Timing Can Look Suspicious
When you are running for mayor in Salt Lake City, you suddenly become a guppy in a goldfish bowl, and every moved is scrutinized, especially by those who might not want you to win.
Take the case of Salt Lake County Councilwoman Jenny Wilson, one of the early favorites for Salt Lake City mayor in 2007.
Wilson was part of the Salt Lake County Council of Governments legislative body that voted Tuesday to approve a formal list of transportation projects to be funded by the quarter-cent sales tax voters OK'd in November.
The voting body included the mayors in all the cities in Salt Lake County, plus the entire County Council.
The list that was approved included TRAX extension lines to South Jordan and West Valley City, a commuter rail line from the Utah County border to Salt Lake City, and road improvements on I-80.
Not on the list was a proposed TRAX extension line to the Salt Lake International Airport — a project largely favored by the residents of Salt Lake City, the people Wilson would like to serve as mayor.
Just as the vote was being taken, Wilson grabbed her cell phone and walked out of the room. She came back in as the vote was ending.
Some in the audience rolled their eyes. Was Wilson trying to avoid going on record on a funding package that didn't include the Salt Lake City line?
Actually, Wilson says she made it very clear in speaking at the meeting that she was in favor of the package. It had also been made clear that even though the airport line is not officially on the list, it will be funded. Wilson says if that had not been made clear, she would have been against the package.
She said she had to take the call, just long enough to tell the person she would call back.
She also says that when she went back into the meeting, she nodded to executive secretary Barbara Thomas that she was a "yes" vote, which has been officially recorded.
So did Wilson duck anything?
No.
But as long as she is running for mayor, especially if she continues to lead in the polls, people will notice when she walks out of a meeting.
Cheers,
Paul Rolly
Take the case of Salt Lake County Councilwoman Jenny Wilson, one of the early favorites for Salt Lake City mayor in 2007.
Wilson was part of the Salt Lake County Council of Governments legislative body that voted Tuesday to approve a formal list of transportation projects to be funded by the quarter-cent sales tax voters OK'd in November.
The voting body included the mayors in all the cities in Salt Lake County, plus the entire County Council.
The list that was approved included TRAX extension lines to South Jordan and West Valley City, a commuter rail line from the Utah County border to Salt Lake City, and road improvements on I-80.
Not on the list was a proposed TRAX extension line to the Salt Lake International Airport — a project largely favored by the residents of Salt Lake City, the people Wilson would like to serve as mayor.
Just as the vote was being taken, Wilson grabbed her cell phone and walked out of the room. She came back in as the vote was ending.
Some in the audience rolled their eyes. Was Wilson trying to avoid going on record on a funding package that didn't include the Salt Lake City line?
Actually, Wilson says she made it very clear in speaking at the meeting that she was in favor of the package. It had also been made clear that even though the airport line is not officially on the list, it will be funded. Wilson says if that had not been made clear, she would have been against the package.
She said she had to take the call, just long enough to tell the person she would call back.
She also says that when she went back into the meeting, she nodded to executive secretary Barbara Thomas that she was a "yes" vote, which has been officially recorded.
So did Wilson duck anything?
No.
But as long as she is running for mayor, especially if she continues to lead in the polls, people will notice when she walks out of a meeting.
Cheers,
Paul Rolly
3:53 PM
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1 Comments:
Could it be that people are overly scrutinizing Councilman Wilson because of her sex instead of her positions?
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