A portion of her speech tonight: "Before I became governor of the great state of Alaska, I was mayor of my hometown. And since our opponents in this presidential election seem to look down on that experience, let me explain to them what the job involves. I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a community organizer, except that you have actual responsibilities.--
Rudy G she ain't:
The only elective office she has ever held, other than her 20 months as Governor, is the mayor of Wasilla, Alaska. While many have referenced Wasilla's tiny size--it would more properly be classified a village rather than a town in any of the 45 more populous state--few have noted that the Mayor's office is largely a ceremonial position, similar to that of the Queen of England. The City Council is the real authority in Wasilla and, reading the Wasilla Municipal Code, it is apparent that the mayor is there to do their bidding.
Here are the first three (and presumably most important) duties of the mayor as listed in the Code:
1. Preside at council meetings. The mayor may take
part in the discussion of matters before the council, but may not vote,
except that the mayor may vote in the case of a tie;
2. Act as ceremonial head of the city;
3. Sign documents on behalf of the city;
Among the other duties of the mayor, as listed in the Code, are to "carry out the directives of the city council " and to "perform other duties required by law or by the council". By this and other language the Code makes clear where the authority for running the city lies in Wasilla, and it is not in the mayor's office.
tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com
