Irving TX has a great mayor, everyone on the council is crap. And that is a suburban city.
The City Council members (all elected, and I for dammed sure will be paying more attention in future elections) are either dumb, crooked, or both. What dragged me into local politics was that, last year, the Council wanted to drop a large (200+ unit) section 8 housing project right in the middle of my (middle-to-upper-middle class) housing development. Really, really stupid, if for no other reason than property values will be ruined and the town will lose a major part of its tax base. Why the council would allow something so self-defeating to come about is a mystery to me, unless I was allowed a look at a few of their bank accounts.
The homeowners got it shot down - for now - but I've since been attending all meetings to keep an eye on them. I'm certain that the developer will be back for another bite at the apple.
Sad, really. I expected more, I guess, from folks that I see on a weekly basis. We run the same roads, shop in the same places, have kids who attend the same schools. But I've come to find that the difference between them, and me, is like the difference between throwing a bullet, and shooting it.