City Councilwoman Wanda Halbert is strongly considering a run in the special election to replace Willie Herenton.
Halbert said Sunday that she'll make a decision at some point this week.
The first-term councilwoman, who has long been encouraged by "diverse constituents" to seek the mayor's office, said it's time for a change at City Hall.
"We've been struggling with the same issues for too long," she said. "At what point does this city get bold enough to make a decision that it is time to pass on the torch and try something new and try something different?"
In his farewell speech Thursday, Herenton said before running for mayor, he didn't see any portraits hanging in the Hall of Mayors that looked like him.
Now that Memphis has had a longstanding black leader, Halbert said it's time for a woman to take the office.
"When I look in the Hall of Mayors, I still don't see anyone who looks like me," she said.
Halbert said education, crime, unity and economic development top her list of legislative priorities.
"There is clearly a socioeconomic problem in this city and it is broken down by class and race," Halbert said.
This sounds like piling one's own sexism on top of alleged other people's racism.
I think she has an excellent chance of becoming the next mayor of Memphis. She should run and get in it to win it. She's not a political novice and knows the ropes by now.
Her not being a new fresh face and having no real experience in business management, especially finacial, are exactly why she should be pushed aside like AC, Ford etc. We need someone who actually has got er done not promising to do so.
Enigma,
How can you say that she has no real experience in business management/finance when she was selected as the budget chair for the city council? She was selected by the council to head the financing of the city budget. When times grew difficult during the budget meetings and headway wasn't being made, decisions by the budget chair were made and implemented...not by the council chairman, but by the budget chairperson. Start sitting in on the council meetings and you'll find that it's more than the notion of sitting at you computer typing your opinion sipping on root beer while scratching you rear. It takes responsibility, accountability and integrity to govern the city body. It's not about what we think, but about the action that we take in showing our concern as well as our opinions.
Where's prince Momgo when we need him??