Yesterday, PT asked whether you thought Vision or another party will capture a majority of seats on Council. Today, PT asks whether you think it’s a good idea for a single party to have a majority of councillors (minimum five) on City Council.
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I express my opinion in this Surrey Now article by Amy Reid: A new mayor is coming – but don’t forget about councilors.
Naturally, all eyes are on the mayoral candidates in the race for the city’s top job. But Gordon Price, a six-term Vancouver councillor and director of SFU’s city Program, said it’s easy to forget how important those sitting in the other seats are.
A mayor on his or her own doesn’t have as much power as some might assume, he explained. “Really, a significant amount of the power of a mayor is dependent upon their personality and ability to create a sufficient power block or consensus. otherwise they don’t really have much power. Power of the pulpit, power of setting the agenda – but you’ve got to get those votes.”
Price noted, generally, people tend to look to the mayor for their symbolic function as the leader, in addition to setting the agenda. “And those are two pretty significant things but in either case, there’s no guarantee you’re going to be able to get what you want done unless you’ve got that majority vote either on the issue that you’ve brought forward or because it’s your party or slate or coalition.
“So while electing a mayor one deems suitable is important, electing those to sit as councillors is equally important, he said. “My advice would be to choose a party, a platform, a mayor – and all of the above – that is consistent with the direction you want to see your municipality go,” Price urged.” …
After their sweep in 2011, we asked Price what it means when a sole party is around the council table. One concern is the bubble effect, he said, where you “don’t get the forcefulness of counter points of view. It’s not that you won’t be aware of other points of view but when you’re sitting around a council table and you have an advocate for a different perspective, who doesn’t have to take into account that that they’re a member of a caucus, there’s a different dynamic.”
Price speaks from experience, as he has been a member of a council where his party was nearly unanimous. “I sat on six Vancouver councils. We always had a majority…. I like the combination of the ability to govern and I like the continuity and I like the consistency. But then, of course, I would,” he said with a chuckle. “Politicians sure like to have the power on their side.” …
“While people say… they want to make sure one party doesn’t get too arrogant, they become increasingly unhappy with a fractured council that can’t seem to get its act together and is always squabbling,” Price said. “That pendulum will swing real fast.”
