Baltimore County?s incumbent councilmen handily extended their tenures with re-election victories Tuesday, and veteran members predicted they?ll spend less time over the next four years learning the process and more time proposing policy.
All but one councilman has already served at least eight years on the council ? four have served 12 years, and Councilman Vince Gardina secured a fifth term after beating former councilman Wayne Skinner in the council?s most closely contested race Tuesday with 56 percent of votes in the fifth district.
Both campaigned on relieving overcrowded schools in the Perry Hall area and criticized each other for misleading campaign literature. Skinner blamed his loss Tuesday on a trickle-down effect from nationwide discontent with the Bush administration.
“Had I six more months or $50,000 more, I still wouldn?t have won,” Skinner said. “In my district, the moderates swung Democratic. What we saw was anti-Republican, anti-war, anti-Bush.”
Other council members in contested races ? District 1?s Sam Moxley, District 2?s Kevin Kamenetz, District 6?s Joe Bartenfelder and District 7?s John Olszewski ? won their respective matches with at least 66 percent of votes. Republican Bryan McIntire, District 3, and Democrat Ken Oliver, District 4, ran unopposed.
An unchanged council means members can continue focusing on their individual priorities without wasting time on unfeasible legislation, Gardina said. Council members cited overcrowded schools, the county?s bond rating, absentee landlords and deteriorating older communities as top concerns in pre-election interviews.
“We know what can be done and what can?t be done and how to do it,” Gardina said. “You don?t see a lot of frivolity, but serious policy proposals.”
County Executive Jim Smith notched a second term with 68 percent of the votes. Republican challenger Clarence Bell received 32 percent, which some Republican observers considered a small victory considering the state police commander?s shoestring budget.
They said Democrats will continue to dominate county politics as long as incumbent campaign warchests continue to grow.
“Nobody likes to give a challenger a chance,” said Chris Cavey, chair of the county?s Republican Central Committee.
“They don?t want to invest,” he said.
Part of the Baltimore Examiner’s 2006 election coverage
