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OUR VIEW: A little turnover will do New Westminster some good

One of the big stories last week in New Westminster was the announcement that two long-serving members of council were retiring. Lorrie Williams and Bill Harper said they will be retiring after a combined 29 years on city council.
2014 election
Brochures, signs and advertising are among the top expenses for candidates vying for spots on the board of education.

One of the big stories last week in New Westminster was the announcement that two long-serving members of council were retiring.

Lorrie Williams and Bill Harper said they will be retiring after a combined 29 years on city council.

Many politicians are retiring across Metro Vancouver. There’s been a wave of mayors who are stepping aside, including such heavy hitters as Gregor Robertson in Vancouver, Linda Hepner in Surrey and Greg Moore in Port Coquitlam. Some say they are just ready to move on, while others have cited the new four-year term as one of the main deciding factors – although, in some cases, perhaps bad polling numbers are really the blame (looking at you, Mayor Moonbeam). Adding that extra year has meant a much larger commitment from civic politicians.

Civic politics is one of those areas in which members of council can often stay in office as long as they like – some for decades. In New Westminster, school trustee Michael Ewen is retiring after serving in office since 1979.

Civic politicians stay in office for long periods for several reasons. One is that they might simply be doing a great job and voters like them. But it can also be a matter of chronically low voter turnouts. Name recognition is a powerful thing, and it can be difficult for new candidates to get their name out there with voters. It’s really difficult for new candidates to topple incumbents, unless there is that one issue that polarizes enough people to make a change. Incumbents hold the advantage because their role means they are everywhere, year after year.

There’s something to be said for having experienced politicians being re-elected to run a city. That kind of consistency can be good. With so many mayors not running, the Metro Vancouver regional government in particular could probably use some experienced mayors staying on. But there’s also a crying need for new blood to come on board every election.

Which is what was so impressive about what Coun. Williams said when she made her announcement.

“You look at your life and think, maybe it’s time. It’s been 16 years, five elections. When you think about that, you think that is a long time,” Williams told the Record. “There are some awfully good people in New Westminster. I don’t mind making room for them.”

Oh, if you read this and think we need term limits – that’s a drastic step we don’t support.