But enough of my opinions. For now. Municipal elections are less than a year away. Read on.
I asked West Vancouver councillors two questions: "1. At this point do you intend to run for re-election next November? 2. Are you considering running for mayor?" I thought they were pretty good sports to answer. Let them speak.
Bill Soprovich: "I plan to run for re-election to council." Short and sweet from West Van's senior and perennially popular councillor.
Trish Panz: "Apologies for my delayed response, out of the country dealing with a family situation. My easy answer to your easy question is, my focus is working hard on council's five priorities for this term, and I have not made a formal decision at this time."
Nora Gambioli: "1. I love this 95 per cent of the time - who else can say that about their job? Thus, unless some major tragedy or upheaval were to befall me in the upcoming year, my intentions would be to run again, as a councillor, yes.
"2. Absolutely not. Mayors are paid three times what councillors are paid for a reason; it's three times the work! "I have two young kids, another job, an unwell 85-year-old father and a big garden. Councillor is just perfect for me. .. for now. .. (ha, ha!)."
Craig Cameron: When I solicited councillors' feelings about their first year on this council, Coun. Cameron barely missed the deadline. Also his candour is admirable and his points informative. I hate to cut the following too:
"The short answers to your questions are yes and no. I am very much enjoying my work on council and feel I have more to accomplish.
"Regarding the position of mayor, the truth is that I simply could not afford it. By my rough calculations, taking such a pause in my career would leave me more than $200,000 in the hole for a three-year term (not counting the cost of my pension being reduced about $9,000 per year from age 60 on - another $200,000 if I live to age 80). Keep in mind I am a lawyer in the civil service and am paid far less than my private bar contemporaries (for whom the loss would be higher).
"At present, only those who are independently wealthy or supported by someone else could afford to take the job. ... I don't point it out to complain (as I am content with my lot in life and the privilege of being on council) but instead to offer a real-life rejoinder to those who question the earnings of civic officials.. .. I wouldn't want to be the first sitting mayor to go bankrupt! "Nor, in all seriousness, would I want to force hard financial choices on my family so I could be mayor (and, for the record, our lifestyle is modest and does not include luxury cars, private schools or exclusive clubs)."
Mary-Ann Booth: "While it is still early days, at this point I'm very much enjoying the job and am likely to run again."
Mayor Mike Smith: "There are things I would still like to see get done in the district and some projects that I would like to see through to completion. I am getting a lot of encouragement to run for a second term but I will make a final decision in the spring."
Michael Lewis: "1. Yes. 2. Too early to say."
With her sharp analytical mind, Constant Reader will jump on the last three statements.
Got it? Booth doesn't answer the mayoralty question. I rate her council's most politically ambitious member. She wants the mayor's office.
I believe she's weighing whether the voters - who overlooked her husband's employment with a law firm serving the Grosvenors and their now-approved development for Marine Drive and 13th - have moved on from doubts about the propriety of the family connection, and don't care that she had to recuse herself repeatedly from voting on the Grosvenor issue. That stilled a council voice on a top local issue. Not good.
My take is that Smith has an even hand on the tiller, gets establishment backing, is respected even by critics, and has re-election in the bag. If he runs. He's financially triple-A, loves his Hawaii home that he visits on each side of the holiday Mondays when council doesn't meet, and may feel he's done his one-term mayoral bit.
Reader, look closely at the website video clips or when Shaw broadcasts West Van council meetings. Unless my drawing attention to them makes them change their ways: Check the councillor(s) who don't speak to other councillors - but directly to the television camera. Starting their election campaigns early, hmmm? Most intriguing response? Lewis's. Employing my unmatched gift of prophecy, I predict: If Smith retires, look for a Lewis-Booth faceoff for mayor next November. If.
