Marland LCV: Baltimore City Elections
Marland LCV: Baltimore City Elections
Environment groups endorse Sarbanes
Baltimore Sun
September 8, 2007
The city and state's main environmental groups have chosen to stay out of the mayor's race, while endorsing Michael Sarbanes for City Council president.
The Baltimore City League of Environmental Voters and Maryland League of Conservation Voters decided not to endorse in the mayor's race after interviewing Mayor Sheila Dixon and City Councilman Keiffer J. Mitchell Jr. and concluding they were both strong on environmental issues, said Liz Nelson, a spokeswoman for the Maryland League of Conservation Voters.
"We met with both Mayor Dixon and Councilman Mitchell, and we really felt that both of the candidates had a lot to offer on the environment and we'd easily be able to work with either candidate so we chose to stay out of the race," said Nelson. "We saw a bit of a clearer choice in the council races and the council president's race."
Nelson said Sarbanes was chosen because of his record on environmental issues. She said members of the environmental community have worked with him on issues such as transportation and lead paint. "He's just been a really great advocate," she said.
Dixon and Mitchell are among seven candidates running in Tuesday's Democratic Primary for mayor. Dixon leads in fundraising and in a poll conducted recently for The Sun, with Mitchell coming in second.
Sarbanes, a longtime activist who is on leave from his job as executive director of the Citizens Housing and Planning Association, is running in a four-way race. Sarbanes and City Council President Stephanie C. Rawlings-Blake are virtually tied, according to The Sun poll, and Sarbanes has an edge in fundraising.
"We met with both Mayor Dixon and Councilman Mitchell, and we really felt that both of the candidates had a lot to offer on the environment and we'd easily be able to work with either candidate so we chose to stay out of the race," said Nelson. "We saw a bit of a clearer choice in the council races and the council president's race."
Nelson said Sarbanes was chosen because of his record on environmental issues. She said members of the environmental community have worked with him on issues such as transportation and lead paint. "He's just been a really great advocate," she said.
Dixon and Mitchell are among seven candidates running in Tuesday's Democratic Primary for mayor. Dixon leads in fundraising and in a poll conducted recently for The Sun, with Mitchell coming in second.
Sarbanes, a longtime activist who is on leave from his job as executive director of the Citizens Housing and Planning Association, is running in a four-way race. Sarbanes and City Council President Stephanie C. Rawlings-Blake are virtually tied, according to The Sun poll, and Sarbanes has an edge in fundraising.
