What makes a good mayor? Leadership? Willingness to take risks and speak out for what's right even though it may subject you to ridicule and criticism? How about just standing against war?

 

The war in Iraq and the war on terror are not hot-button issues in Hartford's mayoral campaign. But they should be, according to Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson.

 

"I think it is very important for mayors to speak up on this," Anderson said while he waited to address the thousands of anti-war protestors at the Pentagon March 17, 2007.

 

"Too many people think they are not in a position of responsibility when they hold local office," Anderson said. "War impacts our cities. Our federal funding for police has been cut by more than half."

 

Salt Lake City used to receive more than $4.5 million in federal law enforcement aid, Anderson said. That has been reduced to about $2 million. Right now, Salt Lake City has 16 officers in the National Guard on active duty in Iraq, Anderson said.

 

"We have 50 vacancies in the police department," Anderson said. "There is no way to prevent our officers from going."

 

At last count, Hartford had 10 officers in Iraq. This is to say nothing about how the war on terror and its culture of fear have allowed Hartford's police department to be used as political tools to repress dissent, and I speak on this from personal experience.

 

But Anderson was clear that from the start, he opposed the war.

 

"I signed a resolution before the invasion calling for U.N. inspectors to do their jobs," he said. "Our City Council wouldn't consider it."

 

Funny, here in Hartford, City Councilperson Elizabeth Horton-Sheff submitted a Cities Against the War resolution which failed 5-4. Maybe because Mayor Eddie Perez didn't take a stand on it. But I digress.

 

Anderson complained that the Bush administration has slashed Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) monies, traditionally a local political patronage tool.

 

"This President has cut CDBG to give tax breaks to his buddies," Anderson said. With that, he had to step away and address the crowd.

 

"We're here to say no more to the complicit, complacent and mostly irresponsible Congress," Anderson told the masses on a freezing Saturday afternoon. "We're here to say yes to the rule of peace, yes to the rule of law, yes to the rule of the Constitution."