DICK CASE
POST-STANDARD COLUMNIST
As Matt Driscoll gathers his cabinet for a pep talk later today, I'll step up to the podium to share a few thoughts:
You won.
It was close, the way we expected. Right to the end, we had trouble putting our brains to the task.
When that happens, we make it easy for ourselves: We go for the candidate in office. Also, you stepped into the natural advantage: There are more Democrats than Republicans signed on to vote.
And you had a strong third party candidate, who surprised some voters by his good thoughts and persuasive power.
There is one thing you need to get your heads around: It appears that less than half of citizens who could vote in the city of Syracuse got themselves to the machines this time.
In 2001, when Matt won, he got to be mayor on his own with but 35 percent of us who could vote.
That's hardly a landslide, by my measure. More like a backslide in the democratic process, I'd say.
What are we to make of a community where less than half of us don't care enough about who leads us to spend 15 minutes clicking a panel of levers?
Looks to me as if we gave up. The last time more than half of us voted for a mayor was 1985.
Looks to me as if politics in this town is long on talk, short on action.
As we look around the city today, what do we make of this? No mandate, that's for sure.
Winning feels good, yes, but in a moment of quiet reflection, consider how you got here. The last weeks of the campaign had a feel of desperation about them. Statesmanship took a hike.
There were times the mayor seemed like the stag in the headlights. All that nasty stuff about Destiny USA and Bob Congel may have turned some voters away from the campaign.
As in feeling a bit queasy and leaning over the side of the ship.
There's a payback due here. You owe the community a dose of clear thoughts and straight talk about what's in store for us. We've got too much unfinished business that demands attention, Destiny USA No. 1 among them.
Economic development? Government consolidation? And how about those bumpy streets?
What's next?
"We're studying it," just doesn't cut it. Never did.
Still, the citizens who voted for you gave you leave to keep up business as usual, which often was no business at all. I guess they like what they see.
The mayor today begins a four-year journey into history. As of Jan. 1, he's a lame duck.
The way City Hall leads, and acts, could set a course to higher office for him. Or down to the cellar of the bar to clear the draft lines.
We wait and watch. Is there another choice?
In the days ahead, our wisdom keepers will decide what Nov. 8 means for Syracuse. A wise mayor would seek that counsel.
Meanwhile, there'll be lots of chat about the Howie Factor. Did Howie Hawkins' showing make one candidate mayor, and send the other home?
And what of Joanie Mahoney? Has this campaign put out her fire and ambition?
Or will she find a way of channeling the promise many voters believe she has into a new challenge?
For starters, I'd like to see both Joanie and Howie run for Common Council next time. For the right person, that's one bully launching pad.
One real thing all of you in this room have to know this morning: Some of the citizens of the city have gifted you with the privilege of public service one more time.
Four more years? They are yours to make hell or heaven for us.
Dick Case is a Post-Standard columnist. Reach him at 470-2254, or by e-mail, citynews@syracuse
Posted by syracusegreens at November 9, 2005 10:47 PM