The dysfunction and infighting that’s plagued Wilmington City Council and its 13 elected members–putting it in the news for all the wrong reasons–is what really spurred Dixon, a Democrat, to run to lead the body. She said council could be far more effective.
“You cannot get things done if you always continuously argue,” she said. “I’ve heard community members come in, and now it’s become a ‘have your popcorn out and watch city council meetings’; it should never be that way, where a body of council is seen in that capacity.”
If elected, the 33-year-old said she’ll work towards unity and towards restoring trust in the community. She’s forced to give up her at-large seat to run for council president. She’ll likely face incumbent Council President Hanifa Shabazz. Shabazz has not publicly announced her re-election campaign, but recently held a fundraiser.
Assuming she wins, I think she will preside over a more progressive body than the one she first entered. While there may still be outliers, (or is is ‘outliars’?), there are more on council who want to do more than merely line their own pockets.
She would be a huge upgrade over the casual corruption embraced by Hanifa Shabazz, Sam Guy, and one or two other hangers-on.
BTW, while our personal differences are there for all to see, I don’t see how this influx of quality additions to Council and to city politics could have been accomplished without the able and proactive leadership of Cassandra Marshall. The City is far better off because of her leadership as chair of the City Democratic Party.