The New Albanist on annexation, and the tail that wags the dog.

We've known for years that City Hall eventually would move to annex the commercial corridor outside the beltway on Charlestown Road. There are no surprises in it, and what's more, there's nothing unusual about Dan "Wizard of Westside" Coffey voting against a measure he claims to support and using his own lack of patience with reading as an excuse for saying "no".

But: Why is it that something so plainly telegraphed comes forward for consideration during a special council meeting? Why not before, packaged and positioned to inform and succeed? Why, for something this important, do only five of nine council members bother attending the special meeting?

Fortunately, the New Albanist has been analyzing these latest instances of New Albany's chronic, malingering political dysfunction, and provides welcomed clarity in this essay at his blog: Tail Wags Dog, June 2010 Edition.

Here's a teaser ... but you really must read the whole piece.

... I believe Dan Coffey’s vote was a bad vote. He favors annexation, but used this moment to strike a blow for his and the council’s prerogatives. So nobody wins. Not Coffey. Not England. Not the residents of New Albany.

In the ongoing game of Red Rover, the players again got roughed up. The barometer of ill will goes up a bit more.

There’s no excuse for bringing this annexation measure forward with so little time for the fiscal plan to be examined. And there’s no excuse for Coffey’s “no” vote or for the boycott by the other members.

For more on the annexation vote:

ANNEXATION: YES OR NO?, at the Voice of the People blog.
Dan Coffey slays the annexation dragon ... for now. (NAC)