Fort Worth's new mayor took her oath of office less than a week ago. The large pothole on my street that seemingly grows in any weather condition is still there, but perhaps it was overly optimistic to expect her to fix that just yet.
This very paper and numerous other news outlets have sounded the same warning to Betsy Price: Don't anticipate a long honeymoon. Too many important issues that need immediate attention face the city.Price acknowledged that much throughout her campaign and indicated her desire to get down to business during her Tuesday swearing in. She said she's ready and willing to listen to and work with all constituencies.I feel certain she will hear from some constituencies early and often.One of those constituencies is city employees, and they have a big problem: the pension gap. The city cannot afford to fund this plan at the same level as it is currently constituted. Some of the hard choices include how and if to change to a 401(k)-type retirement plan and where to make that demarcation. Who gets "grandfathered" in? Who gets "grandfathered" out, so to speak? It is a necessary step, but someone's ox is going to get gored.Another conundrum centers on the Barnett Shale. Few would argue that this gas play has been an economic engine for Fort Worth, but residents are concerned about possible pollution and its impact on health with so many wells close to neighborhoods, schools and water sources. How do you capture the economic upside without discounting the legitimate safety issues? This will require a delicate balancing act of poise, tenacity and compromise.Of course there is still the city's projected $30 million budget shortfall. The mayor has vowed to "scrub the budget." What that means we don't yet know, but it seems likely to me that a combination of service reductions and belt tightening won't be enough. Certainly no one wants to mention an increase in taxes or fees, but both may be inevitable.There are still the ongoing issues of keeping the libraries open and fully staffed, closed pools and a backlog in street repairs.Addressing all these challenges may require the mayor to step on some toes. She's the first mayor in years elected without backing from the police and firefighter associations. Contract negotiations are looming with the police this year. They may not like what they are going to hear. We may not like what they are going to hear.And some of those natural gas drilling companies are likely to push back if exploration is hampered inside the city limits. Conversely, powerful neighborhood associations may balk if it isn't.Some honeymoon, huh?These issues have to be faced and, hopefully, resolved. Fort Worth has had the unique distinction of its residents and businesses pulling together to get things done and to make the city better, safer and more prosperous. We have forged public/private partnerships, such as the zoo, that other cities try to emulate. Former Mayor Mike Moncrief called it the "Fort Worth way," and that's as apt a description as there is.We have a city manager form of government, so the mayor doesn't and can't do it alone. She'll have to rally the council and the populace. Fort Worth, in some ways, is a microcosm of the nation. When things were going well -- and they were -- we thought it wouldn't end. The great recession put an end to that folly. The sooner we deal with these hard choices, the sooner we can move on and not leave a mess for the next generation.Let's give Mayor Price some time. Let's support her efforts, not blindly but with cautious and watchful optimism that she wants what we want: a city that works.Bill Fairley of Fort Worth is a member of the 2011 Star-Telegram Community Columnist Panel. wefair@8787@aol.comHave more to add? News tip? Tell us
