Election 2007
I did my civic duty and voted yesterday. Based on newspaper articles, some TV forums, commercials and word of mouth, I could not bring myself to vote for any of the 3 mayoral candidates. So I wrote in my friend, Ian. I suspected Bill Saffo would easily regain his seat, mainly because voters have serious Harper Peterson fatigue and because the final candidate made the unwise decision to campaign using a tank. I don’t know about you but any further reminders of war during W’s Folly are not something I would be inclined to support. Wilmington’s a small town and any reasonably committed person could probably make a good run in local politics. The convention center issue even has its very own waffler (Peterson), while the issue of the poor sewer system seems to be a 3-headed Knights Who Say Nee monster, all blaming one another. I’m skeptical of anyone with a knee-jerk lower taxes platform, a trap many of the council candidates fell into. How about more parks, more money for schools, and affordable housing? How about a long-term plan to lower automobile usage? What about bike paths? These are definitely loftier goals than a convention center, the idea of which immediately makes some think Big City, when in reality it’s a case of the cart before the horse.
I accept the nomination!
As mayor of this city, I promise to…
First order of business as mayor: Mandatory Wine Clubs!
Speaking of bike paths, AIA Wilmington is putting together a proposal for an extensive bike trail connecting downtown to Wrightsville Beach. Check it out @ http://www.wilmingtontrolleytrail.org/
I do agree that a mayoral vote represents a good-faith leap into the future, but someone has to be the guinea pig leader in the great American experiment of place making. Nobody gives you a play book at birth teaching you how to be a great leader but the two fundamental criteria should always exclude anyone from Crawford Texas with the name Bush and anyone who campaigns with a tank…including the names Lanasa and Mussolini.