Judge’s ruling: Wilder went too far

Mayor Doug Wilder received a well-deserved comeuppance from Richmond Circuit Judge Margaret P. Spencer yesterday afternoon. In short, she ruled that City Council’s ordinance designed to keep the school administration’s offices at City Hall is valid. She further ruled that the city charter doesn’t protect Wilder from a lawsuit to resolve the matter. From Richmond.com’s article […]

November 6, 2007; 2:06 PM • by FTRea

Mayor Doug Wilder received a well-deserved comeuppance from Richmond Circuit Judge Margaret P. Spencer yesterday afternoon. In short, she ruled that City Council’s ordinance designed to keep the school administration’s offices at City Hall is valid. She further ruled that the city charter doesn’t protect Wilder from a lawsuit to resolve the matter.

From Richmond.com’s article penned By Dionne Waugh:

In her 19-page ruling issued Monday afternoon, Spencer wrote, “Upon consideration of the city charter and applicable law, this court concludes city council had the authority to lease city-owned property, and to direct the mayor to execute a lease.

“Moreover, this authority violates neither the mayor’s executive powers, as set forth in the charter, nor the separation of powers doctrine. The ordinance is therefore a valid exercise of council’s legislative powers.”

So far, Wilder has offered no comment. Click here to read the entire piece.

Now the ball is in Mayor Wilder’s court. If he wants to reach an amicable solution, he can sit down with the School Board and City Council behind closed doors and negotiate in good faith. Or, he can continue to fume and bluster like it still has to be his way, or the highway.

Mayor Wilder’s lawyers have called Judge Spencer’s ruling “procedural,” as if the Virginia Supreme Court is likely to bail them out. Meanwhile, don’t think the General Assembly hasn’t been watching these developments. Which means that if the local politicians can’t work this out in the next few weeks, no one should be surprised to see the GA jump into this imbroglio with both feet.

November 6, 2007 2:06 PM 0