Comments on: Amundson retires

By: Surovell in the 44th « VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local

Surovell in the 44th « VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:03:10 +0000

[...] through the blogosphere after yesterday’s announcement by Del. Kris Amundson that she would not be running for re-election this fall, one would get the [...]

By: Randy Klear

Randy Klear — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 04:59:48 +0000

Kris hasn’t resigned; she just withdrew from the November election. She will serve out her term. There won’t be a special election. Scott Surovell will replace her on the November ballot.

(Even if she did resign, there wouldn’t be a special election at this point. We’re coming up on November now, and the House doesn’t have a session scheduled between now and then.)

She’s not quitting because she can’t raise money for an election; she’s quitting because her office is keeping her from earning a living. General Assembly members only make about $18,000 a year because it’s only a 2 month job on paper. In reality, it’s an unpaid, full-time second job the other 10 months of the year.

Kris isn’t the only member to cite income problems in retiring this year. Clarke Hogan, the Republican in the 60th district, cited problems with his building supply business as his reason for not running again.

I’m sure we’ll see a lot of Kris Amundson in the future, maybe not back in the General Assembly, but somewhere where she can make a difference.

By: Rita

Rita — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:09:24 +0000

Shocking! I never heard of such a thing – quitting a political job because it was too expensive? Where is Ken Plum the Caacus Chair? Couldn’t he have helped her out with the fund raising monies from TMac? or maybe she was just worn out/battered after the June 9th Gubernatorial Primary?
Will there be another one of those costly special election on the burner this summer?
I like Scott S. but he is such a “Wonk” – not Mr. Personality but heck as far as I know good husband and father and that means a lot especially after the strange announcements of the past few days.
Good Luck to everybody concerned!