
Jeff Cohen at WNPR had an interesting story about the battle for Council President when the new Council begins.
Click here to read Jeff's storyKenneth Kennedy, a Council incumbent, is seeking the Presidency as well as Council newcomer Shawn Wooden. The vote apparently comes down to one swing vote, also a Council newcomer, Kyle Anderson. The general consensus is that three Democrats have aligned themselves behind Kennedy and the three minority Council members, all Working Families Party members are behind Wooden. That leaves Anderson potentially as the deciding vote.
One of the points I tried to make repeatedly is that people need to think hard about who is placed in the position of Council President. We need to ask if we can imagine that person as potentially the Mayor. The Council President, as outlined in the Charter, is the successor to the Office of Mayor if the Mayor is removed from office or can not complete their term.
We saw that last year when Eddie Perez was convicted on corruption charges and left office in shame as a convicted felon. I shudder to think what would have happened if the Council President wasn't Pedro Segarra at the time and someone else might have become Mayor.
But going back to the Cohen story. Councilman Kennedy was quoted in the story as follows, "I know the rumor mill in Hartford but I want to state unequivocally that Mayor Segarra is going to finish his entire term.".
Unequivocally? Based upon what, a crystal ball? ESP? the stars? In true political fashion, it seems like a promise being made that no one can guarantee. It seems like the Councilman may be trying to allay potential fears of what kind of Mayor he would be if he is fortunate enough to gain the Council President's seat.
I'm sure many people would have said "unequivocally" that Eddie Perez would have finished his term also, but a lot of things can change in the course of four years and no one can back up a statement like that, not even Councilman Kennedy.