Once again Waterbury will vote for mayor as it has done two years ago. One overlooked aspect of this by-yearly spectacle is that it is by-yearly. Running for office is not cheap, so while running a city for the first year the second year is spent taking time from the job to raise funds and campaigning. Decisions in the first year may affect the mayors ability take on the task of being re-elected in the second. Of the last four elected mayors 3 have been investigated for corruption with two serving prison. Four year term politicians certainly can become corrupt but a two year system magnifies the temptation for nepotism and run in the mill cash in hand corruption.
Then there is campaigning itself. Anyone running for mayor must take time off from their job to run. Including the mayor. Is it wise for the city to allow the mayor to have to spend almost half the time in office running for another term?
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