The real question on everyone’s mind about the strong mayor in Pensacola is – What if we elect Jack Nobles, Tom Banjanin or Marty Donovan as the strong mayor?
Folks, that’s how democracy and elections work. People vote – sometimes wisely, sometimes foolishly. However, we can boot them from office if we don’t like what they do. Right now, the voters have no say in who runs the City of Pensacola – City manager Tom Bonfield. A voter can only elect three councilmen – his district, two at-large. It takes six votes to remove Bonfield.
Meanwhile the city manager manages and administers, but he can’t really lead. The council members can’t lead. The mayor is ceremonial, not a leader. So the City of Pensacola flounders and sinks further behind the major cities in the state, Panhandle and Gulf Coast.
The strong mayor isn’t an indictment of Bonfield, Mayor John Fogg or the city council. It’s admission that the current system doesn’t advance the community.
A strong mayor allows the voters to decide who runs the City of Pensacola.