In today’s lead editorial, the N&RE endorses incumbent Yvonne Johnson for mayor in the upcoming Greensboro municipal election. Guarino analyzes the endorsement graph by graph. I’ll add my two cents, for what it’s worth.
I really have no idea where the N&R gets the notion that Mayor Johnson has “exercised calm, confident leadership” during the constant controversy surrounding the Greensboro Police Department. It is exactly her lack of leadership that has allowed the problem to keep festering. If she had her way, Mitchell Johnson would still be city manager, yet the N&R conveniently doesn’t tell us that Mayor Johnson was one of the ‘no’ votes to “push the manager into retirement.” Nice way to put it, but we all know Johnson was fired expressly because of the turmoil he created within the police department. As for the mayor not seeing “any racial aspect” Chief Tim Bellamy’s hiring, did the N&R think she would admit that Bellamy was hired because he was black?
The N&R goes on and says Mayor Johnson, generally speaking, Mayor Johnson possesses a reassuring equanimity and good humor.” I’ve watched a lot of City Council meetings well, and sdddhe does not conduct the meeting well, nor she does not appear to be informed or authoritative on most issues coming before the council. As for economic development, her two main ideas appear to be the greenway and turning garbage into gold.
This does not constitute an endorsement for Bill Knight, though —- as the N&R puts it—– his lack of specificity on budgetary matters means the city just borrows and spends too much damn money —- period. Making that the focus of city government would be a positive start.
