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| Jim Stowe |
In the meantime, the City Council is evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans at three votes apiece. And because the winner on November 2 won't be sworn in until January 1, the Council will remain split during what may be a difficult budget negotiation this fall.
The Council has the power to appoint a replacement Councilmember to serve through January 1, and there's plenty of precedent. In 2006 the Council appointed Noam Bramson Mayor when Tim Idoni was elected Westchester County Clerk, and also appointed Barry Fertel to the District 5 seat Bramson had held. Soon after that, Jack Quinlan resigned his District 2 seat and Chris Selin, the retired Councilwoman from the same district, was appointed to replace him. And when, in 2000, Councilwoman Rhoda Quash died in office, the Council appointed Bea Brown for the six months until the November special election to fill out the term. (Brown was defeated in a primary in 2003 by ... Jim Stowe.)
Republicans on Council have used these precedents to argue that an appointment should be made right away. They propose Pearl Quarles, a qualified Republican for a strongly Democratic district. The three Democrats call for the winner on November 2 to be appointed immediately after the election, instead of waiting until January 1. Both sides are pushing for a resolution that favors them politically — Republicans would love a Republican majority for budget votes in December, while Democrats expect a Democrat to win the special election and give them back the majority. But the Democrats have a much stronger case.
The only issue coming before Council between now and January that might require a time-sensitive, tie-breaking vote is the budget. And since that vote will come after November 2, there's no reason not to wait for the voters' choice of representation, especially since the current, temporary partisan divide on Council would make it very difficult to find a consensus candidate. Wait just two short months and let Jim Stowe's constituents choose his successor.
Republicans right now may feel like refusing to go along with the Democrats' proposal burnishes their image heading into next year's city-wide election, but immediately after November 2 it's going to be very difficult for all three of them to stonewall seating the special election's winner. At least one of them will blink.


