On Dunbar...

Harry Dunbar gets a story today in The Sun. Like the man himself, it’s full of comedy but is only funny to a point.

The 62-year-old federal retiree and real estate agent has based his campaign on dissatisfaction with the pace of development, making flamboyant, often inaccurate charges about the most sensitive political issue in the county this year.

At a candidates forum Monday night in Harper's Choice, Dunbar again assailed plans for a high-rise near Lake Kittamaqundi and the redevelopment of Town Center, recalling the green open spaces when he arrived in the new town from New York City in 1973.

"That's when I feel we had the highest quality of life because we had uncrowded schools and less density," he said, adding there "were no cars and no noise."

OK, I’ll admit it: I laughed out loud when I read the “flamboyant, often inaccurate charges” part. That was funny.

What’s funny in a less “ha, ha” way is his statement about how great life was in Columbia in 1973. Is he serious? How could he have moved here then and not known about what the future of Columbia would look like? Models, drawings, brochures and other materials all displayed for anyone with eyes what the “Next American City” would look like. And, not surprisingly, it looked a lot like what we have now.

Let’s get back to those accusations.

He has accused Ulman of making "backroom" deals with developers to allow construction of the proposed 23-story high-rise in Columbia…”

...As for the 23-story Columbia high-rise, Ulman said he has never met "with anybody affiliated with the project," much less in a "backroom deal." Dunbar acknowledged that he has no firsthand knowledge of such a meeting, and though he claims he read about it in a newspaper account, he cannot produce a copy of any such article.

Ulman has been frustrated hearing the accusations, which he said go beyond normal standards of campaign criticism.

"I do not mind being criticized. That's part of the job. What I mind is when people lie about me. When people cross the line and make things up," Ulman said.

I don’t care how you feel about Ulman, but he’s completely right here. If you think flat-out lying about someone to further your own goals or views or partisanship is fine, you don’t deserve to be heard. As good as it is to have Harry Dunbar around for comic relief, his quixotic quest sets an example of dishonesty that only perpetuates a climate of hostility, one where unsubstantiated attacks are not only acceptable, but the preferred method of debate.

Meanwhile, Ulman also had this to say in the article:

"I am proud to have stood up strongly in supporting investing in our quality of life," he said at a recent forum.

However, he said more work needs to be done on the plan for downtown Columbia, which includes adding 5,500 housing units, stores, offices and a hotel.

"I thought 5,000 units is ludicrous. The vision that emerged from the charrette is too intense. It wouldn't work," Ulman said.

Now, here’s a question for you. I’ve heard a lot of people say that Ulman has no limit to the development that he thinks is acceptable. Yet, here’s an example to the contrary. Does anyone have a link/citation to an article or anything where he said he supported the 5,500 units for Town Center? If my memory serves, Ulman’s been fairly quiet on the downtown plan since around the time of the charrette, saying at most that he supports the process and those working through it.