By Kevin Gillogly.
I was a strong Don Praisner supporter in the last election. As an activist in District 4, I could not sit on the sidelines while our county is faced with a fiscal situation that grows with each passing week.
I have spent the past month talking with friends and colleagues about this race. I also listened to the candidates. I talked with most of them. In fact, I was sitting down with former candidate Chris Paladino in Rockville the day his mother-in-law fell ill. Our conversation was interrupted by calls from his wife from the hospital in Florida. I talked to union members. I talked to council members and staff. I spent time with folks that are active voters but not as involved as me (and you) are in this process. I went to last week’s Audubon Debate undecided. I did not want to make this decision lightly. This will be the fifth and possibly deciding vote on many key issues facing our County. So I wanted to be sure in my choice.
I am supporting Ben Kramer. When we recently spoke as well as when he spoke at the first debate, he held a strong command of the issues facing MoCo. He obviously understands the state issues. He showed depth on the county concerns as well. That link between state and county will be important.
But the primary reason I am supporting Ben Kramer is that we are faced with unprecedented fiscal issues in the county. The budget is now projected at $620 million. It was just over $400 million last fall when we elected Barack Obama as our next President. And it was just over $200 million when we had the special election a year ago. We need someone who has the independence, background and fiscal responsibility to deal with something county has never seen.
Ben Kramer is the fiscally responsible Democrat who is ready to make the tough choices. He is respected by his peers. He has deep roots in the community, having been born and raised in District 4. He also has an excellent working relationship with the County Executive. And as a supporter of Ike Leggett in 2006 I want to see Ike succeed.
I wish the other candidates well. I hope my civic friends who are supporting Cary Lamari will respect my choice as I respect theirs. The same goes for my labor and progressive friends that have gone for Nancy Navarro. It is a testament to quality of people we have in District 4 that we will have a fine successor to the Praisners. For me, the person who embodies finest qualities of Marilyn and Don – independence, deep roots in the community, hard working, constituent service, a voice for everyman (woman) and fiscal responsibility – is Ben Kramer.
I will be working for his election on Tuesday April 21, and I ask you to please come join me.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Who I Support in District 4
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6 comments:
I truly don't see the basis for saying that Ben Kramer is a voice for every man in the county. He has been just about the least progressive our entire delegation in Annapolis. He has continually voted with the super rich and corporate interests instead of us. He opposed closing corporate tax shelters. He opposed making our tax system more progressive. And that doesn't even touch on how he voted to protect spousal abusers this year.
--David Goodman
I have a strange feeling I just happened to be standing in the wrong place when a poorly designed shelving unit collapsed, dumping the entire inventory of surreality on my head.
Oh, oops, hold it. That piece was posted, but not written, by Adam Pagnucco.
I now feel almost as silly-foot-in-mouth as I did last night when some nice lady sat down in stage last night at the Candidate's Forum in Burtonsville, in the seat reserved for Ben Kramer. We were told that Mr Kramer was help up in Annapolis. I remarked to the nice lady --who was there to make an announcement for Mr Kramer -- I bet he must be pleased to have both the Leggett and Trachtenberg endorsements. She just sort of goggled at me. I thought she hadn't quite got it right -- I do mumble somewhat -- and I repeated it. She then informed me that she was Ms Trachtenberg. So I said "Oh, sorry, pleased to meet you". I'd never seen her in person before so I hadn't recognized her. In any case she hasn't been in the news very much over here in District 4, at least not in the Gazette which is where I get most of my county coverage.
Anyway, I am sure that Mr Kramer is in fact pleased to get the endorsements of not only Kevin Gillogly, but also those of Mr Leggett and Ms Trachtenberg.
But will he get the all-important Kim Propeack endorsement?
All,
I wrote to David Goodman privately. Ah the power of Facebook friends. And he confirmed that his company TruBluPolitics.com is employed by Nancy Navarro to do her direct mail. Since he is traveling he wanted me to post this.
I applaud him for telling us that.
BTW, many blogs will never tell you those relationships. But at MPW we expect those that are employed or consultant or an active volunteer -- the latter being me -- to tell us that information up front.
It is the reason for my initial comments.
I appreciate and respect Kevin’s right to support any candidate he chooses. I may not agree with it, however that is what the democratic process is all about; all I want to know is one thing. Kevin what brand camera did you take that picture with? I think that camera takes a great picture you do not look 51 years old in that picture.
Cary,
Thanks for your comments. I had left you a voice mail message because I wanted you to hear it from me first. Sorry that did not happen.
Good luck to you in this campaign. I will see you tonight at JFK.
Oh, quite about my age. ;)
In defense of Mr Kramer, quite honestly I think he's been a good representative on the State level. Although perhaps all of the big money is here in MoCo government, still, I think he has the level of dignity and statesmanship that you need at the higher level of office, and that would definitely be the Assembly rather than the Council. Seriously, he has been a good voice for Montgomery in a large and crowded House.
Besides, who would we vote for to fill the vacancy in the Assembly that would be created if he wins the Special Election? It's one thing to make sure that Councilmanic District 4 gets its due representation on the Council, which it hasn't really had in a voting way, for two years. But District 4 and State District 19 overlap, so we voters would be trading non-representation in the Council with insufficient representation in the Assembly.
A thorny thicket, this is.
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