Food for thought from today's Times

Not mayor material

Gayle McLaughlin's statements at council meetings and in campaign brochures or newspaper articles reflect a very narrow approach to solving Richmond's major problems.

She says poor leadership by the mayor and City Council members is responsible for crime, violence, bad streets, and reduced economic opportunities or growth in Richmond. She believes these problems can be addressed through taxing businesses.

She also says she refuses to take funds from companies or to dialog with even the Richmond Chamber of Commerce, an organization largely comprised of small and medium businesses, nonprofit agencies and concerned individuals, fearing this might taint her.

An announced environmentalist and Green Party member, McLaughlin should examine the nationwide approach of an increasing number of environmental groups partnering with business and finding it's good for business and the environment.

One such group, the Business Environmental Leadership Council, was noted in a recent Times article.

For McLaughlin to promise to build a better Richmond by cutting dialog with businesses and other groups representing views different from her own sounds like Bush's approach to government: not talking with people having divergent points of view.

McLaughlin says she needs to learn more about Richmond's needs, and she's right, but not as Richmond's mayor.

William R. (Bob) Dabney
Richmond