Tuesday’s election results left the makeup of Berkeley City Council completely unchanged: All four incumbent council members were re-elected, as was Mayor Tom Bates. However, just because Berkeley’s main elected officials are the same does not mean their attitudes should remain static.
The city’s challenges are steep, as exposed over months of campaigning in an intense election, and they require strong leaders who are willing to rise to the occasion. The voters’ decision to leave the same officials in charge provides the current council with another opportunity to make change. In doing so, officials should remember the ideas raised over the course of this campaign season.
Bates must hold discussions on controversial issues on a separate night from regular council meetings so members of the public are not waiting late into the night. Councilmember and mayoral candidate Kriss Worthington suggested this during his campaign, and Bates indicated that he is receptive to the idea. He should put this into practice.
Furthermore, Worthington and Bates need to work together to develop the vacant lots on Telegraph Avenue, one of which has been empty for more than 20 years. And in light of the apparent failure of Measure S — the city’s controversial proposed ban on sitting on commercial sidewalks — Berkeley still needs to address the substantial problem of homelessness.
But solving these issues will require the council to collaborate. Over the past few months, the council has become notably divisive, and that has prevented it from being a truly effective body. At least some of the newly re-elected incumbents recognized that tension during the election cycle, so, hopefully, they are prepared to resolve the matter. From homelessness to industry in West Berkeley, the issues that the council will work on can’t be derailed by division. The election is over — it’s time to get back to work.
Comment Policy
Comments should remain on topic, concerning the article or blog post to which they are connected. Brevity is encouraged. Posting under a pseudonym is discouraged, but permitted. The Daily Cal encourages readers to voice their opinions respectfully in regard to the readers, writers and contributors of The Daily Californian. Comments are not pre-moderated, but may be removed if deemed to be in violation of this policy. Click here to read the full comment policy.