what the developers wanted, while the people with the big money stayed in the background.
In 2014, for the first time ever, this uninterrupted chain of power was broken. A majority of the current board of commissioners, three out of the five, are not related to the old development machine, nor have they acted like servants for them and mouthpieces for them.
The old power is angry, very angry. They are outraged that you, the ordinary citizens, have moved into what they consider their county, and have the nerve to use your voices and votes to get good government that works for all the people, not just a few. They are working hard to take back the power. Let us stop them. Let us keep moving in the direction of democracy. Let the new, involved citizenry assert its rights and not be fooled by the collection of candidates who want to keep money in power. Let’s elect the candidates who will do what’s best for the future.
For starters, let’s re-elect Peter Murphy. His even temperament and his strong commitment to fairness have made him the first president of the county commissioners to be responsive to the needs of the people. His opponent, Brian Klaas, until recently a Republican and a leader in the Charles County Chamber of Commerce, pretends he wants to control growth. But don’t be fooled. He admits he intends to dismantle the Watershed Conservation District, the most effective growth control tool the county has ever had. It is so effective, the developers have to lie about it. They call it a land grab because it restricts developers from doing anything they want, anywhere they want and making the people pay for the infrastructure.
Dr. Richard Cook in District 1 is a highly educated, intelligent physician who will treat the ills of the county with the compassion and science he uses to help his patients. The developers want to fool you into voting for Gilbert Bowling, a policeman who belongs to one of the families that have controlled Charles County for centuries. Mr. Bowling talks in different ways according to his audience. He can seem mild as anything, but look at his campaign literature and you will see that his mission is to attack growth control, so that people with lots of land can mine the land, without respecting the forests, nor the common air and water.
In District 2, vote for Ulysse Davis. He supports the Watershed Conservation District because he knows we must control growth. He has worked long and hard for the people of Charles County as an activist, and it’s time to put him in office.
In District 3, let’s re-elect Amanda Stewart. This educator has been a vitally important member of the good commissioner majority, working well with Peter Murphy. Of course, the developers want her out. Vote for her.
In District 4 vote for Dyothea Sweat. The current commissioner, former Republican Bobby Rucci, has not worked hard to keep himself informed, because he doesn’t have to. He just has to know what the developers want him to do. Dyotha Sweat is a military veteran who will look out for the well-being of the whole county, not just the rich set.
We need this team.