Our chance for new leadership in Washington, NC | Eastern NC Now

 

The last city election in Washington, North Carolina saw the political machine of the late Mayor Mac Hodges  oust most of the voices of reason on the City Council.  This was not partisan but ideological.  Those ousted were a Democrat and an Unaffiliated, council members who had long and well served the city, and both being Washington natives. Another of their targets, a black Democrat, who is also a native with a lot of common sense just narrowly hung on.  The machines council candidates were mostly transplants but included one native, Donald Sadler.

 

Now the machine has installed Sadler as the new mayor and he, along with the entire City Council will be up for election this year.  Candidates will be filing in the next few weeks.

 

One question will be whether the old Hodges machine is still potent with Hodges himself gone or will it disintegrate?.  Reputedly, two of his key associates have been County Commissioner Ed Booth and former Clerk of Court Tom Payne.

 

Under Hodges, the city went on a spending spree on vanity projects like the overbudget downtown renovation, leaving the budget in a dire financial situation.  A major tax increase may be coming down the pike as a result.  It looks like they will paper over most of that problem this year but let it hit the following year after elections are over.

 

Fiscally prudent city leaders are needed now more than ever.  It is time for conservative to step up to the plate.