“I’m not a politician.”
Several candidates for city office said this during interviews with The Journal Gazette’s editorial board in recent weeks. Most, I imagine, were trying to distance themselves from “career politician” or other derogatory senses of the word, which some associate with candidates who will do anything to win or hope to profit handsomely.
But if you’re running for office – particularly in a party primary, for an office in the state’s second-largest city – you are by definition a politician. That means campaigning. That means raising money. That means learning about the issues. That means learning what powers a City Council member has – and doesn’t have. That means actually attending some council meetings.
The idea that a candidate can win only by going door to door has become nearly passé in a city this size; even for a district City Council seat, individual districts have more than 40,000 residents, larger than Richmond, West Lafayette, Goshen and most other Indiana cities. And here’s a secret: Smart candidates going door to door in the primary have a list of which addresses have residents who vote in the respective party primaries and go only to those homes.
Ballot work?
I appeared on the Indiana’s News- Center show “Impact” with Ryan Elijah on Sunday, and he asked a question worth considering: Should candidates have to present a petition to get on the ballot to run for mayor?
As it stands, 10 people are running for mayor in the two parties’ primaries, and only about half are serious. Some have absolutely no interest in campaigning, no chance to win and aren’t really even trying to make a point.
Council fight ahead?
Don’t be surprised to see some City Council members launch yet another attempt to micromanage the Henry administration and engage in a protracted debate that will take much more time than it’s worth.
The city is rightly planning to improve West State Boulevard between Wells and Clinton streets, both for reasons of safety and flood control. The curve near Eastbrook and Westbrook drives is dangerous (perhaps the only intersection in the city where a mirror has been part of the traffic navigation), and some changes will help mitigate flooding of Spy Run Creek.
The city has bought and leveled several homes in the area for flood control. But other homeowners are worried how their properties will be affected.
Once again, Democrat John Shoaff appears headed to oppose the administration of fellow Democrat Tom Henry, while Republican Marty Bender will likely support the mayor’s staff on this one.
Voucher holdouts
Eight GOP senators bucked the party line and voted against the bill allowing publicly financed vouchers to send students to private schools.
Two notable holdouts: Vaneta Becker of Evansville, a 24-year member of the House now in her seventh year as a senator, who questioned the bill’s effect in reducing money for public schools, and 33-year Senate veteran Johnny Nugent of Lawrenceburg.
