The city’s GOP chairman accused Democratic Mayor Art Ward Friday of committing “the ultimate flip-flop.”
Ward came under fire from T.J. Barnes for declaring this week that the mayor and city councilors should take a 5 percent pay cut after opposing an even smaller pay reduction less than two months ago.
Barnes said that Ward was clearly making “a political play” to garner favor from struggling voters.
Ward that his change in position had nothing to do with politics and everything to do with the changing economic realities facing city government.
Two months ago, Ward said, he opposed a proposal to cut mayoral and council pay by 3 percent “because no one at that time was taking cuts.”
But “worsening conditions” now have led him to reconsider, Ward said, since the city is asking its unions for concessions to help officials deliver a property tax freeze this year.
Barnes said it’s clearly meaningful that the mayor made the announcement of his new stance during his formal reelection address.
Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
