Beside the Gould Street overpass, former Mayor Chase has plastered a billboard that promises "No More Wasteful Spending." I have it on good authority from people who were city employees during his "reign" that he didn't spend city money any better than it's been spent under Mayor Blad. It's also very presumptuous of him to say that he or Mayor Blad were alone in making the spending decisions. They can't spend anything of significance without the approval of the city council.
I also have it on good authority from those same employees that Mayor Chase never had a library card and only showed up to the library to meet the press. Mayor Blad, on the other hand, spent an entire day at the library during the first months of his term. He spent time in every department, including maintenance, working side by side with the library employees to learn what went into their jobs. He wanted to know who he was serving and what service they provided to the city. Who do I want for mayor? The man who wasn't afraid to roll up his sleeves.
