Editorial Editorial (January 14, 2005)

Snub of Perry sets bad precedent

When city council members voted 4-3 last week to pass over Greg Perry and appoint Nick Galiotto vice mayor, they threw tradition out the window and set a bad precedent.

The outspoken Perry, who has tangled with various members during his first two years on the council, was ostensibly snubbed for misrepresenting the city's position by speaking against building BART to San Jose while serving on a VTA committee. But a look back at the record shows Perry had probably, in one way or another, alienated all four members who voted against him.

For example, it was Perry alone who went against the council's grain when he suggested that members refuse to accept the nearly $9,000 worth of free VIP passes to Shoreline Amphitheatre, a perk the council has accepted without remorse for many years. In the end, Perry's desire to change the policy failed to find enough support.

And Perry broke with protocol during the recent council campaign when he openly supported a candidate and criticized several others, including Laura Macias, for violating campaign finance law. Macias rightfully claimed there was no violation and apparently repaid the favor last week when she sided with Mike Kasperzak, Matt Pear and Galiotto to deny Perry the vice mayor's post.

More than any other council member in recent memory, Perry seems to have taken his successful 2002 grassroots, rock-the-boat election strategy as a mandate to advance ideas that other council members apparently find embarrassing or unreasonable.

That is why Perry lost the vice mayor position, when the usually pro-forma process was politicized. Some would argue that Perry's maverick behavior more than warrants the council's hesitancy to advance him to the vice mayor's chair.

But to the public, the move simply looks like a cheap shot, a payback for Perry's gutsy stands against BART to San Jose, the Shoreline tickets and his willingness to speak up and endorse council candidates, despite the council's effort to stay out of that territory.

By passing summary judgment on Perry, the council is saying that any member who supports unpopular positions with the council while waiting their turn to become vice mayor and then mayor risks losing their place in line. That policy can only stifle debate on the one public body where all members should feel free to express whatever they want, without the fear of retaliation.

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