NOREEN: Strong-mayor proposal is a bit tepid
Critics of the “strong mayor” proposal for Colorado Springs have recently raised the specter of Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, charging that backers of the idea are willing to risk having a corruption-ridden City Hall dominated by a de facto dictator.
Daley, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg or even Boss Tweed never had to fear term limits or operate within the confines of the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights. The notion that a strong mayor initiative on the November ballot would radically change City Hall here is an over-reaction by people (see my blog) who unfairly compare it with big-city examples from around the nation.
Robert Smyth recently wrote the Gazette: “There’s the strong entrenched Daley dynasty in Chicago, with Richard J Daley serving for 21 years as the iron fisted mayor of Chicago, followed by his designated successor-son Richard M. Daley.”
The local proposal is designed to make what little government there is more effective without the competing, sometimes petty, agendas of council members getting in the way. From parks to streetlights to community centers, Colorado Springs city hall is sub-par. A part-time mayor and council haven’t helped matters.
If anything, the proposal turned in to the city clerk’s office this week wouldn’t give enough power to the city’s mayor, who still would not be able to ride herd over the billion-dollar antics of Colorado Springs Utilities. As citizens have complained about the browning of city parks and ever-escalating costs for the Southern Delivery system, the council has responded by awarding fat bonuses — utilities has more than $900,000 budgeted for bonuses this year.
As demonstrated by the long-running fiasco of opening the South Slope of Pikes Peak to recreation, the council has a short attention span and little appetite for action when it comes to Colorado Springs Utilities. A strong mayor held accountable by voters couldn’t afford such a lax attitude.
Kevin Walker, an executive with the Nor’Wood Group and spokesman for Citizens for Accountable Leadership, said simply making utilities answerable to the mayor would have required a separate ballot initiative.
“A lot of people want to do that,” Walker said, “but one of the things we’re trying to stress is that this is just one good first step. It’s not the only good idea out there.”
The citizens group’s proposal would give the mayor veto power over budget line items (a wonderful idea that works well at the state level) and other ordinances, except for land-use items. That is how Denver does it.
Another check of mayoral power: The proposal would allow the council to appoint an auditor to look over the mayor’s shoulder.
A strong mayor? We need one.
An ineffective council?
Already have one of those.
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