Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Trinkle to run again, but as Democrat
The psychiatrist, council member and restaurateur first must win in the March 2 primary.
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From The Roanoke Times
David Trinkle, a geriatric psychiatrist who was one of a team of independents who successfully ran for Roanoke City Council in 2006, announced Monday he will seek re-election.
This time Trinkle will be running as a Democrat, seeking the party's nomination for one of three seats that will be open in May.
First, however, he'll have to win a spot on the ticket in a March 2 primary election.
Trinkle, along with Gwen Mason and Alfred Dowe, eschewed any party affiliation four years ago and ran as part of a self-styled progressive coalition called "For the City."
At the time, the trio was critical of the Democratic leadership for not moving forward on numerous projects -- notably the demolition of Victory Stadium -- which they considered critical to regenerating the city's economic vitality.
Trinkle, in addition to his medical career, is a prominent restaurant owner with his wife, Anne. They operate Fork in the Alley and Fork in the City.
Trinkle was described Monday by fellow Councilman Rupert Cutler as someone who "is comfortable with making hard decisions and supporting programs that are needed, despite the fact they may be controversial." He added that a proposed citywide stormwater fee is an example of that.
Standing in front of Roanoke's Main Library at Elmwood Park and with the new Social Security Administration building behind him, Trinkle hailed the progress the city has made over the past four years.
He cited the construction of two new high schools, complete with their own football stadiums, the opening of the Taubman Museum of Art, a renovated Roanoke City Market Building, and progress on the Carilion Clinic property and a new medical school.
Although he described himself as a lifelong Democrat, Trinkle said after the news conference he felt the independent route was the only way to get his foot in the door in local politics four years ago.
On Monday, he was flanked by Mason and several other Democratic leaders, including Mayor David Bowers, Vice Mayor Sherman Lea, Cutler, and Commonwealth's Attorney Donald Caldwell, who is also the new city Democratic Committee chairman.
While the independent "For the City" ticket was able to sweep the three seats open in 2006, some of its members have been somewhat less politically successful since.
Dowe was compelled to resign from the council in 2008 following a controversy over travel spending. His seat was filled by Alvin Nash, who almost immediately faced conflict-of-interest charges related to his position with Blue Ridge Housing Development Corp., which received federal funds that were administered by the city council.
Cutler was appointed to fill that seat after Nash decided to leave the council. Cutler has already said he will not seek election in the spring.
Mason was defeated in a grueling House of Delegates campaign this fall and said earlier this month she hasn't decided yet whether to run for her city council seat again.
Trinkle, the first candidate to officially announce his candidacy for May's election, was in the news himself last week when city council put off a vote on approving tax-exempt private bonds for a downtown redevelopment project he owns.
Trinkle said he did not see a conflict of interest with the project, but he pulled it from bond consideration after other council members expressed concerns about the situation.
