First in a series.
Before analyzing yesterday’s vote on four measures from City Hall, Mayor Jim Clarke this morning voiced his fondest hope:
Tracking the election until he was post-midnight-bleary-eyed, the ubiquitous Mr. Clarke is searching for a secluded island where he can park his fatigued bones for a few minutes.
“A deserted island with no access to phones, computers, televisions.”
The mayor never left home, but he still is drained by the unrelieved election din.
Given the congenial bachelor’s penchant for spanning serious geography, Culver City mayor-watchers will not be surprised if he turns up with a South Seas tan.
Time for serious assessment of the four measures CA – new supervision for the fire chief and police chief, CW – clean water parcel tax, CB – creating a waiting period for City Council members who resign, and CD – allowing the Council to meet as frequently or rarely as deemed necessary.
“I am very pleased about CW,” Mr. Clarke said. “That was the most important one to us because we need to address stormwater urban runoff mitigation requirements that are being imposed upon us.”
The most egregious faction in this potentially explosive package is a parcel that theoretically could endure until the Messiah – even longer for those who don’t subscribe to a messiah.
The uncapped lifespan of the parcel tax was the most disagreeable sticking point for voluble critics.
Mr. Clarke admitted that it could outlive a few hardy people.
“The way these things work,” said the mayor, “a vote of the public is required to create them. But at any Council meeting, three votes can just end it.”
That, however, is unlikely to happen.
“Right, not in the immediate future,” said the mayor. “Who knows, though? Maybe we will have a hundred-year flood, and we will have other (new) expenses.”
And so, the parcel tax today is becoming law without an ending date, even a fuzzy-wuzzy one.
Mr. Clarke was pressed for a guess at the lifespan of the parcel tax.
(To be continued)
