There has been quite a bit of discussion surrounding just who will be elected by the new 8-member council to serve in the honorary post of Vice Mayor, as I previously discussed. As reported in today’s Pilot, the decision will be made at Tuesday’s meeting.
Paul Riddick, who represents the ward in which I live – Ward 4 – seems poised to assume the role. Riddick previously served as vice mayor, shortly after he was elected to council. Daun Hester, who represents superward 7, is the current vice mayor.
As is normally the case, the Pilot points out all of Riddick’s past transgressions during his term on council. Honestly, I have never seen the Pilot write a postive article about him. Yes, Riddick has done some things that he is likely not proud of. At the same time, anything good that Riddick does seems to escape the notice of the Pilot. Riddick has served the constituents in his gerrymandered majority-minority ward well, providing a voice for those who otherwise wouldn’t have one. He’s doing what he was elected to do. At the same time, I don’t feel that he has shirked his responsibility to the other members of his ward, like my neighborhood.
The Pilot points to several things that Hester has supposedly done to upset other members of council. As I’ve said before, I think there is more to this than meets the eye. From an outsider’s perspective, the only thing that I see that Hester has done is attempt to play both sides, and, unfortunately, that is generally a losing proposition. I do believe that her fight to have a 4-2-1 mayoral plan may have been the proverbial straw. Riddick’s support of the plan now in effect, whereby the mayor was an additional seat on council, is a big part of the reason he is likely to be elected as vice mayor.
I like and respect both Riddick and Hester and given the nature of this post, either one would do a good job. The scale for me is tipped in favor of Paul Riddick, who was the only member of council willing to publicly support me as the Democratic nominee for city treasurer last year.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
Vivian, you’re pointing out the problem when you say
“The scale for me is tipped in favor of Paul Riddick, who was the only member of council willing to publicly support me as the Democratic nominee for city treasurer last year.”
Is supporting someone for Vice-Mayor just a return backscratch?
You say Riddick supports his “ward” but Hester plays “both sides.” Wouldn’t the person with the broader constituency serve as Vice-Mayor more effectively?
Or is it just about your campaign?
You don’t understand what it means to play both sides. It has nothing to do with a broader constituency.
And no, it is not about my campaign, per se. It is about whether there is such a thing as party discipline.
I thought city council was non-partisan.
Only when they want to be.