Mayor-to-be Stephanie Rawlings-Blake {Baltimore Sun photo}

Stephanie. May I call you Stephanie? No?

Mayor Rawlings-Blake it is then.

I know things are about to get hectic in the job department. But before you order new business cards. Before you change the names on the city recycle bins. Before you box up the custom-made, jewel-encrusted gift card holder somebody left behind in the desk drawer. I have a few tips.

Consider it friendly advice from one of your 650,000 new bosses.

City Hall {Baltimore Sun photo}

1. Be humble. The difference between arrogance and confidence is the number of enemies you rack up. Your education, your family legacy, your position: they mean nothing if you’re not willing to be “Stephanie” — in name and deed — to the people you serve. There’s no room for pretense in a town where people worship John Waters.

2. Be honest. I know asking that of a politician is like asking someone from New Jersey not to pee behind a Wawa, but let’s say you give it a go. Reinvent the genre. If crime’s surging, say it. If the schools are awful, admit it. Don’t live in half-truths and half-assed hopes. Give us the straight dope.

Gift Cards: The root of all evil. {CC-licensed photo by http://www.flickr.com/photos/rockinfree/)

3. Don’t touch gift cards. At all. Seriously. They’re like kryptonite for mayors.

4. Deflect the success. You didn’t teach the children. You didn’t apprehend the corner boys. And you didn’t build the bio-parks. Thousands of hard-working people did. Give them the credit (even in an election year). They’ll remember that when they step into the voting booth.

5. Shoulder the blame. This all happened on your watch, you know? Even if it didn’t. People want leaders who aren’t afraid to be accountable. If it works, you’ll earn a lot respect. If it doesn’t, you’ll earn an $83,000 per year pension.

6. Keep your shoes on. Your predecessor’s infamous 1991 Shoe Incident in the city council underscored and further stoked the racial divide that exists in Baltimore. Find ways to have honest discussions about race without being self-righteous. Because you never know when the shoe may be on the other foot.

7. Take a stand on tough issues. There’s nothing worse than someone who tries to play both sides of an argument for a divided constituency. Tackle something difficult immediately, like decriminalizing drugs. Or initiating zero-tolerance policing.

Willie Don in bronze {Baltimore Sun photo)

8. WWWDSD?  During those vexing times during your tenure, take a walk down to that new statue at Harborplace and reflect. William Donald Schaefer knew a thing or two about how to run this city. Ask yourself: What would he do?

9. Remember who put you here. Bill Cosby used to have a bit in his act where he’d tell his kids, “I brought you into this world.  And I can take you out.” The same goes for politicians. At least in theory anyway.

When he’s not throwing stones at glass houses, M. M. McDermott is here. Email him at mmcdermott@getrenegade.com.

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