There are nine elected officials on the Portland City Council, including the mayor. Each has one vote. In order to pass any initiative, five votes are needed. This requires councilors, including the mayor, to work together to come to agreement. Any leader, whether a councilor or the mayor, must persuade at least four other elected officials of the wisdom of his or her proposal.
Some people perceive the council as “dysfunctional.” I perceive our mayor acting as a Lone Ranger, unwilling to engage with his colleagues and criticizing them vociferously when they fail to knuckle under to his proposals. I think he should instead ask himself why there are so many 8-1 or 7-2 votes against his ideas.
A true leader should reflect our entire diverse community, not a narrow progressive constituency. Spencer Thibodeau is a true listener, who processes what he hears from a variety of perspectives. He has earned my vote.
Anne Pringle
former mayor of Portland
Portland
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