I see that Chip Harding is on the verge of declaring himself a candidate for Albemarle County Sheriff. I'm a City Democrat and Chip's a County Republican so I doubt it makes a lick of difference what I think of his candidacy, but I will say that Chip's a good guy and he's done some damn fine work on the statewide DNA database (among other causes), so I wish him well in his campaign. He and I did the Sorensen Candidate Training Program together last year and I know he's going to run a good race.
My question is, why in this day & age do we continue to elect our Sheriffs? (Or our Commissioners of Revenue, Clerks of Court, Treasurers, or Soil & Water Conservation District Directors for that matter?) Is it just a relic of a bygone era, when all of these positions carried a lot more political weight, or does there truly remain a compelling public interest in maintaining these as elected offices? I have no desire to wage any kind of battle to "de-elect" these positions, but I am curious as to why we still consider them "election-worthy" when there are many unelected positions in local govt. whose duties are just as important (if not more so) than these.
Posts
5 comments:
I'm with you on having an elected sheriff. (Ditto for clerk of the court.) Frankly, I'm not sure why we have a sheriff's department at all -- there's no reason why the police can't do all that, saving money on the overhead of the additional organization.
Dave Norris wrote: ...when there are many unelected positions in local govt. whose duties are just as important (if not more so) than these.
As I'm not too informed on the "non-elected" positions in City Gov't. I'd be curious which ones you think those are?
City Manager is the one position I can think of off the top of my head.
City Manager. Planning Commissioners. Police Chief. Judges. School Superintendent. Director of Neighborhood Development Services. BAR Members. Housing Authority Commissioners. I could go on. These are all unelected positions (and should be, in my opinion) but one could argue that they have just as much impact on our community (if not more so) than some of our elected positions...
You will say that he's a good guy?
Hilarious. I will say that you are both a waste of fucking sperm. When "Chip" (we are talking about a grown man here right?) busted in on Bryant Poole in the Econo Lodge and sent him to jail for 20 years as a career criminal even the DAILY REGRESS ridiculed it mercilessly. It will be easy for Chip to protect the citizens of C'ville from washed up old junkies, but what is he gonna do about the REAL criminals? Oh, let me guess, as in Miami Vice, he'll tool around the neighborhood in a confiscated go fast car for no apparent reason. You people deserve nothing less. You holier than thou stip mall advocates. You make Charlie Hurt look like a friend of the environment. What did you get for endorsing Chip, a few nice sized rocks? A blow job in Belmont perhaps? Shame on you ignorance is bliss advocates. I'm right here in NYC, I'm in the book and happy to go toe to toe with little Chip anytime. Bring it. \Judith Currin
You will say that he's a good guy?
Hilarious. I will say that you are both a waste of fucking sperm. When "Chip" (we are talking about a grown man here right?) busted in on Bryant Poole in the Econo Lodge and sent him to jail for 20 years as a career criminal even the DAILY REGRESS ridiculed it mercilessly. It will be easy for Chip to protect the citizens of C'ville from washed up old junkies, but what is he gonna do about the REAL criminals? Oh, let me guess, as in Miami Vice, he'll tool around the neighborhood in a confiscated go fast car for no apparent reason. You people deserve nothing less. You holier than thou stip mall advocates. You make Charlie Hurt look like a friend of the environment. What did you get for endorsing Chip, a few nice sized rocks? A blow job in Belmont perhaps? Shame on you ignorance is bliss advocates. I'm right here in NYC, I'm in the book and happy to go toe to toe with little Chip anytime. Bring it. \Judith Currin
Post a Comment