In With the New

Congratulations, Fresno. It looks like the voters there have finally seen fit to usher in a new generation of politicians.

They did so by narrowing the mayor's race down to Henry T. Perea and Ashley Swearengin - two candidates who are anything but status quo - to compete in the November runoff.

And not a moment too soon.

Fresno is at a tipping point, as Ashley Swearengin has so articulately stated.



It's true. The old, tried, and failed Fresno has been running things for far too long. Fresno's greatest weakness lies with its leadership (lack thereof). The city has not had leaders with the critical combination of vision and management ability for decades, and the result is the mess that currently is Fresno. Sprawl, nonexistent city planning, lack of infrastructure, poverty, health disparities, a floundering economy, and a Downtown plagued with more potential than progress.

Regardless of who wins the November election, it is comforting to know that it won't be any of the old guard that have managed to screw things up so royally. Both candidates are smart (read politically savvy), under 40 (he is 30 and she is 35), and not white males - all big strikes against them in the eyes of Old Fresno, which is comprised almost wholly of old, white males. But there will still be a clear choice to make in the fall.

On one hand, you have an inexperienced and very, very liberal city councilman who was only elected in the first place because he shares his popular father's name, and purposely left his differentiating middle initial off the ballot. As far as I know, he has never run anything with a multi-million dollar budget, let alone an entire city. To his credit, he has elevated the Downtown debate and helped energize younger and minority voters, but his personal ethics are questionable at best.

On the other hand, you have an experienced business woman who has not only successfully managed the largest public-private collaborative in the region; she also knows how to handle a budget and bring people together to get things done. The Bee will try to criticize her for not single-handedly improving the Valley's economy, but they would be wrong to do so. The obstacles to progress did not stem from her management, but from the backward policies of Fresno area governments - the very policies she's running to change.

On a side note, I must say, the fact that the Fresno County Republican Party opted not to endorse her in the primary shows just how entrenched in the status quo and irrelevant they have become. Jerry Duncan never had a prayer of winning, and their decision not to support her was a politically stupid move.

If they had thrown their weight and volunteers behind her instead of siphoning off pro-business conservative votes for a candidate that couldn't win, Ms. Swearengin might be mayor right now, and Henry T. wouldn't have a 5-month opportunity to try talk voters into giving him a chance, whether he's qualified or not. Heck, they might have even been able to talk some sense into the Fresno Chamber of Commerce (since when did the Chamber endorse candidates that oppose the interests of their members, anyway?).

Regardless of the outcome, this will be a fascinating race to watch.