ORANGE COUNTY PERSPECTIVE : A Mayor or a Marshmallow?

Goodby, direct accountability of the mayor to the citizens. Goodby to the expectation that a mayor be something more than a mere ribbon-cutter.

That’s what proponents of Measure E on the Irvine city ballot on Nov. 6 apparently want. While the courts agonize over Irvine’s convoluted plan of political succession, those who wish to end the city’s direct election of mayors are trying to seize the moment by pushing Measure E.

They point to the city’s wild politics and wrenching litigation over the City Council seat vacated when Sally Ann Sheridan was elected mayor last spring as reasons to support the measure. They argue that the city would best be served if the City Council elected one of its own as mayor for a one-year term, on a rotating basis.

Voters shouldn’t be fooled by the confusion of the succession issue with the entirely separate question of how a city picks its mayor. There’s no question that another city law already in effect, Measure D, provides flawed guidance for political succession.

But that’s only because the city happens to have elected its last two mayors from the council.

Irvine is going to suffer confusion over the remaining terms of council members elected to the office of mayor until it clarifies Measure D. There are lots of ways to take care of that problem, like requiring a council member running for mayor to vacate the council seat, or by asking voters to rank their choices for City Council.

Measure E would “solve” the succession problem almost incidentally, and at great cost to the process of democracy. People want the mayor to represent them and to set the tone of government in a city. That should not be left to a city manager on the assumption that the city manager will always be above politics.

It’s especially disappointing that Mayor Sheridan is arguing for Measure E. Sheridan, who was elected with the blessing of a broad voter constituency, is, by supporting Measure E, arguing against accountability and for the renunciation of her own popular support for mayoral policies.

Irvine voters chose a pothole-fixing mayor in Sheridan, instead of the international diplomat they had in Larry Agran, but they didn’t ask for a mayor stripped of leadership.

Sheridan regards council members and mayors as mere trustees and would like things to be more quiet and orderly. But democracy is not an ailment to be cured with a sleeping pill under the guise of reform.

Irvine is a planned community, but that doesn’t mean all things can be predictable. Let the city’s paid administrators keep traffic flowing, but have someone accountable to the voters to make high-level policy.

If the people are not happy with how it’s done, they can always throw the bum out.