Editor’s Note: In an interview with Bruce Hawkins appearing in the June 15 edition of the Mount Vernon News, Hawkins said that in 20 years of service he has never seen partisanship sour the council’s legislative process. Hawkins and the rest of the city council are Republicans.
In response, Roger Munday, a Democrat running for Knox County Commissioner, had the following to say.
The elected officials of Knox County are all Republicans; this is a one-party monopoly, which is one of the reasons I am running for Knox County Commissioner. This one-party monopoly leads to tunnel vision; [Hawkins’] comment is tunnel vision; how could he see partisanship impact the legislative process when there are no other parties to question the Republicans’ positions?
Mr. Hawkins also stated that “City council has some conservative members but also some that are more progressive. It’s an interesting mixture. We counterbalance each other.” This statement also supports my position that a one-party system has tunnel vision. His view of a one-party system where all members of the council agree with the Republican party is that Republican conservatives and progressives are the same as Democratic or Independent conservatives and progressives. If this were true there would be no parties.
I agree with him that we should all govern in the best interest of the people and the United States, but I think we may view what is best differently, and these differing views are what Knox County is being deprived of; hopefully, this will be corrected in the November election.
He stated, “Challenges faced by the city council include homelessness, drug abuse, inflation, infrastructure improvement, housing and jobs, which all reach beyond the realm of partisan politics.” He is still in his tunnel. An example of this is that the city is planning to build a new courthouse on the square. The old courthouse is a historic building that should be kept; why is this money being spent on a new building we don’t need when it could be used for drug abuse programs, increased police presence in communities to develop relationships, and/or housing for the homeless?
I am running for Knox County Commissioner. Would you please help me get the county through the tunnel and vote for me in November? Please email me at VoteforMundayonTuesday@gmail.com and share where you want Knox County to go in the future.
Sincerely,
Roger Munday
Vote for Munday on Tuesday
