HOW WE SEE IT - Converts Should Be Welcomed

WHAT’S THE POINT? Republicans may miss out on a prime recruiting year if they refuse to take Democratic converts.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Any group that only accepts new recruits and rejects would-be converts will find it hard to grow.

We respect the decision of Washington County’s Republican Party chairman, Jim Reavis, to follow the dictates of his membership and reject candidates who had voted as Democrats in previous elections. However, we point out that the decision leaves only one Democratic county-wide office holder - the assessor - with a GOP challenger. The only other Republican candidate on the ballot for countywide office is the unopposed county collector.

In the future, we would advise would-be candidates - for either party - to be more forthcoming about their past affiliation and to come to any party as an applicant, not a presumptive candidate.

We also advise the ...

Subscribers must LOG-IN to read this full story.
Monthly and yearly online subscriptions are available. Access is free for print subscribers. Click here to see rates and register.

Opinion, Pages 5 on 03/18/2010

Comments

To report abuse or misuse of this area please hit the "Suggest Removal" link in the comment to alert our online managers. Please read our comment policy.

The sad thing is that the only county-wide office(Assessor)that the GOP is trying to gain in Washington County is currently being held by an Assessor (Lee Ann Kizzar) that is doing everything right. When the housing market started to decline, she was the first Assessor in the State to go before the County's Equalization Board in 2008 and petition them to look at lowering values in neighborhoods that showed declining values. She couldn't legally do this herself since it was in between reappraisal cycles, but the Equalization Board could order it done and did after her recommendation. When she did this, she received flac from alot of the other Assessor's across the State (including Benton County) because then they might have to actually do something of the like since it was being done in Washington County, ironically Benton County did the same thing the next year (2009). Ms. Kizzar petitioned the Equalization Board again in 2009 to look at declining values and make adjustments where they legally could be made and they did. The Assessor's Office is not a political office, Assessor's do not set policy - they follow the State Constitution and policy set by the legislature. Don't let Party Politics get rid of someone that is actually looking out for the people!!!

Posted by: JustTheFacts

March 18, 2010 at 6:06 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

Registration is required to make comments. Click here to LOGIN.
You can register for FREE to post comments and receive alerts.