10/7, Musings on Marchione and Robinson

At my daughter's soccer game yesterday a parent - whom I respect - abruptly asked me who I was voting for and why. Marchione or Robinson?

My impulse response was "Marchione - because he can get the job done....Marchione has the assets to manage the city staff of 700 rather than be managed by staff. Under either candidate, we will have lots of growth in Redmond.

The parent then asked if I was basing my vote on the negative comments circulating around Mayor Ives (Ives endorses Jim). I said " NO! but I am influenced from my phone talks and a few encounters with her over recent years." Every time Mayor Ives called me by phone and sometimes by email, she had something derogatory to say about two senior council members. It was really disheartening. I asked my parent-friend if he had ever talked to Mayor Ives? He nodded NO. Rosemarie can be very charming on first impresson.

Another parent barked support for Marchione from the bleachers.

Soon after, all the parents and players began jumping up and down and yelling!...Lexie just scored!...but we missed it!! End of discussion!

--------------------------------------------

COMMENT FROM "Roger", 10/13

For some of us, Mayor Ives endorsement of Jim is a reason to vote against him. A typical interaction with Mayor Ives involves her explaining why she is right and everyone else is wrong. She is right and the council is wrong. She is right and John Marchione is wrong. She is right and all the citizens who voted for or against something are wrong. It must be so hard to be right all the time!

And, oh yeah, I forgot. Mayor Ives is right and the city staff is all wrong. It took a lot of courage for the city staff to show up at the council meetings and confront the mayor. If she was running for re-election, it probably wouldn't have happened. I know city staff who are basically terrified of her.

Rosemarie Ives wasn't a bad mayor sixteen years ago. But something happened. Redmond became her city, not our city. It's time for the citizens to take it back. It's time for a mayor who is going to lead the city, not rule it. I don't know if John Marchione is perfect, but I'll take him over Jim Robinson any day.