Loudoun County's Conscience

It's no secret to anyone who reads this blog that I am a big fan of the Democratic Class of 1999.  That was a year like 2007, a midterm off year and it was during the term of Governor Jim Gilmore.  It was not a good time to be a Democrat, the only statewide elected official left was Chuck Robb, and polling was already out showing he was likely to lose his seat the next year.  Republicans had a one seat majority in the Senate (21-19) and the House of Delegates was even (50-50) when one conservative leaning Independent was factored in with the GOP.  Republicans had a huge funding advantage with the Governor raising and lobbyists betting on them finally finishing the Democrats in both houses in this election.  The Democrats who ran that year didn't do it to be mentioned with a popular Governor or get an easy win- they ran because they could see the danger of the incoming GOP majority and wanted to try to stop them before it was too late.

Loudoun County's Democratic Party was in particular shambles.  Their only legislator had been Senator Charlie Waddell, but when the Senate was 20-20 and the GOP had elected a Lt. Governor in 1997 to take nominal control, Waddell accepted a job with Jim Gilmore to increase his state pension upon retirement.  Pathetic.  In that late 1997 special election, Waddell's Senate seat was taken by then Delegate Bill Mims, giving Republicans an outright Senate majority.  That left an opening for the Delegate seat, which at the time covered almost all of Loudoun County.  The partisan stakes couldn't be higher- if Democrats could take this seat now they would regain the 51st seat in the House of Delegates going into the 1999 elections.

And in the dark cold days of December 1997, Republicans in Loudoun didn't want to nominate anyone to represent them- they wanted the most conservative member in the state to shove down the Democrats throat.  They found him in a retired military officer and library board member-  Richard "Dick" Black.   Black stormed to the nomination, then routed the Democratic candidate to win his seat in the General Assembly.

Fast forward to 1999.  It had become clear very quickly that Black was no ordinary conservative, but felt he was in office to push a conservative agenda that was far to the right of anything ever seen in this state before.  The Loudoun County Democrats were in shambles and the county had grown so much that this district was twice the size of a normal House of Delegates district before redistricting.  Who would step forward to carry the Democrats banner in this very important election, but with every demographic cutting against them?

A local teacher decided to step forward and become the Democratic candidate.  Kelly Burk did not have a lot of political background besides her time as head of the Loudoun Education Association (LEA).  She didn't have a lot of financial backing, and she didn't have a real political organization.  But she knew the danger of this new Delegate and the type of politics he wanted to bring to Loudoun.  Kelly spent her campaign warning the people of Loudoun about the danger of giving Republicans total control of the Assembly, and what that would do in the redistricting process- and even more importantly she warned people about what would happen in Loudoun County if Black led the GOP.  You see, redistricting was also about to happen at the county board level, and all the growth was happening in Eastern Loudoun, which meant Supervisor districts were about to take a drastic shift towards the east- where Black's organization was the strongest.

The message didn't get through and Kelly lost by 13 points.  Republicans gained three seats around the state, and took total control of the General Assembly and began planning the redistricting as a chance to annihilate the Democrats for many years into the future.

By 2003, Dick Black had taken total control of the Republican Party in Loudoun.  Scott York, the GOP Chairman of the Board had filed as an Independent as Black prepared to sack him in a convention.  The Board districts had taken a dramatic shift to the east side of the county, and Black had a slate of candidates to take control of the Board of Supervisors with the same far right wing supporters that had put him into office.

Who was there once again to stand up to this far right group?  It was Kelly Burk, who ran for Leesburg Supervisor against popular Leesburg Mayor Jim Clem on a platform of controlled growth and keeping Loudoun schools fully funded.  Unfortunately for Kelly, her vision from 1999 of what would happen if Black were able to stay in office turned out to be true.  Money poured into the local GOP candidates for Supervisor and they won every district in Eastern Loudoun County, stunning observers by dividing the county between east and west interests.  Black had another huge victory and once again Kelly didn't make it into office because of his organization.

By this year, after FBI investigations and four years of a Board of Supervisors so arrogant that it was chilling to watch, Kelly was back for another run.  She had been a member of the Leesburg Town Council, but according to local observers Jim Clem was "popular" and "well liked" and was the safest of all the Republican Board members seeking re-election.   Oops!   After years of being right and not winning her major elections, Kelly crushed Clem by a 57%-43% margin!  Who says doing the right thing doesn't eventually pay off?

Democrats should pay careful attention to Kelly on the incoming Board of Supervisors.  This woman has been right so often she looks more like a prophet than a politician.  After her years of hard work for the students of Loudoun as a teacher, as a Councilwoman in the town of Leesburg and in the Democratic Party- taking on tough races where she put the doing the right thing over her own electoral success- Kelly has earned the respect of many political observers, and when tough decisions will be made over the next four years, the first question many Democrats should ask is "What does Kelly think we should do?".  Finally then we might start to see the Loudoun County government show the potential everyone knows it has for the benefit of its own citizens.

Comments

[Not Eve Marie Barner]

You're right that most Loudoun Democrats didn't think Kelly had a chance against the 'well-liked' Jim Clem. Even LCDC Chairman Thom Beres was quoted this past week saying Kelly's victory was a surprise.

While the behind the scenes posturing continues over who will get the 5 Democratic votes on the BOS to take the role as Vice Chairman, perhaps Kelly Burk should consider throwing her hat in the ring.

Is there a better, more experienced member of the new board to serve as Vice Chairman then Kelly Burk? (Well, other than Sally Kurtz, who doesn't want it).

[eileen]

Agree 100%. Kelly is the greatest!

[reality bites]

Not only that ... Kelly was a popular broadcaster for years on Channel 4, who occasionally tried his hand at professional sports. Remember "Kelly with the Caps?" That was awesome.

[Not Larry Sabato]

I don't think that is the same Kelly...

here here, I'm glad to see Kelly getting some acknowledgment for her determination in fighting for Loudoun all these years. She's the kind of person you want as a leader, and the kind of leader you want to see move up.

Great story Ben. Write more like these.

[Loudoun Insider]

I predict Kelly Burk will be the most underwhelming new board member. Even though she has tried and tried for this office, she is not in the same league as Susan Buckley, Stevens Miller, or Anrea McGimsey.

[Loudoun Insider]

I missed the "d" in Andrea above.

Commenters at Leesburg Today raise a very troubling point that I didn't think about - with the school budget being the biggest chunk of the overall county budget and Burk being employed by the school board, how in the world can she even participate in any discussions or votes on this matter? She can't with a glaringly obvious conflict of interest. How will her "conscience" allow her to do so?

[Loudoun Insider]

"withOUT a glaringly obvious conflict of interest". My typing is falling apart!

[Not Larry Sabato]

Oh my god. The stunning conflict of interest in a teacher voting to fully fund education. How could the voters have done this?

(end snark)

[t]

We are entering into a recession.

In times like these, its hard to believe that some candidates want to raise our taxes to finance atrocities like Planned Parenthood.

But they do.

ED is someone who we all know and trust to fight the abortionists.

Hopefully, ED will assume the mantle of leadership.

ED = Vigorous leadership in perilous times.

ED will lead us back to the promised land.

[t]

Ben, please don't use the Lord's name in vain, particularly on the Lord's day.

Thank you Ben.

[Loudoun Observer]

I would agree that Kelly Burk has shown a tendency to throw tax dollars at any problem. She would make a better politician if she became more fiscally responsible. She has shown some recent signs of realizing that.

I also don't think she would be so great at running meetings. That's just not her personality. Kelly has talents, lets just not assign her the wrong responsibities.

One of Kelly's strengths is her demand for open and honest government. They should use her to improve the ethics guidelines for Loudoun elected officials and government employees.

[Paradox13]

The question of conflict of interest is an interesting one. The fact is that Kelly is a single teacher - not an administrator, not even an officer in the LEA.

Of all the members of the Board of Supervisors, she has the most direct and applicable experience with the results of the largest county budget item, school funding - overcrowding, frustrated parents, teaching to the test.

In Kelly's case, we need to be careful not to confuse "beneficial experience" with "conflict of interest." Unlike folks who work for developers, Kelly's compensation at the schools is subject to scrutiny by publicly elected officials (the School Board), is independent of any bonuses based on the success or failure of initiatives before the Board of Supervisors, and is independent of her actions of the Board of Supervisors. (Excepting, of course, insofar as her salary is probably around 0.00005% of the schools budget.)

[t]

The Most Honorable Dick Black is a great man... a GREAT MAN.

[Not Eve Marie Barner]

LI,

Realize the BOS sets the tax rate, and the school board determines where to spend the money. County board members like Kelly have nothing to do with setting teacher's salaries, that's purely a school board function.

Now, I could argue that it shouldn't be that way, but it is. I don't see any conflict for Kelly.

And I would seriously doubt she will rubber-stamp anything Skippy Hatrick puts forward. I understand Burk and Hatrick didn't always see eye to eye when she was LEA President.

[Loudoun Insider]

Yes her salary is a miniscule portion of the bloated school budget, but nonetheless her salary and rate of increase is dependent on the allocation made to the school board by the BOS.

One could argue that Steve Snow never really had a conflict with his Dietze job and could have voted on any contract involving Dietze since he didn't run the company and his salary was a small portion of the overall Dietze budget. Snow had a big conflict. So does Burk.

As far as "fully fund education" goes - what a load of crap that is. It basically means give the teacher's union and administration absolutely everything they want in the name of "the children", when it has been proven over and over again that money spent is not necessarily commensurate with educational experience and results.

[LAS]

An inspirational story, Ben, in spite of the many nay-sayers. Keep it up!

[t]

One can always rely on LAS to add a gratuitous, rump-smooching comment that does nothing to advance the discussion.

Way to go LAS - Keep it up!

[SE VA MWC Alum]

You should also have mentioned that York won re-election in his independent bid in 03. The first sign of trouble for the Black machine

[GinterParked]

Well, LI, then I assume you also believe that no politician should vote to lower the tax rate since it will obviously save him money. Unless, that is, that we only elect politicans who pay no taxes.

Vote for the homeless! They're our only conflict-free citizens!

[Not Larry Sabato]

A friend of mine pointed out to me that Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights) is on the budget conference committee even though he is a teacher. Like the Board of Supervisors- they are appropriating money to schools, not spending it, which is why there is ZERO conflict.

[Loudoun Insider]

I guess we'll just have to see how Jim Plowman rules on this! Won't that be fun!

[sndeak]

When Kelly ran for Leesburg Town Council, the LCRC pulled out all the stops against her. There were bound and determined to make sure she did not get elected. I heard the words 'HATE and BURY HER' by republicans over and over during that race.

You should have seen the looks on their faces that night in the BOS room when the votes came in. Kelly is a tireless campaigner who will talk to everyone and go to every house.

[Doug in Mount Vernon]

Loudoun Insider, you are absolutely stupid if you think that being a teacher gives a Supervisor any conflict of interest voting on tax rates and budgets that will include funding for the school budget.

After all, I mean, the below-market-rate salaries that school teachers at all levels make could be SO much more lucrative, if only more of them ran for the Boards of Supervisors all over the Commonwealth.

Your bias is obvious, and your insinuations are completely laughable.

[Doug in Mount Vernon]

Especially with Kelly's history of sticking up for open and honest (ie accountable) government!

I mean really, do you actually think anyone would buy your "turning of the tables" on who (party-wise) is actually capable of integrity and competency in government! Please, Republicans, especially of the Loudoun variety, have absolutely no case to make on that accord.

Nice try though...

[Doug in Mount Vernon]

As someone who has thought fondly of Kelly Burk ever since I met her in 1999 when she ran the original grassroots comeback campaign for Loudoun Democrats, I've always loved Kelly!

She is about as down-to-earth as they come, and a real lady of the people.

If Delgaudio pissed me off enough to get involved in politics, Kelly was the one who inspired me!

[Doug in Mount Vernon]

Don't forget too, in this history, that Dick Black, who Kelly so nobly took on in 1999, is also responsible for recruiting the now infamous clown, Eugene Delgaudio, to Loudoun in 1998. That's right, the political bane of the Mason District's existence soon wandered his carpetbagging-self out to Sterling.

This tall goofy guy in an orange cap started to show up around the county campaigning against a meals tax for the schools (a stupid idea on its face, anyway), and instantly had a natural constituency to give him money in the local restauranteurs. And they did. And then, he suddenly showed up as a candidate for the Republican nomination in Sterling District to replace Scott York, despite the fact that his face had never been seen out there prior to 1998. He claimed to have been associated with Sterling Park going back to the 1970's, however. A total fabrication.

More interestingly, although he registered to vote there in 1998 to a small two-bedroom townhouse next to Rolling Ridge Elementary School, his wife did not register there until much later. In fact, nobody really ever remembered seeing his wife pretty much anywhere in Sterling Park, including at the mysterious townhouse on Summit Terrace. In fact, neighbors of the townhouse reported in 1999 that the place was rarely occupied.

Hence the residency and carpetbagging questions. After all, most people asked, how is it that anyone with the number of children Delgaudio had fit into that little townhouse!?

The rest is history. Unfortunately, the attacks that should have come Delgaudio's (and Black's)way as far back as 1999, never came, and to this day (in ED's case), never did come. Two subsequent opponents (myself included) let this pathetic excuse for a representative get by relatively unscathed.

Nobody has ever really attacked Eugene Delgaudio the way he deserves to have been attacked.

And the poor people of Sterling Park have been suffering every since.

So, yes, people should have listened to Kelly Burk in 1999 when she tried to warn folks about Black. And it wasn't just Dick Black they needed to be worried about, and it still isn't, unfortunately.

[CSR]

Please, Kelly is a very nice person but as a politician she couldn't gather more than her own vote and it might be iffy if she could do that. She has tilted at windmills for a while now and I suspect that her persistence has paid off in a very, very good year for Democrats. But I think this Blog gives her more credit that is deserved and she will be a lesser light that others (DID I JUST AGREE WITH LOUDOUN INSIDER???).

[BlackOut]

It would be most satisfying if the new BOS hung a cage from the ceiling of the dais, and put Mr. ED in it for Board meetings. They could throw him raw meat from time to time and let him babble on incessantly , while no one listened to him. -t could be responsible for throwing the white sheet over his cage, if Mr. ED gets to loud and obnoxious.

I don't know Kelly Burk very well. I can say, it took a lot more political will than she had to take down the Black Brigade. Ms. Burk certainly wasn't the only one fighting the BB. I won't doubt that she is a political survivor but to bestow the Vice Chairmanship on her seems far reaching.

With that said, I believe the Vice Chair should be a woman. My choice would be Susan Buckley.

[Doug in Mount Vernon]

BlackOut, yes taking out the Black Brigade was many more people than Kelly Burk! In fact, it was the voters of most of Loudoun County who eventually saw the farce for what it was and demanded better. Kelly was, however, one of the first to warn folks and stress how important it was to get him out of there, and more importantly, she was the one who stepped up to the plate. So while we understand your point, don't take anything away from the woman who led the charge when it should have been led, and when it needed to be led.

[Doug in Mount Vernon]

That said, I also happen to think that Susan Buckley would make a marvelous Vice-Chair. That woman simply exudes competence.

[Loudoun Insider]

Doug, you absolutely know that I cannot stand Delgaudio and believe him to be a buffoon not deserving of any public office. That said, it is absolutely pathetic that the LCDC couldn't take this waste out in two consecutive elections. Once again I am left thinking that perhaps the ultimate goal of the LCDC is to leave him in office as the (to borrow NLS' great term) the ultimate Downballot Douchebag. he automatically discredits any other Loudoun Republican just through guilt by association.

Back to Kelly Burk, I believe her to be a nice person and genuinely concerned about open and honest government, but she still scares me in regard to spending and taxes.