Gecker files as Independent for Midlothian supervisor
By Greg Pearson STAFF WRITER

Gecker

Dan Gecker waited until June 11, one day before the filing deadline, to submit his list of signatures to run as an Independent for Midlothian supervisor this November. Last fall, Gecker ran as a Democrat and lost to Republican Don Sowder, making the Chesterfield board solidly Republican for 2007.

Asked if the Chesterfield Democratic Committee is disappointed that Gecker is not running as a Democrat, spokesperson Lynne Cooper said, "The party understands his decision. Dan fully expects the Republicans will cast him as a Democrat."

"I'm running as an Independent because it seems political parties are more important than the people," replied Gecker. "It's time to take politics out of local government and our decision-making."

Democrats and Republicans estimate that the Midlothian District is 40-50 percent Republican with Democrats and Independents making up the balance. Gecker got 46.5 percent of the vote last November. Former Midlothian Supervisor Ed Barber was elected four times as a Democrat, and in 2003, the last time Barber was elected, he was unopposed when Republicans were unable to find a candidate to run against him.

Sowder

Sometimes Republicans support members outside of the party. Republicans Russ Gulley and Wayne Bass voted to make Gecker chairman of the Chesterfield Planning Commission earlier this year, giving Gecker more public exposure. Gulley said the alliance was made because they agreed on the issues.

Following the 2003 election, supervisors Kelly Miller and Dickie King, both Republicans, teamed up with Barber to become the board majority even though supervisors Art Warren and Renny Humphrey were fellow Republicans. That partnership made Barber chairman of the county board for 2005. Some members of the Chesterfield Republican Committee roundly criticized Miller and King for the arrangement.

Gecker said his campaign is going to emphasize the issues of schools, growth management and taxes. Earlier this year, the county board cut school funding by $750,000 because a majority of members didn't support a new preschool program for at-risk four-year-olds. Half of the reduction was state matching funds, and Sowder voted against the program twice.

"The board voted to fund schools at less than the agreed upon formula, causing fewer teachers to be hired," Gecker explained. "Then the board voted for $26 million more for bricks and mortar…for the increased cost of building the new Genito Road High School. The rift between the supervisors and the School Board needs to stop."

"The board keeps approving [residential] zoning cases without regard to the lack of infrastructure in parts of the county and often contrary to the recommendation of the Planning Commission," said Gecker. "We should target a rate of growth, and plan our infrastructure around that rate of growth."

"Some people would be happy if another home wasn't built in the county, but that's not realistic," replied Sowder. "If we don't continue to grow, like a plant, we'll start to die."

"We have enough residential growth, but I want more commercial growth," continued Sowder. "There's some exciting news coming from Chesterfield Towne Center later this year. The Watkins Centre will be breaking ground soon, and the revitalization of Cloverleaf Mall in Midlothian District will create new businesses."

"Our [county] budget is top heavy on administration and light on police, fire and teachers," added Gecker.