An historic election day in LeClaire

Election day November 2, 2010, may go down in LeClaire history.

On that day, 1,485 LeClaire voters showed up at the polls to vote on the $1.6 million bond proposal to build a park. Aside from the fact over 76 percent of the voters disapproved the measure, the more telling figure was the number of citizens who voted.

According to the Scott County Auditor, LeClaire has 2,712 registered voters. Thus, LeClaire’s voter turnout November 2 was 55 percent, an extremely high ratio considering 2010 was an “off year” election.

When one compares the numbers in this election with prior years’ mayoral elections, the numbers become more startling. In 2009, only 635 votes were cast in the mayoral election. In 2007, 680 votes were cast. While an increase in LeClaire population may account for some of the increased participation, it certainly doesn't explain a more than 100 percent increase.

Perhaps LeClaire residents are starting to take notice of city fiscal issues - notably that the combined Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and general obligation bond debt of $54 million can no longer be ignored. Until such time as LeClaire’s fiscal house is put in order, voters have obviously told city officials the park will have to wait.

And, people may well look back to November 2, 2010 as when LeClaire citizens told its elected officials it was time to put city finances in order. Clearly, it was an historic day.

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Tom Kamp is a retired Davenport lawyer who moved to LeClaire in order to enjoy the river. He has developed a "habit" of attending Monday night LeClaire City Council meetings, which often do not receive any coverage in the regular news media. He hopes to remedy the lack of information on LeClaire's elected officials with his regular column here.