Why I'm voting for Diebold for mayor

The Advocate endorsement of Mayor Bain for re-election included mention of some of his accomplishments:

-- pushing for the storm water utility (which is costing residents 12 percent higher sewer rates);

-- pushing for the ethanol plant (the profits from which would have gone to India and the stink from which would go to nearby residents)(and don't forget Bain received $1,000 in political donations from representatives of a firm connected with the effort to build that plant); and

-- for helping "give Newark a chance to land a world-class professional soccer facility" (which is a plan to convince Newark taxpayers to support the idea that thousands of folks would come here to see a team practice the world's most dull sport ever).

I'm sure it was oversight not to mention that it was Mayor Bain who touted the idea of putting the $15 auto tag fee back on the ballot immediately after citizens rejected the idea at polls by 58-42 percent - and who eventually convinced council (except for Ellington and Marmie) to stuff voters by legislating an auto tag fee of $5 anyway. Read this.

It also slipped by the Advocate that Mr. Bain has Kaye Hartman, cemetery superintendent, in the cross hairs and if he wins, likely Kaye will go.

Oh. Also it was His Honor who said "I have a right to sell water and sewer to anyone outside the city at any time."

Nor did the Advocate choose to mention the Mayor/Council scam that now causes taxpayers to pay dearly for a ride to the hospital in the care of city employees and in city trucks for whom and for which taxpayers have already paid, but which now brings into city coffers $1 million a year to what has been proudly referred to by His Honor as "stabilizing the budget." Maybe this is moot as an election point, however, because Bain's opponent, Bob Diebold gets more credit for keeping this scam heading through council than anybody. You should read my essay on this.

What the Advocate might have mentioned, but didn't: Mayor Bain had a hand in getting the traffic snarl around Courthouse Square unsnarled. At least it happened just after he took office. This, as far as I know, has been his greatest accomplishment.

Unfortunately, Bain's opponent in the race for Newark's mayor is just another Bain with a different surface. The race between Bain and Diebold is a choice between different flavors of the same old bullshit.

Still, I'm going to vote for Diebold for two reasons:

1) He can't be worse than Bain and any change is going to be a relief of sorts.

2) Diebold has a really great sister, Chris.