• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Lexington County Races Get Testy: Council Candidates Don't Hold Back As Primary

Posted on: Sunday, 11 June 2006, 06:00 CDT

By Clif Leblanc, The State, Columbia, S.C.

Jun. 11--Lexington County Council incumbents have resorted to new political tools but age-old political tactics in hotly contested races.

Council's senior member, John Carrigg, is duking it out in a rematch that dates back 12 years -- and has remained bitter.

Carrigg and challenger Art Guerry are trading jabs in the Irmo/St. Andrews area through political fliers that allege dirty tricks or make exaggerated claims.

A third contender on Tuesday's Republican ballot, newcomer Kirk Cox, is being largely ignored by Carrigg and Guerry.

In West Columbia, council Vice Chairman Joe Owens has added radio ads and direct telephone pitches to wring support from the candidate he defeated four years ago.

Owens has raised $10,300. He said that is four times more than his last campaign.

Owens might need it to defeat former council chairman Bill Banning, who has nearly matched Owens in donations and has been called "a shining star" by the county GOP party chairman.

A third County Council race for a Batesburg-Leesville seat features candidates who have raised almost no money. In this race, Keith Bush faces R. L. "B. Jay" Julius.

Guerry -- who was seeking a fourth term in 1994 when he lost to Carrigg, an attorney -- has circulated a flier listing a "record of broken promises."

It also contains a caricature of Carrigg clutching cash. The figure says, "I've never had a problem that slick lawyering and special interest money couldn't fix."

Carrigg labeled it "a low blow."

He has countered with a flier showing old newspaper clippings of hefty tax increases and a sexual harassment lawsuit during Guerry's years in public office.

"Is this the type of leadership you would (be) proud of?" the Carrigg mailing asks.

Guerry ridicules a claim by the incumbent that he helped Lexington attract $1 billion in new industry and 10,000 new jobs.

"Billion with a 'b' ?" Guerry said. "Tell the governor he has to fold his tent because there's a councilman out there that can do a better job."

Carrigg said this contest sets a new low.

"I've yet to see any county council race in this county," he said, "get to this level of negative campaigning."

Here is a closer look at each of the three races.

DISTRICT 7

-- Carrigg, 42 and a Charleston native, is council's longest-serving member.

Despite criticism within his own party of few accomplishments, Carrigg said he has a strong track record and has been a leader.

He said he was instrumental in getting the Irmo branch library located near the center of the council district.

In addition, he claims credit for helping construct two new fire stations and improving the fire insurance rating of the community.

In an interview, he acknowledged those improvements during his tenure were actions of the council, not a single member.

Carrigg said he has a good track record on taxes.

"We've had very small (tax) millage increases -- one mill here and one mill there."

The State newspaper's review of council minutes shows Carrigg voted on June 29, 2004, for a 3.24-mill tax increase. That amounts to about a $12 increase on a home with a taxable value of $100,000.

Next year's budget, if approved next week as written, also will carry a tax increase of more than one mill.

-- Guerry, a retired real estate broker, is seeking his second political comeback.

He served on County Council for 12 years.

He resurfaced in 1998 when he beat a political appointee to become county auditor.

His time as auditor -- whose job is to maintain the county tax rolls -- was plagued by a battle over when he should take office, health problems and a sexual harassment suit filed by a female clerk in his office.

The federal harassment suit was settled in April 2004 for about $10,000 paid from insurance for lawsuits filed against state and some local agencies. Public funds pay the premiums.

The case was settled despite his preference to go to trial, Guerry said. The suit was "a smear campaign from the get-go."

Guerry's family history of heart disease became public when he was hospitalized twice in 2000 and 2002. Guerry received a heart transplant in September 2002.

"I'm in better shape than the vice president of the United States," said Guerry, 62, who noted his health is better than when he served on council.

Guerry credits himself with improving the county's tax collection rate by about 5 percentage points during his term as auditor.

That drew skepticism from the current auditor and treasurer.

Auditor Chris Harmon, who defeated Guerry, and Treasurer William Rowell said that improvements in tax collections are a result of new construction in the county.

-- The third candidate, Cox, is a newcomer running as the outsider. The 42-year-old insurance salesman said he offers fiscal efficiency but could provide no examples to accomplish that.

DISTRICT 8

The confrontation between Owens and Banning appears to center on a difference in political philosophy.

Owens said he puts the district first. Banning has a broader view.

"You're elected by district, but once you swear the oath, you represent the citizens of Lexington County," said Banning, 53. "And that's where myself and my opponent are different."

Banning, an insurance agent, also supports cooperation with Columbia and Richland County.

"We're not an island. As Columbia goes and Richland County goes, so goes the region."

Owens, 63, said regionalism has hurt Lexington County.

The county has committed millions of dollars to Columbia's convention center only to watch Richland County outbid Lexington for the new State Farmers Market.

-- Owens said he has voted consistently against tax increases in a county that embraces the phrase.

"I have not voted for a tax increase in the 2005-2006 or 2006-2007 budget," Owens said.

Yet council minutes show that on June 14, 2005, Owens voted for a final budget that carried tax increases for Midlands Tech, the county parks system and to defray medical expenses for residents too poor to afford treatment. The last of those was required by state law.

Council is expected to give final OK to next year's budget next week.

Owens was among those who gave second-reading approval to a budget that, if finalized, will result in another increase driven largely by a cost-of-living boost.

"I don't consider (cost of living) a tax increase," Owens said.

He argues he voted against last year's tax increases earlier in the budget process.

-- Banning sees Owens' job as utilities director for West Columbia as a conflict of interest that pits his allegiance to the city against his duty to the county.

"He's a bureaucrat that's on the payroll of the taxpayers," Banning said. "How can a guy that's living off the taxpayers vote to cut anything?"

Though the challenger calls it a conflict of interest, he has not asked the state Ethics Commission for a ruling.

Owens said his dual positions allow him to serve both constituencies.

"They get two bites of my apple," he said. "I'm not conflicted. But I do have their best interest at heart."

DISTRICT 2

Neither of the two candidates in the Republican primary in western Lexington County has political experience.

The winner will challenge council's only Democrat, Billy Derrick, in the November general election.

-- Keith Bush, 65, is retired from the county and BellSouth.

His campaign finance records show he has neither raised nor spent money since filing for the office in March.

-- R. L. "B. Jay" Julius, 63-year-old disc jockey, ran for the same seat in 2002 as a Democrat.

He favors a moratorium on new construction until the county water, sewer and roads are in place to accommodate more homes or businesses.

Reach LeBlanc at (803) 771-8664.

-----

Copyright (c) 2006, The State, Columbia, S.C.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

NYSE:BLS,

Source: The State (Columbia, S.C.)

More News in this Category