|
Sheldon is
Democrats' choice
for County Council leader
The prospective County
Council president said his primary efforts will be directed
toward achieving a goal that Chris Coons's administration found
elusive during its six years in office.
Timothy Sheldon
told a well-attended open caucus of the county and city of
Wilmington Democratic committees that he will go after state
government support to prop up county finances. Promising "no
increase in taxes" during two years he apparently will serve
chairing the legislative branch of county government, Sheldon
said "there are other ways to raise revenue." Expressing disdain
over the county's employing a lobbyist to represent its
interests in Dover, he told committee members that there is no
reason why county officials and members of the General Assembly
can't cooperate to deal with issues. While not specifying what
aid he will go after, Sheldon listed several relatively small
cost-cutting measures he has advocated while representing his
Pike Creek district on Council.
Following a cordial
debate with civic activist William Dunn on Nov. 22, the
committee members overwhelmingly chose Sheldon over Dunn to be
their nominee in the special election to fill the council
presidency vacated when Paul Clark moved up to replace now U.S.
Senator Coons as county executive. Date of the election has not
yet been set, but political observers regard Sheldon as the
odds-on favorite to defeat Republican Thomas Kovach on the basis
of the party's large lead in voter registration and the momentum
it achieved in the northernmost county during the general
election. If Sheldon does win, there will be yet another special
election called to fill his vacated Council seat. Democrats now
have a 10-to-two Council majority. |