After four years of sniping, ambushes, hijacks, hijinks, lies, rumors and other assorted tricks in the ” How To Wear Down And Dumb The Public ” textbook, Muncie and Delaware County residents will, God willing, take to the polls one week from tomorrow. Yep, to paraphrase President Ford – ” Our long local nightmare is over. ” I hope. In my opinion, this election represents our best chance to redefine politics in Muncie, Indiana and begin the long climb back to prosperity and a revitalized community. It takes alot to come back from decades of sloth, ignorance and arrogance, but we are on our way…finally. Two local Parties, Team Democrat and the local GOP have brought us a slate of competent, engaged and dedicated candidates to consider as we choices on Election Day. As I’ve discussed the issues and the candidates, one thing has become very clear – people are ready to make their voices heard…the four year campaign of misinformation and outright has taken its’ toll on many people and we are a tired people.

Yet, not too tired to say ” we’ve had enough. ”

To say I support Mayor Mac would be an understatement. In my years in Muncie, I’ve met very few elected officials more open to the citizens and their voices than Mayor Mac and her concern for the needs of this City, now and in the future. Her willingness to work with the people of Muncie and the much desired business interests outside of the country has been nothing short of admirable and tireless. In the first days of her administration, Mayor Mac was tasked with addressing a holdover issue which could have had Muncie and its’ citizens on the hook for 1.3 million dollars to HUD, due to a local concern run amok with abuse and various violations which had placed Muncie in a very precarious position with a federal agency. Also facing severe financial shortfalls which many cities across America were now also facing, Mayor Mac strapped on those pumps and showed us all how to look adversity in the face and tackle unpopular, yet necessary, civic issues. That she kept focus, in the face of personal and professional attacks showed us that she was not going to run scared, much to the unhappiness of those who were happy to spread the rumors she would resign, once she had returned from a large political / business contingent trip to Japan. Well, to be honest, they had her NOT in Japan, but holed up in an asylum, an abortion clinic and in a hotel on 465. My father, usually a man who is clear of thought and understands the usual BS in a heated political environment, came in from his weekly ravaging at Meijer, with a smile and a secret…” I ran into a friend who said the mayor is going to resign when she gets back. ” I looked at him and said ” Dad, have you lost your fucking mind ? ” We have that kind of relationship. I blame the Navy. And, my Mother. I sat down with him, laid it all out and he asked ” Why would ____say that ? ” Gee, Dad…I don’t know….ask his sister, she took a bullet he deserved. ”

Then, came ” That woman is crazy. ” The budget shortfall was pointing to Fire and Safety lay-offs. ” She has a vendetta. ” Really, tell that to the various mayors across the country also facing the same situation – Flint, Michigan…Reno, Nevada…Camden, NJ…Tulsa, Oklahoma…Cleveland, Ohio…the list goes on and on. Suddenly, came the clarion call Mayor Mac didn’t care for our safety. I found that laughable, considering the City Council had blindsided the Muncie Fire Department for decades, when it came to upgrades, new rolling stock and up to date equipment. How safe had we really been, how safe had the MFD personel been since the days of Chief Lucas ? Where has that money gone…the money for Cap Improvements when Muncie was flush with tax revenue ? It sure as hell didn’t go for MFD. Yet, Muncie was portrayed as an island of unafety and uncaring with the Mayor at the conn. Nothing could have been further from the truth. Only when faced with lay-offs did safety come into play and that wasn’t even about equipment or rolling stock or updated fire houses. This began ” The War That Never Was. ”

Mayor Mac works well with anyone and everyone who treats her with respect and she, in turn, shows the same respect.

City Council…we have an embarrassment of riches. Linda Gregory. Murray Bartholome. Kathie Onieal. Gavin Greene. Joe King. Jim Arnold. Beth Quarles. They deserve your consideration. Incumbents who are in it without opponents are Mark Conatser and Brad Polk. The newbie running unopposed is Doug Marshall. With your votes, you can change the face of how local government operates and goes forward.

City Court Judge is a horse race, to be sure. Both candidates are qualified and well-respected. I must admit, I will cast my vote for Dianna Bennington, but this is one case when I wish I could vote for both.

In closing, a more personal note…CDCPTR / CDCGG has not, according to a recent post on FB, run an uncivil campaign against two CC candidates. The billboard in question was honest. Alison Quirk DID introduce LOIT ( that’s money coming from your wallet ) at the highest possible percentage and her friend and running mate, Nora Powell, supported Quirks’ LOIT intro. That, my friends, is rubbing salt into an already wounded populace.

I am Deborah King – Eichholz, The Beaver…and I speak for myself, not CDCGG, nor any other organization.