I Dropped Out of County Council Race, But I'm Not Done

By Liz Carey

Last year, when Anderson County Council was presented with information about our county parks not being compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, comments were made that we should just close them instead of bring them up to date. 

And then council decided they couldn’t allocate anymore funds to upgrade and maintain KidVenture at the Anderson Sports and Event Center.  

How is it possible that our county council could decide that the best thing for our children is not to fix and maintain a county park? How is it possible that our county council instead handed the responsibility for paying for renovations to the park to a group of dedicated community members who knew something had to be done?  

I was furious. I still am. So I decided to run for council.  

I went to finance meetings and got even madder. Two sets of finance meetings. One with the finance committee. One with another member of council. That means two sets of budget requests from each department. That means separate meetings with each department head and their employees to answer questions about their budget requests. That means two print outs of packets from each department not only for the department head, but for the council members and anyone else who shows up for the finance meetings. And it’s all because members of our council can’t get along with each other.  

What kind of fiscal responsibility is that?  

In some cases, council couldn’t even get along with county employees. We’ve lost good employees for the county because of council. And instead of replacing them, council has asked the remaining employees to do more with less. 

It’s infuriating.  

When I started this run for council, I wanted to see us pass the hospitality tax. It just makes good sense. If I told you that for an extra 60 cents on your next dinner for two, that you’d get upgraded parks, county events like our neighboring counties have and more money freed up in the general budget to fix roads and bridges, wouldn’t you take it?  

When I started this race, I wanted to be the bridge that works to bring council together. I wanted to help bring an end to micromanaging and macroconflict. I wanted to work toward sensible choices when it comes to repairing our roads and bridges. I wanted to make a difference.  

But, because of situations out of my control, my family and I had to move. With affordable rental housing for families in short supply here, we had to take the first thing we could find. I thought the house we chose was in District 1. 

I was wrong.  

And because of that, I’m dropping out of the race for Anderson County Council District 1. 

When I started this, I was told “You should run as a Republican. No Democrat will ever win a council seat in your district.” And that may be true, but the fact is, I’m not a Republican. I wasn’t willing to lie to people about who I was in order to win a race. 

And I had people tell me to not worry about where we lived unless someone found out. But I can’t do that either, because that would be lying too. 

County council candidates have to live in the district’s they represent. I no longer do. To misrepresent myself wouldn’t be fair to the constituents of District 1, my opponent or to the rest of council. I can’t do that. I just can.  

I know there are some candidates for political office who will do and say just about anything to et elected. And we’ve all seen how disgusted by that kind of activity we all really are. 

People often say “I wish someone would stand up and do something about that.”  

Well, I am someone. I am standing up and saying something. I am standing before my supporters and my fellow citizens and saying “I’m not going to lie to win.”

I still want to be your council person. I still want to see micromanaging and macroconflict on council come to an end. I still want to see responsible spending on roads, bridges and parks in our county. 

I will continue to work in politics and I will continue to work with those who need me or want me to help make Anderson a better place to live, work and play in. And I will continue to toward an election run in the next cycle.  

And I’ll continue to do it as honestly and ethically as I can. 

It’s the only way I know how to do it.