Disagreeing with the Mayor

Funk has announced his support of the current smoking policy, which is that smoking is legal in bars and restaurants until 80% of surrounding areas enact a smoking ban. He explains:

I intend to follow through on the promise I made during the campaign for mayor, and that is to honor the current ordinance, which represents a compromise that was reached after a very long and sometimes contentious period of public debate. [. . .]

I believe that it would be disrespectful to the process if we were to back away from the ordinance now. And I believe it would be dishonest and disingenuous if I were to break my campaign promise.

Well, I disagree with his position. The prior council's action was a backroom response to bar-owner bullying, and I expect Funk to rise above that kind of politics. Reading between the lines, it sounds like he shook hands with Nigro on this point during the election, and given the narrowness of his victory, it's possible it was a necessary handshake in order to put himself in position to become mayor and achieve his other reforms. If so, it was probably a smart move.

Fortunately, Mark's just one vote on the Council, and the signers of the petition have done the work to force the issue onto the ballot despite his opposition. I believe that the majority of the council will shepherd the issue through the process, led by Beth Gottstein, who has taken a leadership role in this issue. I trust the process.

I disagree with the Funk on this issue. It doesn't mean that he's a bad mayor, it doesn't mean that I want to recall him, it doesn't mean that the sky is falling. It certainly doesn't mean that I wish Brooks/Glorioso had won. It doesn't mean that I am going to turn this blog into a receptacle for a daily ani-Mayor rant.

It merely means that two people who care deeply about our city disagree on a point. The next time I see him, I'll politely express my disagreement. That's the way adults handle disagreements.