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HomeBob Wade is not running in the November 2003 election. He says he wants to get out while he�s �at the top of the heap�. He also wants to get out before the accountability for the financial mess Hamilton is in begins to lean on him. Wade says �knowing that the coming years are going to bring more and more difficult budgets for the cash-strapped city to deal with made the decision easier�.
Wade prides himself on various �accomplishments� throughout his term as the Mayor of Hamilton. These include the creation of the anti-racism Strengthening Hamilton�s Community Initiative, and meeting Queen Elizabeth during her visit to Hamilton last year. He also credits himself with making the city take a look at its problems through his mayor�s workshops and a �no-holds-barred� state of the city report, and takes pride in getting council to adopt a strategic plan that enshrined growing the economy as a fundamental principle.
I wonder if this included the $2, 082 he �misspent� on his city credit card. As the Mayor of Hamilton after the amalgamation, Bob Wade managed to prove himself ineffectual as a leader in council. From infrastructure falling apart, to over spending in Fleet and the spending on city credit cards by councilors, and himself, Wade has yet to take responsibility and step up to the plate and say �Oops, I made a mistake�.
Instead, the pushing of the Bike races, the building of a new stadium, and cracking by-law into action downtown seem to be pushed to the forefront. As a leader in council, and the Mayor of Hamilton, Wade should be looking at what the average working class people in Hamilton want. If he feels he would win in 2003, who would vote for him?
Long gone are the days of Sam Lawrence, the Mayor who stood up for the striking workers from the Hamilton Spectator, Stelco, Westinghouse, and Firestone, and welcome to the days of Bob Wade, whose Council spends tax payers� dollars on Britney Spears tickets, hockey tickets, football tickets, clothing, shopping, and personal nights out.
The only thing that can be asked of council, and of our Mayor, is to take responsibility for their actions. And after the City of Hamilton has fallen down around the taxpayers� ears, Bob Wade is running from his position like a dog with his tail between his legs. If he feels he could win, which was stated in the Spectator on March 19, 2003, then perhaps he should run in November 2003�s election. Then he could set forth to actually begin the initiatives and budget plans he feels were such great accomplishments.
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