Mayor, city election

Fri, May 16 2008

— Don’t forget that this coming Tuesday is election day in Muskogee. Voters will choose two city councilors and a new mayor in the runoff.
This editorial board endorsed Hershel McBride in the mayor’s race in the April 1 election, and still endorses him over his runoff opponent, John Tyler Hammons.
Based on community feedback, Hammons appears to have a great deal of support. At 19, he has added a youthful spirit to the race, and heaven knows, Muskogee could use a shot of youthful enthusiasm in its city government and leadership.
To his credit, Hammons supports open government, an issue with which we agree wholeheartedly.
This town, however, needs a vision, something that Hammons lacks. His response to questions about decision-making is to ask citizens what they want, and whatever they want that is what he’ll do.
That sounds good, and it’s popular with voters, but the fact is, leaders make decisions, not wait to be told by citizens what to do next.
McBride has experience in making decisions. We may not have agreed with all of them during his three terms as mayor from 2000 to 2006, and no one is perfect.
McBride won’t be perfect either if re-elected.
But he has emphasized the need for a city plan, the development of an additional industrial park, and the investment of the Muskogee Regional Medical Center lease money in infrastructure and economic development projects.
One letter writer suggested that the Phoenix endorsement of McBride means that the Phoenix “wants something” from McBride.
The letter writer is correct. We want something — what everyone wants, to see progress in Muskogee. We want to see downtown development, growth in our economy and improvements in our quality of life.
We feel McBride will do a better job bringing those elements to our community life than Hammons would do.
We also endorse Jackie Luckey in the race for councilor in Ward IV, and Shawn Raper in the Ward II councilor race.
Others feel differently about one or all of the races, and that is what Tuesday will be about. Just be sure and vote.

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