While no one has formally thrown their hat in the ring to replace Surrey's popular outgoing mayor, Dianne Watts herself noted that would change very soon.
“I have every confidence that in a few weeks there will be an announcement for a mayoralty candidate,” Watts told reporters after giving a speech at a Surrey Board of Trade lunch. “And I have every confidence that this individual will carry on and do extraordinarily well.”
Speculation is that one of Watts' fellow Surrey First members, notably councillors Linda Hepner and Bruce Hayne, are testing the waters for a potential run. Coun. Barinder Rasode, a former Surrey First member who left the party recently amid disputes with Watts, including disagreement over the mayor's rejection of a proposed casino, has also confirmed she's considering a run.
“I think many members of council are making a decision in terms of who will put their name forward,” said Rasode, who attended the lunch event, billed as Watts' final State of the City Address. “Definitely I have shown an interest but I believe today is about honouring [Watts'] legacy.”
The race for Surrey's top spot will likely heat up in November, as Rasode is expected to be pitted against Watts' Surrey First-backed candidate. But Watts, when asked about her own future, remained mum on whether she would seek the federal Conservative nomination for South Surrey-White Rock-Cloverdale, currently held by MP Russ Hiebert, who has said he would not seek re-election in 2015.
Recapping her three terms in office, Watts cited accomplishments that include a reduction in crime, green infrastructure initiatives and the second lowest commercial tax rate in the country.
“When I got elected in 2005, I gave myself, at the most, three terms,” Watts said. “And with that finite amount of time I wanted to make sure that we were putting things in place, and making sure the systems were put in place, and the foundations were put in place, public policy was put in place. And, as well, $11 billion worth of construction taking place. So there was a lot to do, and we continue to move forward now.”
Other highlights of Watts' tenure include the opening of 15,000 businesses, an Innovation Boulevard that looks to solidify the downtown core as an economic hub and the investment of $75 million by TransLink to improve transportation infrastructure.
One of her regrets during her decade in power, however, is the lack of progress in bringing light rail to Surrey. Last year, Watts went to the federal government's Building Canada Plan, asking for $1.8 billion to build three light rail lines across the city.
“I would have liked to have seen the at-grade rail already built,” Watts said. “However, I'm sure that will be coming in the very near future, so I look forward to that.”
Rasode acknowledged Watts would be a hard act to follow, and said that whoever takes charge of Surrey will have to hit the ground running.
“I think building on what's been done is important in a number of areas,” Rasode said. “Stepping up to the challenge on the issues of public safety, spending at City Hall and transparency is something that whoever chooses to put their name forward, to advocate on behalf of taxpayers, will have to have a really concrete plan from the get-go.”
