KC mayor's campaign: What we know so far
Yael T. AbouhalkahThe Kansas City mayoral primary is just 15 weeks away. To get the ball rolling, the Citizens Association on Tuesday night held a debate where four leading mayoral candidates rationally discussed the issues. And that’s positive.
Here’s what we know - or hope we know - so far.
First, Kansas City is fortunate that some well-informed people with obvious knowledge of the city and its problems and its potential are running.
Second, Mayor Mark Funkhouser isn’t one of them. He correctly didn’t make the cut to be in the debate and doesn’t deserve to be one of the two finalists after the Feb. 22 primary, either. Yes, he’s entitled to believe he’s been a good mayor. But Kansas Citians should not be fooled by his rhetoric or his selective memory.
He has put his wife, Gloria Squitiro, in charge of his campaign, even after she cost taxpayers $500,000 for her unprofessional conduct in his office. And he pledged Monday night that she would be right by his side if he wins a second term. Perish the thought.
Third, the four leading candidates all have potential strengths to be an effective mayor, as they showed Tuesday night.
Mike Burke has a solid resume with impressive knowledge of city politics as well as civic agendas.
Deb Hermann knows full well the fiscal challenges the city faces.
Sly James has enough optimism to infect the entire city.
Jim Rowland has a breadth of experience that could help him lead the city.
Fourth, as they also illustrated Tuesday, all have some faults that Kansas Citians will see on the campaign trail. That just means voters - as always - will have to decide who has the most positive attributes and the fewest negatives.
Will people see Burke as a forceful leader, not just someone good at behind-the-scenes negotiations?
Will people see Hermann as fresh, mayoral material even though she’s been on the council during a tumultuous four years?
Will people think James can be an effective elected official given his lack of knowledge about City Hall politics?
Will people think Rowland’s direct manner can really help build collaboration at City Hall?
Fifth, this needs to be a clean-as-it-can-be campaign.
Of course, the candidates will take pot shots at each other, as they did a few times Tuesday night. I frankly didn’t see a lot of cheap shots, though, but mostly ones based on substantive differences with each other on the issues.
Still, I really like Hermann’s insistence that voters are in a negative mood these days, and a dirty campaign would hurt the image of anyone who takes over as mayor.
The person who will replace Funkhouser needs to be swept into office as a positive antidote to what ails the city now, in the form of Funkhouser and his wife.
The upcoming campaign is going to be extremely interesting and meaningful, especially with the future of the earnings tax scheduled to be on the April 5 ballot, just days after a new mayor is elected.
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