Raleigh City Council candidate Dickie Thompson tried to pull a classic politician’s dodge last week.

J.B. Buxton, also a District A candidate, held a press conference to blast what Indy Week called “one of the worst provisions in the new state budget: the sales tax on auto repair, maintenance and installation services that will go into a fund to benefit the state’s rural counties.”

It was a good hit for Buxton. And Thompson obviously felt he had to respond. But he didn’t respond on the issue. Instead, he attacked Buxton. On the grounds he shouldn’t be talking about a state issue that affects Raleigh.

The classic politician’s dodge: Duck the issue and attack your opponent personally.

Then Thompson took the dodge another step by saying, I’m a “public servant,” he’s a “politician.”

Take my word for it: When you run for political office and say you’re not a politician, the voters say, You’re a politician.

And they ask, Where do you stand on the issue?