Don’t be fooled by labels in election

Voters who may be inclined to prefer “Independents” to those with partisan labels should think carefully about their choices in this year’s balloting for County Commissioner in District 3.

For example, “Independent” County Commissioner Bud Blake claims open-mindedness and attention to both sides of the political spectrum.

Really? A look at the Public Disclosure Commission filings, readily available online, shows his donor list differs little or none from that of Republican contenders in past elections.

He and his “Independent” seat mates have pursued a developer-friendly agenda, seeking to eliminate land-use protection measures designed to safeguard water supplies, property values and quality of life for present and future residents.

An appearance by Blake at a League of Women Voters forum last year was not reassuring. After usurping the role of M.C., Blake gave uniformly glib and general responses to audience questions, quickly moving on to avoid any follow-up dialog. And when one questioner asked about his concern about global climate change, he replied that he’d prefer to address that question in private.

To me, that response was clear: This “Independent” has found a flag of convenience, and tailors his responses to fit the perceived preferences of any given audience, while in practice choosing developers’ profits over the public interest.

Be sure to vote in the upcoming primary. And don’t be deceived by the “Independent” label.