While Carty mulls future, Jack stews over present

2/7/2002

Shhhh.

Listen.

Hear that?

No, you've got to listen really hard.

Yeah, that's it. Now you've got it: that faint, whooshy noise deep in the background.

That's the sound of all the mulling going on around this city lately.

The former mayor, Carty Finkbeiner, is mulling a run for a state-level office.

Mull, mull, mull.

Says so right here, on a press release sent by the former mayor's former press secretary:

Finkbeiner mulls statewide run.

Jeepers, the guy's been mulling this over for quite some time, hasn't he?

How long ago was it that Hizzoner (sorry, some titular habits die hard) first huddled with state Democratic leaders?

Carty's doing so much strenuous public thinking these days, he's starting to look like that Rodin sculpture.

Take this latest press release.

While ostensibly announcing that Hizzoner would address the University of Toledo's International Business Association (topic: Toledo's efforts to create an international business climate), in fact the actual message was this:

“Mr. Finkbeiner is making this presentation on the heels of a meeting yesterday with Ohio Democratic Party officials. He has been asked to run ... At this time, Mr. Finkbeiner has not yet determined whether he will be candidate for statewide office in 2002. Mr. Finkbeiner will be available to the media at 8:25 p.m. ... to answer questions.”

But the salient question is: Carty, why keep thinking out loud this way?

It's like that guy at a party who does magic tricks. You know that guy?

He talks and talks and talks about his magic tricks, so the group finally breaks down and asks him to perform a few in hopes that maybe then the guy will just shut up already.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the new mayor is mulling over the financial straits he inherited from the old mayor.

Yesterday's headline: Mayor takes budget off finance chief's plate.

At this point in the year, the municipal budget typically has made its way downstairs from the mayor's office to city council, where hearings begin.

But Mayor Jack Ford is still trying to pin down Toledo's finances in a vexing exercise that might feel something like trying to nail Jell-o to a tree.

Needless to say, Smilin' Jack is starting to scowl with frustration - enough so that he stripped Carty's finance director of budget duties.

“All I've been waiting for is what they call the closeout, the ending balance, so I can just know what ... we have to hit in order to balance the budget,” the mayor said yesterday.

Mull, mull, mull.

Maybe Jack ought to consult with his predecessor.

After all, not only is Carty the former mayor, he's (all together now) mulling over a run for statewide office - as treasurer or auditor.

And either way, it's a numbers-based gig.

Roberta de Boer's column appears Tuesdays, Thursdays,

and Saturdays. Email her at roberta@theblade.com or call 1-419-724-6086.