Steve Adams

2010 grade: D
2009 grade: B-

2008 grade: C-
2007 grade: B-

Last year, I bumped Steve Adams up from a C- to a B-, because he had two major successes: dealing with the aftermath of the Spryfield fire and somehow landing a Sambro bus entirely outside the usual transit planning process (that doesn’t mean I endorsed the bus coup, simply that I recognized Adams’ political skills in pulling it off). This year, I’m dropping him way back down, to a D.

Here’s why: whatever your opinion of “tax reform,” it was the most important thing to come across Adams’ desk this year. And Adams missed the vote.

I’d disagree with Adams had he voted for “tax reform,” but absenting himself from the vote entirely is simply unforgivable.

Perhaps his failure to appear relates to his day job as a pharmaceutical rep; if so, it underscores the point that being a councillor is a full-time job, and councillors should not have second jobs. (Two other councillors—Steve Streatch and Tim Outhit—also have outside employment.)

This article appears in Jun 3-9, 2010.