About a week ago the News and Observer asked City Councilwoman Jessie Taliaferro what she thought of developer John Kane’s proposal the City Council to give him a $75 million tax-subsidy for North Hills Mall – Mrs. Taliaferro said she hadn’t supported it, didn’t support it and had voted against a similar subsidy of a parking deck downtown (for the Marriot Hotel).

Yesterday, she got a real shock from her opponent Rodger Koopman. He sent out a mailing – four days from the election – telling voters she’s all for giving Kane his $75 million.

Mr. Koopman, a newcomer (who came to Raleigh from Holland by way of California) has taken to politics like a duck to water. Never once – during his entire campaign – did he whisper a word about Mrs. Taliaferro supporting Kane’s proposal. Instead, he cleverly waited until the last minute – when he knew Mrs. Taliaferro didn’t have time to respond – and smeared her.

When I was in Elementary School we had this bright young man who ran for class President. The day before the election he promised to put hotdog machines in the hallways. Now, none of us had ever seen a hotdog machine. But he won overwhelmingly.

We’ll see if the same type-scam works for Rodger Koopman.

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