 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
Hal's Column
|
Saturday, September 13, 2008, 3:00 AM
Mayors in news aren't like ours By Hal Tarleton | Daily Times Opinion Editor In case you missed it, mayors and former mayors have been in the news a lot lately. The mayor of Detroit, Kwame Kilpatrick, pleaded guilty last week to two counts of obstruction of justice. And the former mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, is the Republican nominee for vice president. These two are nothing like the mayors I've known. Kilpatrick got into hot water over some lascivious text messages he sent to his chief of staff, with whom he was having an affair, both on and off the job. The Detroit Free Press got hold of the text messages as part of a public records request as it looked into a settlement in a lawsuit brought by two Detroit police officers, who claimed they were fired because they knew too much about the married mayor's conduct. After pleading guilty, according to the Associated Press report, Kilpatrick walked into a City Hall conference room, where he was greeted with thunderous applause. He should remember that greeting as he serves four months in jail. He probably should have passed a hat, too, because he also has to pay $1 million restitution and give up his law license. But the angle of the story that really got to me was the report that came out this week saying that Kilpatrick has to vacate the mayoral residence, known as the Manoogian Mansion, by Sept. 18. What? The mayor gets a mansion? I've never known a mayor who lived in a mansion. Ralph El Ramey, who was mayor when I arrived in Wilson, lived in a modest house on Lee Street and is still there 28 years later. Bruce Rose, who defeated El Ramey, lived at the time in a slightly more upscale but still modest brick rancher, where he remained until remarrying a couple of years ago and moving into his new wife's equally modest digs. Gov. Sarah Palin, former mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, did not have a mayoral mansion in the little town of about 6,000 people, but she apparently did have a lot of clout. According to some news reports, Palin exercised her mayoral authority by firing the police chief and town librarian. In North Carolina, mayors, frankly, don't have a lot of clout. Take a look at Wilson City Council. The mayor gets to play with the gavel and greet visitors, but he doesn't vote except in the case of a tie. It's the city manager and his subordinates who do the hiring and firing. Mayors in North Carolina represent the city but don't run it. North Carolina likes to keep politics and administration separate. N.C. mayors are more like Queen Elizabeth than Vladimir Putin. It's nice if they can conduct a meeting according to Roberts Rules of Order, but they won't be passing out patronage jobs. They can voice their opinions, either in public or behind the scenes, and can often sway public policy by their influence. But living in an official, taxpayer-paid mansion or putting all your relatives and friends on the city payroll? Doesn't happen in North Carolina. tarleton@wilsontimes.com | 265-7812
|
Add Comment:  (All comments must be approved)
View Comments: (0 comments)
|
|
|
|
