The Chesterfield GOP has organized its Primary for the Republican nomination for the seat on the Board of Supervisors and will hold a "firehouse" primary on Tuesday.
The seat on the BOS currently held by Renny B. Humphrey is in play largely because of Humphrey's descision not to seek re-election. The GOP has two candidates in the primary; Kevin L. Salminen and former lobbyists and relatively late comer to the race Mark Tubbs.
One of the side issues of the debate within the community regarding this particular primary has been the direction that the County has an opportunity to take with the elecction in the Fall.
Mr. Salminen for example brings a young, fresh approach in his proposals for the way in which the county should do business. I would say that he is not in the status quo camp by any means and there have been some who have tried to use Mr. Salminen, a thirty-something, against him.
Though a Republican, my take is Mr. Salminen is almost considered or at least partly portrayed as an outsider within the Chesterfield GOP itself.
I see the County with an opportunity to place members on the Board that have a willingness to embrace the accountability that comes along with the position. One of the biggest criticisms of the most recent BOS has been its reluctance of holding business to the level of accountability it should, whether it be developers in terms of cash proffers or increasing business fees in line with needs of the county. We have seen a rise in such things as utilities and the costs associated with services, but not increases across the board levied on the business community in line with those the residents are experiencing. The current BOS did lower the property tax rate to assist residents with that burden but there is question whether they have been forthright in holding business pay its share. These are the very questions before these nominees.
Frankly, I am really unfamiliar with Mr. Tubbs platform in large part due to late entry into this race for the nomination, but Mr. Salminen, who has been getting the word out for about ten months has built some momentum and is addressing the issues before the County with some possible solutions in paying for the growth the county is experiencing and the issues in our schoolsystem.
One committment I would like to get from one of these nominees is the requirement for restaurant and foodservice operators to have at least one certified food manager on premise during operating hours. The County should implement a program through Department of Health which creates a foodservice card, very much like Fairfax, Arlington and othe counties do, which require food service operators to pass testing regarding food safety and be issues a County Food Handlers Card. This measure I believe was shot down in the past by this BOS with its portrayal as simply a tax on business. Fact is, it is a health safety program that holds business accountable for how they operate. This measure is but one way of holding business accountable for the safety of its customers and guests and revenues could be used to more than sustain the program and go towards other ends as well.
Please make sure that if you live in the Matoaca district that you get out and vote. The Democrats will hold a primary on June 12 to nominate a candidate for the race.
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4 comments:
I went to the mailbox this week, a Matoaca resident for the past nine years, and was surprised to find three notices regarding today's election.
Let me break in here and say I am only giving the following remarks on the three documents I received in the mail. I have no clue about either candidate, but this is what I gleaned from "their words" as they presented them to me. So if I am off target - so be it.
One was a glossy ad for "Mark for Matoaca", running as a Republican (this week), for supervisor. His resume showed me that he was a policy wonk for a gas company, road & transp builder, and a few other things, that tallied up to 14 years, for a 50+ (?) year old, hmmm. He had all the glitz and glory from the esteemed Rep party -which is kind of stinky since he only became a running Republican in the past few months. Remember: he was running as an independent in another district.
Then, I get a little info sheet from Kevin Salminen, running as Republican also for the Board of Supervisors. His candidacy was announced about ten months ago - and where are my Republican brethren to support him? (If he isn't an old geezer he can't fit the profile?)
That's the freaking problem with government right now in this whole country. Too many "experienced" candidates and officials knowing the ins and outs of double-speak. Which, I have yet to hear a real platform from Tubbs.
Back to Mr. Salminen: As a virtual "kid" comparatively, his resume is stellar. He didn't play around since college and then last week join an organization to add to his resume. He has some very significant milestones, that as any parent or contemporary, we should be proud of. A proven leader - serious about his ideals and vision, and not afraid to share them.
Then, the third letter. From "Mark for Matoaca". The Tubbs Club slam on Salminen and his representations. He first starts crying about name calling and finger pointing - but not being man enough to deal with it without whining, or state what was said and who said it. Then, starts slamming Salminen because he is "a young man, he is single and he doesn't have children...."?!?!
What kind of country are we that age, marital status and offspring" are deciding factors for election eligibility? Would Tubbs rather Salimen run off and get hitched - have a kid or two - or better yet, marry a little Mommy - to make his candidacy more viable? If I remember correctly, we had one "older, married man with children" that was arrested and charged with felony child sexual abuse on the board in the last few years.... so don't talk to me about the merits of being an older guy, married with kids.
And then, has Tubbs been around so long that he has forgotten when he was young, single and without children?
By Salimen's serious-minded efforts to "be somebody" at such a young age, I believe Tubbs feels a little jealousy at how he, himself, wasted his own early years. Geeze, Salminen has done more community and public service in his short life than most of us - and I for one applaud him.
And lastly, Republican Party - shame on you. I did not know, as a woman, that I was part of the Old Fa_t Club.
Most of the support for Kevin is coming from the soccer moms and not the aprty elite. The GOP should take notice of this since they attempted to force feed us Tubbs.
I got that mailer as well and my first thought was WOW...this guys is desperate. Tubbs has tried for various offices and even run I think as an Independent before...disappointed that the Chesterfield GOP could not back Salminen and asked Mark Tubbs to enter race b/c the developers put pressure on them to do so. Shameful.
The developers had nothing to do with this. Kevin was supported by Steven Martin. Steven Martin is an ass and almost everyone knows it.
That is why the majority of the committee endorsed Mark Tubbs.
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