Indy City-County Council member Christine Scales is switching parties from Republican to Democrat.
Scales defection changes the Council makes 13-12 Democrat to 14-11.
Scales made the announcement on her Facebook page this morning. She was first elected in 2007.
“Today I am officially announcing the change of my political party affiliation from that of Republican to Democrat. I ran for my Council office as a Republican and have voted with the party for more than 40 years. This is a difficult decision for me but one I feel I must make in order to serve the best interest of my constituents.”
“Since Mayor Joe Hogsett assumed office, I have enjoyed a positive working relationship with him. Mayor Hogsett is an honorable man who campaigned on the promise of working with Council in a spirit of bi-partisanship. After a year of working under his leadership, I have found that he has honored that promise. The Mayor has remained accessible to members of both parties, has proven that he is willing to listen and lends equal consideration to viewpoints outside of his own. On a personal note, I appreciate his thoughtfulness, inclusiveness of all stakeholders, and the amount of time he takes before deciding on a particular course of action.”
Indianapolis City-County Council President Maggie A. Lewis’ leadership skills on the Council complement the Mayor. They are both fair and reasonable in their judgment and treat the Council with dignity and respect. . I am confident that I can work well under their leadership and serve effectively alongside the Democrat Councillors. In my capacity as a Democrat Councillor, I anticipate accomplishing more of behalf of my constituents, as well as being able to better work toward the greater good of the City of Indianapolis.
“As I make this announcement, it is my hope that those I represent and the entire Council will support my decision. This is a decision that allows me to elevate my level of service by aligning myself with those in the city whose goal it is to advance positive policy initiatives and work tirelessly to improve the quality of life for all residents.”
“Since being elected as a City-County Councillor, my constituents understand and have appreciated that my votes reflect what is in the their best interest, not my own or the party I represent. Though I am changing my political party affiliation, I want District 3 residents to be assured that I will remain the same person they voted into office. A change in political party will not change who I am. My level of service to constituents will remain the same. The independent thinking and bi-partisanship I bring to my Council role will continue. Those qualities are why I believe voters of all political stripes have elected me to three Council terms.
I believe that working alongside the Mayor and President Lewis will benefit my district in many ways. It is my hope that District 3 constituents will understand that my decision to change party affiliations was made with their best interests in mind.”
Scales could not be reached this morning for comment.
Photo: Facebook
