On Tuesday night the Miller Community Center was full of workers, volunteers, advocates, and community members eager to hear the candidates compete in a Who Can Say Nicer Things About Human Services Competition. In theory, it appears that all of the candidates, in one form or the other, want to invest in people and basic services for the poor and vulnerable.

Sometimes the most difficult job for voters, and the greatest skill, is the ability to weed through rhetoric and political pandering and see how talk on the campaign trail will translate into actions in office.

There is a lot of great work going on in this area, and while I do believe that the candidates are sincere in their wanting to help people, when they are faced with political realities and pressures it becomes easy to pander to the powerful.

You get candidates like Sally Bagshaw when faced with questions about what to do about food banks and daycare shout “Fund it. Increase the supply,” while at the same time saying we don’t need to make choices between downtown interests and neighborhood interests. Well the fact is choices will need to be made and priorities will need to be set. This is most especially the case in this budget cycle where every department fights for its fiscal lives.

While it would be wonderful if we could throw money at ever initiative and project the fact remains that we are going to have decide what is most important to us as a city. Are going to invest in projects or people?

The real question becomes which candidate is going to keep their ears tuned to the cries from the community and the people whose voices may often be stifled but are never quiet. I am still waiting for a public official to stop using buzz words, be honest, and say, “I don’t know everything. I’m not an expert on every issue, but I am ready to learn.”

For me the sign of a great leader is those who know how to surround themselves with the greatest minds and listen to what they have to say. Not just listen, but be truly objective to special interests and do what is just.