Four More Years?
Will Mayor Colleen Seng run for a second term? Should she? Seng is assessing her chances:
Several sources say she asked a group of friends and supporters for a blunt assessment, but the mayor’s office was mum on the issue, refusing to comment. In the past, Seng has said it’s rude to ask so soon whether she plans to run again.
Mayor Seng hasn’t asked me for my “blunt assessment”, but I’m going to give it to her anyway: run, but not for mayor. Run far, far away from local politics. Stick to cutting ribbons and posing for photographs. I say that for several reasons.
First, Mayor Seng is, at best, a mediocre mayor. She neither governs nor leads well. (Some would say she neither governs nor leads at all.) She neither commands nor demands respect. She has little more than a passive influence over Lincoln. She is an unmayor.
Second, Seng has few accomplishments to speak of. What sort of record will she point to? She tried to steal property from local businesses to hand over to an out-of-state developer. She has declared half the city blighted. She couldn’t get
her road funding past the voters. She has offered no real leadership to help solve Lincoln’s school funding problems. Traffic is no better than it was before she entered office. Downtown continues to limp along, but it’s too early to tell what effect Seng’s priorities will have on the long-term sustainability of the area.
She does have the smoking ban under her belt, which most Lincolnites consider to be a success. At least she has one mark in her column.
Third, it would not surprise me at all if the 2007 campaign gets a little dirty. Seng has no real record to attack, so ad hominems and personal attacks akin to those we saw earlier this spring are not only possible, but likely. I can’t see Seng staging an effective counter-attack. Her best hope might be to stand on the sidelines and let the Republicans pick each other apart. That might get her through the campaign without too many scars.
What might cause Seng to want to run again? Her biggest weakness—her mediocrity—may also be her strongest asset. Although few Lincolnites love Mayor Seng, so too do few hate her. Ask 100 Lincolnites for their opinion of Mayor Seng and the median response would undoubtedly be “Eh, she’s ok I guess.” If no strong challengers emerge as 2007 approaches, or if her challengers beat each other up without Seng having to get her hands dirty, she could slide into a second term by default. It would hardly be a glorious victory, or even a noble one. But it would be a victory.
Would it be a victory for Lincoln? In my opinion, no. That’s my blunt assessment. Another four years of Colleen Seng’s uninspired approach to governance and leadership will not help Lincoln become the premiere big small town it craves to be.
The Comments
Barbara Gochenour December 19, 2005 at 9:55am
No I think the quicker she is out of office the better off the city of Lincoln will be. If she stays in office any longer the only ones that will have any money left in their pockets is her. She has to be lining her pockets because you can see any improvements with all the tax money we pay.
Also if she has never shopped in Walmart than she shouldn’t be so negative about them. They are probably the only place in this great city that people can afford to shop. She doesn’t care about people on fixed incomes.
Donn Dunlap February 27, 2006 at 8:50am
I would help to circulate any petition to recall the biggest hack politican in the history of this city. This women only thinks of developers and real estate agents, just like the city counsel.
If she thinks we need business and office space, she needs to drive 48th from O to Adams, or the length of Cornhusker, or West O (more blight).
She wouldn’t allow any downtown or southside area to end up this way. Seng you need to go now!!!!!
Richard E. Batten May 3, 2006 at 12:37pm
Grandma Mayor needs to leave the office. Ms. Seng has never been to a Walmart at 3:00 A.M. to see that they are still actually busy. How many jobs did she cost our community by blocking the N.E. Walmart. I am not sure who is lining her purse with gold but it not the average Lincolnite who pays outrageous property taxes. How much would this woman make off of a city owned gas station, and who would be fool enough to actually by gas there!!! Bye Bye Grandma you don’t stand a chance!
rick johnson August 24, 2006 at 1:18pm
Here is a good one for you. I was talking to weird wally the other day from Wally,s used cars about Miss seng and he is still trying to find someone who will admit to voting for her.
Biscut October 31, 2006 at 10:29am
Biscut here,
I’m still waiting for an answer from city hall and the Journal Star as to why revenues from city occupational taxes fell over $500,000 from 2001 to 2005. Occupational taxes are the 5.5% tax added to any cell phone or home phone bill. This tax was approved by the city of Lincoln in 1992.
I moved to Lincoln in 1994 and was never charged this fee by Cellular One until Alltel bought them out in March of this year. I maintain several cell phones and after a little math I figured I beat the city out of $1200 over a 12 year period.
Notified city/no answer. Notified Journal Star/no answer. Does it smell like old fish around here?? Throw city hall and the Journal rag a couple of big dog bones from the Biscut!!!