I’m sure neither of them would appreciate being likened to the other, but it’s hard not to see a bunch of parallels between Mount Vernon’s Mayor, Richard Thomas, and President Donald Trump. Those similarities are all the more striking in the context of recent fights about government finances. Both the Federal government shutdown and the recent budget crisis in Mount Vernon have shown what happens when arrogant, imperious executives who want total control to spend beyond their means come up against an opposition that disagrees with their approach and their methods.

Setting apart their obvious age differences, the other similarities are eerie. Both serve as chief executives in their government; some shady characters surround both; both have drawn a lot of attention from prosecutors in recent months. Both have made a lot of promises they can’t keep. Both are quick to file lawsuits when anyone objects to their agenda. And, of course, both are prone to throwing temper tantrums via social media.

Also, as the Federal government shutdown and the Mount Vernon budget crisis have made clear, both Trump and Thomas (TNT) have demonstrated a fundamental misunderstanding of how government, particularly government finance, works. Both of them profess to be experts and, as it turns out, both of them are wrong. Here are a few facts to illustrate the point.

Fact #1 – The Budget is Written by the Legislature. Contrary to the lies being put out, neither the Mayor nor the President is in charge of the budget. That belongs to the Congress and, here in Mount Vernon, to the City Council. At best, all the executive branch can do is to “recommend” a budget for next year. They issue, basically, a “wish list,” and the legislative branch drafts what will ultimately be the budget for the year. The separation of powers doctrine in US governmental systems dictates that the people spending the money are not the same ones responsible for authorizing its spending. This is an important check on the power of the executive branch. Who doesn’t like this basic civics fact? People like Thomas and Trump, of course.

Mayor Thomas keeps suggesting that the City Council should “pass his budget.” What he really means is that the City Council should rubber-stamp his irresponsible spending. That is not going to happen.

Fact #2 – Passing a Budget is Not the End of the Process. The budget is designed to estimate the financial needs of the government for the coming year. And, yes, it contains estimates. It’s never a precise, final document. Things come up in the year, just like they do in your own household, that you hadn’t budgeted for and yet still need to be paid. In that sense, it’s a guideline only. The City Council can make changes and authorize spending not contained in the budget throughout the year. This is something that Mayor Thomas, as a former “Council member”, knows all about. But, it is just a bald-faced lie to claim that, if something is not in the budget the City will not pay it for.

Some things, like fixing Mount Vernon’s bridges, have already had money ear-marked. Mayor Thomas has made a recent statement that the 2019 budget doesn’t include funding for bridge repair. First, the MTA is mostly responsible for allocating those monies. Second, we have already secured over $3 million from State and Federal sources to fund Mount Vernon’s portion. That happened in 2014. It’s been Mayor Thomas who has been unable to push along these bridge fixes in his entire tenure as mayor. Remember the 14th Avenue Bridge closure that Mayor Thomas said was going to be re-opened in March 2019? That’s two weeks away. Go see for yourself if that’s going to happen. Short answer: it’s not. This is not a budget issue. This is a failure of leadership issue.

Fact #3 – They Want Control, Not Collaboration. The reality is that Thomas and Trump have identified some very expensive things they want to pay for and, if the money is in the budget, they have complete control over how that money is spent. If it’s not in the budget, they need to come to the legislature and work collaboratively to accomplish those things. For Trump, it’s a border wall. For Thomas, it’s a waterfront or a ferry service to LaGuardia or a domed stadium for Memorial Field or any of a host of other pie-in-the-sky projects that will never amount to anything. Both of them know that, if they had to justify the value of these projects on their own, it would be very difficult or impossible. Which is why they want the money in the budget.

Fact #4 – Not Everything Belongs in the Budget. This is another fact that Thomas and Trump fail to appreciate. The budget is designed to approximate the financial needs of the government for everyday activities – fire, police, DPW, administration, etc. It is NOT designed to allocate money for big-ticket projects that are built once and do not recur every year. Those are considered “capital improvements” and must be dealt with separately, via appropriate legislation. Things like rebuilding the sewers or remediating the mound of dirt at Memorial Field are not appropriate budget line items generally.

Trump is not going to build a border wall every year. Thomas is not going to fix the sewers every year. These are distinct projects that require their own planning and their own budgets. Neither Thomas nor Trump have the attention span necessary to sit down and get these things accomplished in collaboration with the people who need to approve that spending. To do so would diminish their belief that they are completely in charge of the government. That misguided belief notwithstanding; the structure of the government is specifically designed to avoid having a single person in charge.

Fact #5 – Lies and Temper Tantrums are Not Leadership. The simple fact remains: the executive branch is limited in its power. Thomas and Trump do not like that fact. They spend a lot of time and effort trying to change that fact, time they should have spent making their case for the projects they want. Border security is not necessarily a partisan issue; there are plenty of aspects of that issue on which both sides agree. Compromises can be achieved when that happens and the same goes for Memorial Field. The City Council wants to see Memorial Field rebuilt and available for the citizens of Mount Vernon. But, it needs to be done in a way that doesn’t invite fraud or corruption and makes sense for the taxpayers. Mayor Thomas keeps showing people the picture of a domed stadium for $120 million dollars that “corporate investors” are ready to pay for. Where are these investors? If Magic Johnson and Puff Daddy are so interested in funding Memorial Field, I encourage the Mayor to bring them to the next Council Meeting and detail their ideas. The reality is this: No outside investors exist. Mayor Thomas is just inventing a narrative that doesn’t exist.

And, that brings us to another similarity between Thomas and Trump: they are both willing to shamelessly lie to people. About their abilities; their programs; the “conspiracies” out to get them; their connections to shady individuals; their personal finances and their popularity.

Voters are going to have to wait until 2020 to make their position known on Trump. But, in Mount Vernon, the voters don’t have to wait that long. This year, voters are going to be able to tell Mount Vernon’s Donald Trump that they are just tired of the lies, the petty games, and the irresponsible leadership.

Mount Vernon didn’t elect a king and neither did the rest of the country. Voters may understandably feel some sense of regret about both of these choices, but that’s the genius of the system. Let’s stop the fighting and get to work!

If you have thoughts or comments about this issue or any other, reach out to me at ADWCMV@gmail.com.

There’s been a lot of name-calling and finger-pointing, but it looks like Mount Vernon’s budget for 2019 is going to move forward – and it’s going to do so responsibly, utilizing actual numbers, and with the support of both the Comptroller and the City Council.

That’s the good news. Below, you’ll see a summary of the joint budget of the City Council and the Comptroller. It involves a tax increase of only 1.93%, which represents a reduction of approximately 30% from the budget originally proposed by Mayor Thomas (a 2.69% increase). We have worked closely with the Comptroller to place some realistic projections around revenues and combined that with some reasonable cuts in spending. Mostly, we have reduced the big raises called for by the Mayor for his commissioners. The rest of the budget gives the Mayor adequate room to provide necessary City services and to help Mount Vernon get back on a path to paying its bills and rebuilding its credit.

The bad news is that this entire process has been marred by truly shameful conduct on the part of Mayor Thomas, unbecoming of the behavior expected of a public official. Rather than attempt to be a part of the solution, Mayor Thomas made the problem worse by stoking the flames of public division and, frankly, by just flat-out lying to people. Case in point: his so-called “15.8%” budget that he claimed was put forth by the “Councilman Wallace” never happened. It’s just a blatant lie he made up to further divide this City. While claiming to cling to the “truth” and to “facts,” Mayor Thomas had no time for either. Some of the tactics used by Mayor Thomas to force his hidden spending agenda on the voters of this City border on the criminal. Again, the people of Mount Vernon deserve better.

With the grateful thanks to the hard work of my fellow Council members, particularly Council Member Griffith, and to Comptroller Reynolds in coming together to advance a responsible, fiscally sound 2019 budget, it is time to get back to the business of making this City grow and prosper. If this budget process has proven anything, it’s this: People who throw temper tantrums don’t solve problems. People, who work hard together find solutions. Let’s hope we can build upon this experience and move forward.

If you have thoughts or comments about this issue or any other, reach out to me at ADWCMV@gmail.com.

Finger-pointing, blame, obstinate political leadership, stubborn inability to compromise, allegations of criminal wrongdoing, indecisive leadership, interruption in services, gridlock, instability and uncertainty all leading to government shutdown.

I had intended to write a column this week about the budget crisis in Washington and the shutdown of the Federal government over the holidays. But, as I started writing, I realized everything I was going to say about the national scene seems to be playing out in our own backyard. That long list above is equally applicable to Mount Vernon. And, we have to deal with it. Of all the commentators and talking heads to weigh in, Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee described it the best, and it’s relevant here. “This is a made-up fight,” he said. “This is something that is unnecessary. It’s a spectacle and candidly, it’s juvenile.”

As I prepare to be sworn in as President of the Mount Vernon City Council on January 2nd, I do so in the middle of one of the nastiest and most polarized times in our City’s recent history. It’s a daunting challenge to say the least. Mostly, I’m concerned for the residents of Mount Vernon, particularly those who rely on government services. Winter is coming in earnest and now is not the time for childish political games. It’s time for the elected leadership to act like adults and come to the table, and I mean everyone.

In the hopes that the optimism of the New Year will present an opportunity to break through some old grudges and stubborn personality conflicts, on January 2nd, I am going to call for unity from Mount Vernon’s elected leaders asking for dialogue and mostly demanding compromise. These ideas are supposed to define the role of elected officials and yet, somehow they are completely absent from our local politics. The people of Mount Vernon are entitled to nothing less than unity, dialogue and compromise.

I am not above the fray. The City Council will need to act as a cohesive group and provide the legislative leadership Mount Vernon needs. It will need to be a strong steward of the financial ship, but it will also need to recognize that the Mayor plays an important part in defining priorities, too. I will call upon my fellow members of the Council to come to the new session with a renewed spirit of open-mindedness and commitment to this City’s needs. The Council is the backstop of Mount Vernon’s government, and it needs to embrace both its responsibilities and its limitations.

To the Mayor, on January 2nd, I will be calling on you to engage and to help build unity in Mount Vernon with the Council and the Comptroller. Many of the problems we are facing linger far too long simply because we are acting in our own silos. The Mayor needs to do a better job of bringing the various parts of the government together around his vision. Even if it means he is not going to get every thing he wants all at once. He needs to demonstrate executive leadership and identify real priorities, and that begins with consensus building and engagement. He needs to come to the Council’s work sessions and roll up his sleeves. He needs to make his Commissioners available to answer questions. Most importantly, he needs to be open to hearing things he might not want to hear. If he comes to the Council ready to work and ready to listen, the Council will meet him halfway, with professionalism and courtesy. I will promise him that.

I will also call on the Comptroller to be part of the solution by openly and transparently identifying her challenges – whether internal or external to the government. We need a strong and responsible fiscal watchdog, to be sure. But, the business of government needs to be done too. That means paying bills to vendors who supply the City with goods and services. That means articulating clearly her requirements for invoices and work orders. Right now we’re just facing chaos and inaction. If internal systems need to be fixed, then let’s fix them. Let’s get people paid. The consequence for the City of Mount Vernon if this trend continues is bankruptcy. Nobody wants that, the Council, Mayor or the Comptroller. Let’s identify the problems and solve the problems. We need to stop admiring the problems, blaming each other in the media and talking about how difficult they might be. Let’s just get things done!

It will not be productive to use our time together trying to explain how we got into this mess. We need to use the time to prioritize and solve problems. We need to pull together and do the people’s business. The key to that is unity. Before Election Day this year, I was asked to give a speech about that very topic for the Democratic Party. I will end this column with the beginning of that speech since it seems to be the same problems we face in Mount Vernon.

“From the outside looking in, the Democratic Party has looked like a political circus the last few years – and the only people looking to buy tickets are the local media. The internal political bickering seems to cast a dark shadow over our party, concealing who we truly are. The reality is, we are ONE BIG FAMILY; and – YES – like all families, we have our fair share of disagreements. However, no disagreement should ever be allowed to destroy a family because what we disagree on is never as important as what binds us together.”

Enjoy your holiday season. After that, let’s come together and get to work.

If you have thoughts or comments about this issue or any other, reach out to me at ADWCMV@gmail.com.

The New Year is right around the corner, and it’s time to take stock of where we are, how we got here, and where we want to go. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking in the past few weeks about these ideas and as much as I would like to keep things as positive as possible during the holiday season, the answers seem troubling. We’re not in a good place as a society. Our conversations, public and private are as coarse and unforgiving as I have ever seen. Our focus is completely inward and mostly narcissistic. Technology is exacerbating all of these trends and we are more divided than ever before, even when we’re on the same side! We’re adrift and floating along with no direction or hope that our current situation is going to change. Mount Vernon, like any community is a mirror of the larger society we live in, and what that mirror is showing us is troubling. So, how did we get here?

There are a lot of theories about what happened, when and how we got to this particular place. Some blame certain individuals who have divided us along political, social or cultural lines – a sort of “cult of personality” that is a lightning rod for societal division. Whether it’s Donald Trump or Barack Obama or maybe all the way back to Ronald Reagan as the theory goes, these powerful individuals have cultivated an “us versus them” vision of society where you are either on one side or the other. Deviating from their vision is equivalent to treason and cause for being ostracized from both sides.

Some put their finger on an increasingly technological world, one that tends to distract and separate us more than unite us. Even though information flow and social connectivity are at their peak, we somehow feel even more isolated and alone. In the Information Age, information has become weaponized as conspiracy theories, and fake news is passed off as fact to more people than ever. Online anonymous bullying has become the norm, not the exception and our children are inventing false adult narratives about themselves and, in the process, creating easier prey for predators. For a generation of people so invested in their online personas, the consequences are all too devastating and severe. It is heart breaking to see stories of children driven to suicide by social media criticism. A sad irony runs through those stories of course – the desire for social connection left them hopeless and without even a single person on whom to lean for support.

Personally, I think both of those theories are just symptoms of a much larger disease. The real sickness in society is rooted in the loss of our collective moral compass, our sense of drawing a definitive line between what is right and what is wrong. Without a fundamental moral code, lies are just “alternative truths” and cheating is just “a means to an end.” It probably began with the systematic dismantling of God and religion in public and sadly even in private life. In an ill-conceived effort to not offend and be more inclusive, we have replaced it with a divided civilization built on offense, both giving and receiving. Religion of any kind provides people with a moral code and, by participating in a religious community that code is reinforced and strengthened. When you take that away you produce a vacuum leaving a void that still needs to be filled. Some have filled it with things like “spiritualism”, environmental zeal or some shallow form of self-love that do not provide a moral direction.

This lack of moral compass shows itself in our politics and in our dealings as leaders too, with no exception. Leadership is a team sport, and it’s supposed to be dominated by the word “we.” Unfortunately, the word “I” is too often used in its place. Political traditions that were once the foundation on which smooth transition of government was accomplished is now called into question. Personal attacks are too quickly and too severely thrown around – without regard for the long-term implications. The will of the people has been reduced in favor of the politician’s ego and the resemblance of integrity is gone. When a politician can say something one day and ignore what he or she has said without repercussions whatsoever, the system is broken.

When the system is broken you get gridlock, in fighting, petty squabbling, lawsuits and criminal activity demonstrating a total disrespect for the people you represent. I would love to say that the answer is as simple as “throw the bums out.” But, it may be that we have created the very problems we seek to remedy and we don’t have the tools to easily fix it. For each “offense” to the system there are enablers and apologists who rationalize the offensive behavior.

Let’s start by taking a hard look at our-selves and try to find our moral center. Let’s acknowledge that being right is not a subjective notion and that being wrong is not worthy of praise. Let’s start by listening to each other and resisting the urge to discount others’ viewpoints because it didn’t come out of our mouths. Mostly, let’s hold people accountable for their judgment especially if that judgment is flawed. Doing the wrong things for the right reasons is fundamentally no different than doing them for the wrong reasons. Our politics and life needs to be rooted in a deep sense of fairness, integrity, and trust – all things that flow from a solid moral center.

None of us are above the fray and we all play our part. We each share the blame for the society we have produced which, means we all must play a part in reshaping it for the better. As we look to the New Year, let’s do so with a direction, a purpose, and a promise to not compromise moral values for more shallow and hollow pursuits.

Let’s also agree on a simple plan: the future of Mount Vernon is in our hands entirely and if we hope for greatness, we must demand accountability from our leaders. If we wish for success, we must expect professionalism. And, if we ever want to move forward, we need to stop making excuses for those who hold us back.

I wish each of you a healthy and a happy holiday season, and I look forward to seeing the people of Mount Vernon embrace the New Year and all its exciting possibilities.

If you have thoughts or comments about this issue or any other, reach out to me at ADWCMV@gmail.com.

It’s been an eventful year in Mount Vernon especially in city government. For the most part, there has been too much in fighting, too many seemingly unresolvable conflicts, too many instances of entrenched positions with stubborn reluctance to compromise and far too many lawsuits. Yes, that has all occurred in 2018. Now is the time of year when we can reflect upon the past year and make resolve to make a better New Year. Let us leave behind our contentions as this year fades, and single-mindedly focus on the needs of our residents in the coming year. Let us make an agreement to disagree productively. Let us never forget that we are here to serve the people of Mount Vernon.

Mount Vernon is a blessed community in many ways. It has vocal and passionate residents; Mount Vernonites hold nothing back when expressing their opinions or articulating their needs. People in our community want this city to succeed and have high expectations for its future. They have become increasingly intolerant of the dysfunctional behavior exhibited by their leadership. They expect their leaders to work together to get the peoples’ business done. This is a simple mandate.

As public servants, we are ourselves blessed to have such an active and vocal citizenry. Believe me, this is not the usual situation in our nation, our state, or even our county. The people of Mount Vernon are die hard in their devotion to this special place. That devotion plays out in their love for the Razorbacks and for their commitment to the rebuilding of Memorial Field. But it also plays out in their demand for vital accessible city services: bridge repairs, potholes repair, reduced emergency response times, safe neighborhoods, and regular road maintenance. They also want excellent schools, and productive extracurricular activities for their children.

Mount Vernon represents a strong community in every sense of the word. They will pull together in times of need and in times of crisis. The seasons may change, and the winter descends, the cold will test their patience, but it will also put on display their compassion and genuine concern for their fellow citizens. They will hold coat drives and collect blankets. They will bring hot meals to our elderly citizens. They will open their homes to friends and relatives to keep them warm as the storms rage, literally and figuratively. They will, in short, do what Mount Vernon residents always do: they will take care of their community.

The city of Mount Vernon is a special place by every measure, and despite its troubles, it is held in high esteem by its residents. With its rich and colorful history, Mount Vernon represents more than a collection of commuters who abandon the place by day and hide away at night. Mount Vernon is our home. Wherever else we may go in this world, Mount Vernon will remain our home. Whatever successes we may achieve in our lifetime, our city celebrates as part of the same community that cheered us on during the journey to success. We are proud of each other’s success. It’s what makes Mount Vernon special.

Let us celebrate the wonderful things that have happened for us in 2018. Let us thank the Almighty God for all his favors. Let us pray for those who have suffered loss, those who are in pain, those who seek freedom and those who are without food, shelter or hope. Let us pray for all our elected officials and our leaders that they may govern with fairness, compassion and a willingness to get the job done.

To my fellow City Council members, I truly value our partnership. We have argued with each other, we have celebrated with each other and we have challenged each other. But, despite all this, I know that you sincerely want to do the right thing for the City of Mount Vernon.

To my fellow residents of Mount Vernon, I wish you and your families a healthy, safe, and happy holiday season. May the blessings of this special place be received, as they have been by those of us who have the pleasure of serving you in government. May God grant you all His Blessings.

If you have thoughts or comments about this issue or any other, reach out to me at ADWCMV@gmail.com.

With the passing of President George H.W. Bush last week, we are given an opportunity to honor the contributions of an individual public servant. Our political focus is so torn apart today that both sides have already lined up to laud too much praise and to ascribe too much blame to this single individual. It’s so telling of our time that we cannot fairly reflect on the objective successes of a life well lived without engaging in destructive, divisive rhetoric. As a public servant myself, I understand the strain the position places on an individual and, whether or not I agreed with his politics, it is completely right and proper to take a minute to thank President Bush for his service to this country. But, more importantly, it is an opportunity to give thanks to all public servants who devote themselves to the common good.

By all objective measures, President Geroge H. W Bush led a spectacular life. War hero, successful businessman and politician, skilled negotiator, steady-handed leader, and devoted father and husband. History will judge him as perhaps one of the most qualified men to ever serve as President of the United States at a time when the world decided to rip itself apart on sectarian religious lines. Only one other man in history saw his son succeed him in the office of the presidency. President Bush had a front row seat for some of the most momentous events of the twentieth century including World War II, the Cold War, the formation of the European Union, and the rise to preeminence of the United States as a leader of the world. We should all wish to have lived such a full and interesting life.

Granted, Bush had his drawbacks too. Depending on your socioeconomic politics, his handling of the War on Drugs can be fairly questioned, as can some of his questionable political moves (e.g., the Willie Horton ad). He presided over the downfall of our urban centers as they descended into chaos and drug-fueled violence, which led to being the last president in recent memory to only serve one term. That is real life, taking the good with the bad.

None of us can claim to be saintly in every aspect of our lives when the spotlight is always on you as a public servant at every moment. President Bush lived almost his entire life under that spotlight and did so with a fair measure of aplomb and integrity. His greatest contribution to American political life may have come after his retirement from politics, serving as a trusted advisor and confidante to several presidents who followed him from both parties’ republican and democrat.

While we all decide whether to honor President Bush’s life and legacy, I would encourage you to at least offer a moment of thanks for no reason other than his example as a lifelong public servant. It is sometimes a thankless job and one that many simply avoid for that reason. President Bush, after all, could have remained a very successful businessman and stayed on the sidelines. Instead, he chose the harder path – one that made the people’s success the measure of his own. Even if you choose not to honor President Bush for his service, and that is certainly your prerogative, rather than demean his example, use his death as an opportunity to thank another public servant for their service to this country. Whether it’s a police officer, school board member, or U.S. Senator, the call to service is one that falls on too few individuals. For those who take up the call, we should be extremely thankful for their efforts and sacrifice.

If you have thoughts or comments about this issue or any other, reach out to me at ADWCMV@gmail.com.