Neither is exactly what you would call a ringing endorsement. The N&R says no matter who wins —-incumbent Mayor Robbie Perkins or challenger Nancy Vaughan — the city will be in good hands:
It’s a shame Robbie Perkins and Nancy Vaughan can’t run as a ticket.
The two rivals for mayor fit so well as complementary pieces that the City Council will be diminished by having one without the other.
But whoever is the victor, the loser will leave the council altogether — either Perkins, an ambitious and energetic sitting mayor, or Vaughan, a sharply focused and consistently effective at-large councilwoman.
If Perkins, 57, had a mantra it probably would be “Just do it.” And if Vaughan, 52, had one it might add, “But do it well … and carefully.”
Meanwhile John Hammer’s endorsement offers up more reasons why Perkins —given his personal and financial problems—- shouldn’t be mayor than why Vaughan should be mayor:
Perkins says he is in favor of jobs, jobs, jobs, but the major push he has made as mayor has been for a performing arts center downtown, and that is not going to provide many jobs for Greensboro. One estimate was 12 full-time jobs. That is not even a drop in the bucket for a city of 277,000.
Vaughan and Perkins have similar voting records on many issues, but there are also significant differences on some major issues, and a tremendous difference in style. Vaughan has worked to shed light on what the council is doing and Perkins has worked to keep the public in the dark as much as possible.
We recommend you vote for light.
Hammer also cites as one of Vaughan’s positives is her leadership in revamping Downtown Greensboro Inc., which just brought its ‘new poobah.’
