Morrissey and Adam Smith: some thoughts

3 comments March 13th, 2009

Some thoughts on the Adam Smith situation:

When he was elected mayor, Larry Morrissey said he would upset applecarts, and he certainly has done that. In his world view, Rockford cannot improve substantially until the school system improves substantially. So, that was the number one apple cart.

For upsetter in chief he chose Adam Smith. By the very nature of the job, Smith was not going to be popular. People like their comfort level and especially in Rockford they resist change with a very special passion.

Now, it seems that Morrissey has accomplished some of what he wanted on the education front. If LaVonne Sheffield works out as the kind of superintendent of schools she is advertised to be, then he can will not need a parallel education czar.

The problem is the clumsy way in which Smith’s 43 percent raise was handled. That’s a bigger raise than anybody I know has received over at City Hall in my memory. It wasn’t justified, mainly because Rockford never has a huge reserve of money. The economy started going south in 2008, the year Smith got his raise. Maybe 10 percent, but not 43.

Chalk that up to a mistake in judgment.

Clearly the Smith raise, which only got publicized last week, became a big fat target for Morrissey opponent Doug Block in the April 7 election, and Morrissey had to act fast to get Smith off page one. And he did.

But the controversy will remain, because of the timing. Morrissey and aldermen are trying to come up with $8.6 million in budget reductions because tax revenue has declined. And the Smith raise story was getting in the way.

Now Morrissey can say he’s doing his part by cutting the mayor’s office budget by not filling Smith’s position. That’s $95,000 and benefits. But it doesn’t seem genuine because Morrissey didn’t phase out Smith’s job before the salary increase became publicized.

Question is, will voters think so?