Printer-friendly version Reader Comments

The winner will get to chair meetings, appoint committees and be the city's ceremonial head – and earn an extra $1,500.

By TOM BELL, Staff Writer November 14, 2009

PORTLAND — The City Council on Monday will select a new mayor, who will have to lead the council through one of Portland's worst budget shortfalls since the early 1990s.

Although the office is largely ceremonial, interested councilors were still jockeying for the job in the days leading up to the vote. To become mayor, a councilor must secure five of the nine council votes.

Councilor David Marshall, who is interested in the job, said Friday there is no clear consensus on who should be mayor.

"I'm sure, as we get closer to Monday, there will be a lot of talking and councilors will figure out where the support is," he said.

Councilors Nicholas Mavodones Jr. and Cheryl Leeman are also in the running, said Councilor Dory Waxman.

Portland's mayor chairs council meetings, appoints committee members and acts as the ceremonial head of the city. The mayor serves a one-year term.

It's a lot more work for not much more money. The mayor is paid $599.60 a month – just $127.20 more per month than the other councilors.

The mayor can create an atmosphere for working out collaborative solutions, said Mayor Jill Duson, who is not running for re-election, in keeping with council tradition.

That kind of atmosphere, she said, prevents councilors from getting into battles outside the council chambers and coming to meetings dug into positions.

The council's Finance Committee will take the lead on the budget, but the council as a whole will have to make the final decision, said Councilor John Anton.

That's why the mayor's job of running council meetings can be crucial, he said.

"I hope the mayor is the one who brings the council as a whole together to work through the hard choices we have to make," he said.

Waxman said councilors have worked well together during the past year, and she hopes that cooperation can continue.

"It's really important we have someone with experience and leadership abilities who can help us get through this tough time we are going into," she said.

Over the past two years, the city budget has been hurt by plummeting excise tax revenue and building permit fees.

While those revenue declines appear to bottoming out, the city now faces declining state aid for education. The school system is bracing for an anticipated $10 million reduction in state aid over the next two years.

The council will have to decide how much the city should share in the school system's pain by cutting city services.

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

tbell@pressherald.com