Carolina Politics Online

Former Mecklenburg County Sheriff Jim Pendergraph (R) has announced today that he will seek one of the at-large seats in this year’s Mecklenburg County commissioners race.  Pendergraph was elected Sheriff four times as a Democrat before accepting a position with the Department of Homeland Security under the Bush Administration in 2007.  He switched parties afterward.  Pendergraph’s resignation from the office of Sheriff is what sparked off a several month controversy over who would replace him, a controversy that made the notorious Nick Mackey a household political name around the Charlotte metropolitan area.

Pendergraph was a highly admired and respected Sheriff from Mecklenburg County residents on both sides of the political aisle and even outside the region as he was appointed to a Republican administration while still a Democrat.  He stated today on the radio that one of his biggest concerns is the county’s fiscal budget which he feels is going to worsen in the coming year.  Pendergraph is also extremely worried about the constant rise in property taxes throughout the county and even said that he and his wife have speculated that they themselves may have to move out of the county down the road if the problem is not reined in due to their own financial state as a retired couple.

I can’t think of a better man for the job.

Trackback URI | Comments RSS