Fatigue

Well, Richard Berry did take the Mayor's election without a runoff. I thought it unlikely, but fatigue with the Chavez administration did Mayor Marty in. Richard Romero just could not give good reasons to vote for him. This was all done on a low turn out and low interest election with just over 25% of the electorate participating.

Congratulations to Mayor Elect Berry. He is going to need everyone's help as he comes into a financial meltdown of city finances cause by eight years of overspending and a tanked economy. Last night I spoke with city councillor Ken Sanchez, who has always carried water for Mayor Chavez but also knows city finances well. He admitted that the condition of the city treasury was scary and that city employees and other interests groups were going to have to sacrifice greatly for a while.

Berry will have to run a bi-partisan effort as he tackles these enormous problems. He wont have time, at least for a while, to fall into the grip of radical republicans who will now take credit for his election. Berry got democrat votes too along with a lot of independents. He will have to continually remind himself that he was elected with a plurality and not a majority. He faces a split city council but it is also a mostly veto proof council.

I think he will do well if he listens. He must put together a really good transition team that can take some of the heat off of him. They can give him tough recommendations on balancing the budget and erecting a safety net for our most needy citizens.

I sincerely hope he is successful. In times like these everyone needs to pull together.