The Colonel Comes Up Short

Republican Hayden Phillips is so admired by even his Democratic colleagues on Northampton County Council that they call him "the Colonel" in honor of his service as a Marine. But I am glad he lost his attempt to take the Controller's seat from Steve Barron. Smart an independent, Phillips has been a force for good government. If he defeated Barron, his replacement would be a pale imitation. On top of that, Barron has matured and is no longer the partisan he was when he first took office. He has been an effective check on Executive John Brown and abuses that have extended from charging improper expenses to illegal raises.

Barron's razor thin victory (532 votes), however should serve as notice that taxpayers are unwilling to tolerate any more instances of immaturity.