Cady files for re-election

Commissioner Mike Cady removed lingering uncertainty about whether he would run for re-election when he filed his papers earlier today.

Even though Cady announced his intention to run more than a year ago, and has been collecting money ever since then, speculation that he might have changed his mind was fueled by the fact that he had not yet filed, as well as recent statements about the angry criticism he receives and the affect the job has had on his net worth.

It's no secret that I've been fairly critical of Commissioner Cady on many occasions, for a wide variety of reasons. But I'm not going to rehash them all in what would have to be a very long blog entry. You can type "Cady"into the SEARCH box on any page here to see what I've said before.

Instead, beneath the short Gazette article about the official filing, just below, I've included the column I wrote for the Frederick News Post right after the current board was elected in November, 2002.

It is said that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

From the GAZETTE:

Cady files papers for re-election campaign
http://www.gazette.net/stories/062306/fredcou153049_31950.shtml

Friday, June 23, 2006

By Sherry Greenfield
Staff Writer

Frederick County Commissioner Michael L. Cady (R) officially filed for re-election Friday.

Cady was first elected commissioner in 2002 and currently serves as vice president of the Board of County Commissioners.

‘‘I still have a passion to serve and feel my work is not yet completed,” Cady said in a written statement. ‘‘For the past four years I had a crash course on running a $437 million business. I want very much to put that knowledge and experience to good use by improving the quality of life for our county residents and businesses.”

Cady’s announcement ends recent speculation that he would not seek a second term in office.

The deadline to file for the Sept. 12 Primary Election is July 3.

Cady joins Samie Conyers, Thomas C. Henderson, Charles A. Jenkins, John R. Lovell Jr., Billy Shreve and John ‘‘Lennie” Thompson Jr. in the Republican primary.

Democrats who have filed include Richard M. Floyd and Kai J. Hagen.

Up to five candidates from each party will advance to the General Election in November.

Column from the FREDERICK NEWS POST:

Election not the end of process

November 15, 2002

By Kai Hagen

Analyzing the results of any election is a tricky business. There are so many factors to consider, including issues and ideas, qualifications and track records, personal qualities and character, campaign spending and strategies, endorsements, political coattails and party loyalty, and much more.

Why bother, anyway? The election results are final. What is it other than a bit of pointless political punditry? Well, one reason is that some people want to know what to do next time. What worked? What didn't? Why? What were the voters saying?

Another reason, however, is that the election is not the end of the process. It is the beginning. Our government doesn't work so well if only half of us vote, then walk away until the next election. It doesn't work so well if we forget about participating for now, and leave it to the top vote-getters and the special interests who never walk away.

The recent race for the five positions on the Frederick County Board of County Commissioners is an interesting and curious example. The race was commonly touted in the press as a choice between candidates supporting a cautious approach to growth and those wanting to encourage or unleash more rapid growth.

In spite of rapid growth in the county, the current board has often been described as slow-growth or anti-growth. The real estate and building industries, who were unhappy with the board, bankrolled a group of challengers they considered growth-oriented and friendlier to their industries, and targeted the two incumbents running for re-election.

Articles since the election have reported the election as a victory for developers, because John Lovell, Mike Cady and Bruce Reeder, who now comprise a majority on the board, were generally considered pro-development candidates. Final financial reports are not available yet, but it appears the three new members of the board raised and spent more money than all of the other challengers, except for Charles Jenkins, an employee of Ausherman Homes who narrowly missed capturing the fifth spot.

Some are interpreting that result as a sign of support for more rapid growth in the county. But it could also be viewed as further evidence of the value of having more money, more and bigger signs, more mailings, more radio spots and more ads in the local newspapers. As cynical as that sounds, it is illuminating that more than 95 percent of U.S. House races and 75 percent of Senate races were won by the candidate who spent the most money.

There is a reason developers spend so much money in local campaigns. It's an investment, and they often get a good return.

But there is another way to interpret the results.

There can be no doubt that the voters knew more about the two incumbents in the race than the other candidates. And, in spite of being targeted, they both won re-election. What does it say that Jan Gardner, a familiar candidate labeled slow growth by her opponents, won re-election?

Even more to the point, what does it say that incumbent John "Lennie" Thompson, a very familiar, high profile, sometimes controversial candidate labeled anti-growth, also won? In fact, Thompson didn't just win re-election, he was the top vote getter, and is slated to be the next president of the board.

Thompson received more votes than anyone else in spite of spending less money than any of the winning candidates, and in spite of, or rather, because of ads that proclaimed simply "If Developers Win, You Lose."

You don't have to be a rocket scientist to get the message.

The re-elected incumbents, Jan Gardner and Lennie Thompson, are from different parties. They are different genders. They have different styles. They have difference priorities. It is noteworthy that their support of certain restraints on growth is one of the only things they have in common.

That would seem to say something about our priorities.

It gets even more complicated when you look at the other winning candidates solely through their campaign materials.

The only growth-related content in John Lovell's campaign material was a call for "measured growth." That is a creative new term, that he defined as "measuring the the effects of proposed change against the overall benefit to the county residents; their costs versus benefits."

Mike Cady's campaign brochure had a section, entitled "Growth Rate Goals," which said only, "Our future is impacted by our growth. Too much and our streets become clogged. Too little and our schools go without. A balance needs to be sought." That's it.

About growth, Bruce Reeder's handout said he will "Work to manage growth and provide the right balance for homes, jobs and infrastructure." Nothing more

Reading those materials quickly, you might almost get the impression the developers made a bad investment. On the other hand, you might think the three new commissioners knew better than to advertise themselves as favoring more rapid growth.

I took note of some other things the new commissioners have been saying. In the final days before the election, John Lovell's ads proclaimed him "The People's Candidate." Many of Mike Cady's ads said simply that "Cady Can...LISTEN." And Bruce Reeder's ads described him as "A candidate who will LISTEN and work for YOU!"

Those sound like promises to me.

The real question is who are they going to listen to?

Of course, nearly four years laters, we know the answer to that.

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WHY I'M VOTING FOR KAI!

Adam Schultz
Thurmont

As a lifelong resident of northern Frederick County, I know Kai Hagen will represent my interests as a Frederick County Commissioner. His dedication to our community, his commitment to finding the best solutions, and his integrity are unsurpassed. If you're looking for a County Commissioner who will finally stand up to the developers, and stand with us, someone who doesn't see Montgomery County as a model for our future, then Kai Hagen...

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