The media came to bury Shirley, not praise her. She knew it even before they did.
In what was likely her last press conference as mayor, Shirley Franklin gave a performance that resembled her term. Fact-based. Not reporter-friendly.
In truth, Franklin has received a raw deal of sorts. Crime is down, but Atlanta residents insist it’s up. The sewers are better, but water rates have increased. Police officers are in the streets, but furloughs have captured the front page of the AJC. A few high-profile crimes can make all statistics seem false.
The answer to Franklin’s problem has always been one of public relations. When times were good- and Lord, they were good when she was re-elected with 90%- there wasn’t a need for good PR. A competent and successful administrator after the shame of Bill Campbell, a woman with an eccentric passion for flower pins, that was all that the city needed. Shirley was even listed in the phone book for gosh sakes! What a real humble woman we have!
Then the Kathryn Johnston fiasco. No matter how many sewer lines are updated, an 88-year-old innocent woman murdered in her home will always get the front page.
That was three years ago.
Since then, we have realized the full economic damage of the Bush recession. Like nearly every city in America, Atlanta is sprinting toward bankruptcy. The chocolates and sweets have ceased to fall in City Hall and the mayor didn’t adjust. It was her last year. Why would she?
Mayor Franklin tried to raise property taxes as the entire City Council was up for re-election. Is there a better example of management trumping politics?
Today, we saw Shirley as she has always been- a gifted administrator, a skilled and practical woman, a fine mayor, toiling away at the one thing she doesn’t do well.
Many years ago, the Atlanta Falcons has a gifted coach that we summarily ran out-of-town. The guy liked to wear cowboy hats and big-ass belt buckles and leave tickets for Elvis at the front gate just in case The King was still alive. It was fun and distracting, and it made the on-field nightmare of early 90’s Falcons football bearable.
But when the team kept losing, the cowboy shtick got old. Quickly.
She’ll be seen as a true reformer in time. She brought respectability back to our city leadership, and those that really know the true scope of it will cherish her work behind the scenes.
But her flower pin was much like Glanville’s hat. Engaging and cute until the team started to lose. A non-existent press strategy works in good times, and fails miserably when things turn south.
Franklin was a much better mayor than Glanville was a coach. It is a pity that in Franklin’s case, Atlanta actually got better.
December 17, 2009 at 7:43 pm
I could not have a more different opinion of her, but in fairness I only arrived in Atlanta right as she was reelected. Still, I don’t think the police situation is all fine and dandy now just because furloughs have ended…both before and after the furloughs, I and nearly everyone I know have stories of waiting hours for an officer to show up after calling the police. To city residents, it doesn’t feel like there is ever a cop around when you need one. Whether that is a perception problem or an actual problem, it is still something that makes us feel like we deserve better. And in the face of those feelings, Shirley Franklin was nothing but dismissive. If your residents don’t feel safe in their city, you should at least pretend to care. She couldn’t be bothered.
Atlanta may have gotten better under Shirley in her first term, but there was some real backsliding in her second. And to stick with your football metaphor, the legacy of a mayor shouldn’t judged on forward progress, but the final spot of the ball.
December 18, 2009 at 8:48 am
Franklin might have done some good things for the city (and I’m thankful that she’s not Bill Campbell and that she is getting the sewers fixed) but her attitude couldn’t have been worse. She had no empathy for citizens of the city who feel besieged by crime. It doesn’t matter what the statistics are. When 911 puts you on hold and you’re having your crap broken into, nobody cares what herhonor and the police chief says. She essentially told the residents of the city of Atlanta to f**k off, and she could get away with it because she’s a lame-duck.
PS: The police chief, while he was in New Orleans, had a department where it was pushed that cops not report certain crimes as they were in order to keep statistics down. I do not have faith in Atlanta’s UCR statistics as reported to the FBI.
December 18, 2009 at 9:27 am
The AJC and I suppose the Atlanta TV stations really went too far with airing the complaints of burglary/robbery victims who insisted crime was up. In the case of crime, perception becomes reality. The reality, of course, is that crime is down in Atlanta. The media did provide some context, but not enough, IMHO.
December 18, 2009 at 1:30 pm
Mayor Franklin … hard to judge her eight years at this point.
Seems she was tough enough to do the job. Tackled (that damn sports medifor again) some big problems. Has at least the perception that she failed as a law and order bully.
Nothing but perfection would do in law enforcement. Should not expect that.
Then the murder of Kathryn Johnston. Oh my Gawd … what a dark day for us all.
How to be aggressive on Law and Order, progressive in justice, hire strong personnel during two wars, and balance a budget.
Should have been easy for anyone, eh? [smell the burning satire?]
Most social scientists would agree that UCR statistics are under reporting of criminality and criminal acts. Although that’s not been news to me for years, there are other measures out there.
I just can’t remember what they are. Shame on me, eh?
Franklin had the good and the bad in eight years.
Be advised! The budget problems for cities and counties will continue to get WORSE for the next two years.
Kafka