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District 5: One presents specific ideas; the other wants to wait until he's studied the charter and the issues.

By TOM BELL, Staff Writer June 2, 2009

PORTLAND — Both candidates running for the Charter Commission in District 5 are familiar with the workings of city government.

Paul Rickett served on the Portland City Council in the 1990s. Richard Ranaghan Jr. worked for the city for 13 years, including a seven-year stint as the city's finance director in the 1980s. Ranaghan also worked as a staff member of the last charter commission, which issued its report in 1986.

But the two candidates have different views on the issues.

Ranaghan said be believes in the process of local government. That means commissioners should study the charter and the issues thoroughly before forming firm opinions.

"I am not wedded to any one of the ideas that have been floated out there," he said.

He said it will take a long time for the commission to develop a proposal and educate the community. He said the commission has to be careful not to do anything that would harm the city's credit rating with Wall Street. That would make it more expensive for the city to borrow money, he said.

"Does Wall Street like what we come with?" he asked. "We should talk to rating agencies and find out what things to steer away from."

Rickett has a lot of specific ideas, and he has no problem discussing them before the election.

He favors giving voters the power to elect a mayor. In the current structure, residents have no say in who gets the post. Moreover, it's just a ceremonial position that offers no leadership role.

"I think a city our size deserves to have an elected mayor," he said. "It would be a step forward."

He doesn't see it as a full-time job, though. He said the city manager should remain as the city's chief executive because it's important to have a professional manager.

He would also trim the size of the nine-member council to six councilors, each representing a district of the city. In addition, the mayor would sit on the council.

He said the mayor should also have a seat on the School Committee so he or she could act a bridge between City Hall and the school department Currently, the two sides talk to each other only during the four weeks of the year when they are dealing with budget issues, he said.

Staff Writer Tom Bell can be contacted at 791-6369 or at:

tbell@pressherald.com