By Don Cunningham on
2/2/2012 3:27 PM
In seven years as County Executive, I’ve only vetoed one action of the Board of Commissioners. It was during my first few months in office in 2006 and it was a sale of county land near the Wastewater Pre-Treatment Facility. The previous administration had agreed to sell it for less than its market value to a hotel developer without a bid process. My veto was promptly overridden by an overwhelming majority of the Board, which, was then, as it is now, a 7-2 Republican-controlled Board. Therefore, my track record is not very good. I’m 0-1 on vetoes.
Today, I have issued only my second veto in seven years. Earlier this afternoon, I sent a veto message to the Board of Commissioners regarding the recent authorization of a county-wide real estate reassessment.
I have full respect for the authority of the Board of Commissioners on this matter. I realize that they have passed this by a unanimous vote. I am vetoing this because it is the wrong thing to do at the wrong time...