May 31, 2006
Conflicting Expectations
Not surprisingly, the News & Review endorsed Vice-Mayor Maureen Kirk, while the ER endorsed Councilor Steve Bertagna for Third District Supervisor.
Yet one part of the ER endorsement editorial caught my eye:
“Kirk, who is completing her second four-year term on the Chico City Council, has many fine attributes, including an ability to listen to all sides of an argument. Sometimes, that's a detriment: Our only qualm about Kirk is that she sometimes succumbs to pressure from her backers.”
The above paragraph perfectly highlights the dilemma that faces elected officials. You might be applauded for your willingness to listen to all sides and your non-ideological approach to public decision-making, but when you make a few decisions that someone disagrees with, you’re considered too malleable.
I think very highly of Vice-Mayor Kirk and believe she would be an excellent Supervisor. When I served on the City Council with her, we agreed on many issues but we disagreed on several issues too.
But most importantly, I knew Vice-Mayor Kirk would listen to my arguments and balance my arguments with others who might offer a different perspective.
Although critics like the ER might think she “sometimes succumbs to pressure from her backers,” I see in Vice-Mayor Kirk an elected official who actually responds to citizens prior to drawing any definitive conclusions on her own.
She’s willing to change course as she gathers new information and perspectives that help her make the best decision she thinks for the community.
If the ER thinks Kirk “sometimes succumbs to pressure from backers,” does this mean that Councilor Bertagna succumbs to pressure from his backers all the time?
If there is anything I learned while serving on the City Council, it’s that when you’re faced with making decisions in the public interest, you’re inevitably subjecting yourself to public criticism.
One reason is that citizens have conflicting expectations for their elected officials.
On the one hand, they expect elected officials to be consistent with a set of clear principles. When an elected official stands firm under public pressure, that elected official is applauded by some for the courage of conviction.
Critics, however, might view the elected official as stubborn, inflexible, and perhaps even too ideologically rigid.
Citizens also expect their elected officials to be open-minded, willing to listen to all sides of an issue, and willing to change course in response to public feedback.
These citizens desire elected officials who adjust and respond to the public, rather than elected officials who consistently stand firm for purely ideological reasons.
Critics, however, might believe that these elected officials are wishy-washy and cater too much to special interests.
While some might view an open-minded elected official, others might view that same elected official as an unprincipled decision-maker.
Furthermore, while some might view a principled elected official, others might view that same elected official as inflexible and unable to be persuaded by any different viewpoint.
More than any other local elected official in recent history, I think Maureen Kirk best reflects this dilemma of conflicting public expectations of elected officials.
This is why I think Maureen Kirk would make a great Supervisor. She balances the nuances and conflicting public expectations better than anyone.
Today's Scrabble word is rebato, a wired or starched collar of intricate lace worn in the 17th century.
Posted by dan_nt at May 31, 2006 12:00 AM
Comments
In other words, you can't win.
Posted by: Dave at May 31, 2006 07:10 AM
Some people like leaders that can lead and some like ones that can be led.
Votes all count as equal but opinions don't. There are usually fewer qualified ones than the majority that aren't. I like leaders that listen to everyone but have the discretion to know the difference.
Political winds change with the weather but they don't drift off course. The others just want to go along for the ride and get blown anywhere.
Posted by: Gregg Payne at May 31, 2006 04:50 PM
Gregg,
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind.
I think the great Oakland-based folk singer MC Hammer once said that.
Posted by: dan_nt at May 31, 2006 05:08 PM
I've always liked both Maureen and Steve a lot, but for completely different reasons.
I bet they would never have a mean thing to say about each other.
I hope their campaign marketing strategists can resist the temptation to bash either one of them.
Maybe they can keep the wind down to a cool breeze.
Posted by: Gregg Payne at May 31, 2006 07:43 PM
Since you've mentioned weather and politics in the same sentence, I can't resist.
My short term forecast for Chico: More political turmoil followed by periods of calm then occasional storms.
Longterm: "Global warming" will make it too hot for some people in their own homes, and they'll go to the air conditioned City Council Chambers on Tuesday nights to cool off, thus heating up the political process.
Posted by: Anthony Watts at May 31, 2006 09:00 PM
Poll results
Posted by: Josh man at May 31, 2006 09:19 PM
Thanks, Josh, for the poll information.
With any poll, I am interested in learning more about the 116 registered voters sample size.
This is one of the most important factors in any poll - not just the size of the poll, but who is represented in the sample size.
For example, of the 116 registered voters who responded, I wonder about the political party affiliation composistion of the sample size.
Did the sample size reflect the party affiliation percentage breakdown for the Third District?
Were these registered voters who indicated they have already voted or intend to vote in the Supervisor race, or simply registered voters who indicated their preferences but may not be likely voters?
Posted by: dan_nt at May 31, 2006 10:47 PM
Gregg,
Yes, kudos to Maureen Kirk, Steve Bertagna, and Chuck Kutz for running clean, positive campaigns.
So far, the only hardball politics I've seen is over the trivial non-malicious use of a County seal on a campaign website. Hardly anything to get worked up over.
I am not surprised by this turn of events. Although I'm supporting Maureen Kirk and have disagreed with Steve Bertagna on some significant growth issues, I've found both of them to be amicable, good natured people.
Both Kirk and Bertagna are not, by nature, mean-spirited people, unlike some folks who tend to gravitate towards politics or write frequent letters to the editor bashing the same people over and over again.
Posted by: dan_nt at May 31, 2006 10:52 PM