Personal Gain or Community Good: When Is It Time to Pass the Torch?

A popular mayor and key advocate of a major, pending transit referendum led a city on the rise. Everything seemed to be going her way until she made a dramatic announcement at an unscheduled news conference: she had been having an extramarital affair with her police bodyguard. She accepted responsibility and asked for forgiveness. Within days, though, a criminal investigation alleged that taxpayer money had been misused in conjunction with her improper relationship. What should the mayor do? Can she continue to effectively promote her political goals, or will the growing distraction of her personal problems force her to resign?