THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 20, 1994 TAG: 9411190204
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Medium: 55 lines
The first time the City Council spurned Robert T. Nance Jr.'s ``resign to run'' proposal, Republicans blamed self-serving Democrats, accusing them of protecting their own political ambitions.
Who, then, is responsible for rejecting the proposal again last week?
Having observed first-hand how disruptive it can be when politicians use their seats on council as a springboard to higher office, Mr. Nance believes council members who want to become candidates for another position should resign first.
It's no more than council members expect of the board members and commissioners who serve under them. They have always insisted that their own appointees resign before seeking another office. But they have not been willing to hold themselves to the same reasonable standard.
Back in January, the council's vote on the issue split 5-4 along party lines. The Democrats, who were in the majority then, opposed it. The Republicans were unanimous in their enthusiasm for the idea.
Mr. Nance waited until a Republican majority was firmly in control at City Hall, then brought the idea up again. To his surprise and disappointment, the result was no different.
Why? Because the compromising effects of political ambition are not limited to any one party.
Councilman Peter P. Duda Jr., who favored ``resign to run'' in January when the Democrats were in control, voted against it Tuesday. It's no secret that Mr. Duda would like to be mayor someday.
Councilman W. Joe Newman wasn't around for the vote last January, so his vote against it isn't inconsistent. But his name has been coming up a lot lately as a possible candidate for commissioner of the revenue, or mayor or even the state legislature.
Councilman Arthur L. Dwyer, who ducked out of the meeting before the vote Tuesday, saying he wasn't feeling well, favored the Nance proposal in January. Maybe after he gets well he'll say whether he has changed his mind now that his own party is in charge. He, too, is the subject of speculation about a run for a General Assembly seat.
No matter which party is in power on City Council, it's a good idea for council members to resign one office before their personal ambition sends them off in pursuit of another. A person has only so much time and energy, and what is spent on campaigning can't be spent taking care of the people's business. The people of Chesapeake have had enough of City Council meetings that turn into political rallies.
But Mr. Nance's experience shows that where personal politician ambition is involved, Democrats and Republicans act pretty much the same. by CNB