"I haven't heard any rumors," says BarbaraAckermann, a panelist on the local cabletelevision show Cambridge Inside Out and aformer CCA-endorsed mayor. "In the past, it'salways been the Independents who want a charterchange."
The CCA itself evolved from the associationwhich originally advocated the strong city managerstyle of government in 1940.
The CCA's Leslie also denies that his group isinterested in altering the charter and says thathe'd "be delighted to talk to Walsh's sourcesother than his own imagination."
But Wolf does not entirely dismiss thepossibility of a change in the city's charter. Shesays the strong mayor-strong city managerdiscussion crops up every few years and that nowmay be an opportune time for the debate to beresumed.
"There's a change in the environment," saysWolf. "A change in the economic environment, achange in what the people expect from thegovernment and it may be appropriate that the Cityof Cambridge evaluate itself."
The citizens of Cambridge should not count onsuch any radical change coming out of City Hallany time soon, say politicians from both factions.According to Alfred E. Vellucci, a formerIndependent mayor who supports many CCA-causes,changing the city's charter is a long andcomplicated process.
And because of the CCA's stronghold, members ofboth political camps are also wondering if therole of the city manager will alter.
Walsh contends that Healy will have to changehis traditionally more Independent stance in orderto keep his post.
Gifford also speculates that Healy might try toformulate policies more agreeable to the CCAmajority because he "sees the writing on thewall."
But even if Healy and other employees perceivedto be pro-Independent remain, the city shouldexpect to see a noticeable metamorphosis of theCambridge political landscape.
Citizens of all political persuasions say thenon-party party-lines are being drawn deeper anddeeper. Consequently, the adjustment from a20-year Independent lock on City Hall to a CCAmajority will require concomitant changes.
"I would think that they [would be] strivingfor peace," says Vellucci. "But they are actuallydividing themselves."
And the polarity caused by the tension betweenthe progressive and conservative Democrats inCambridge is likely to continue. Gifford, as wellas members of the CCA, says that she would besurprised if the CCA does not keep is majority inthe next election--unless the demographics ofCambridge change dramatically by the next electionyear.
The increasing partisanship and uncertainpolitical future must appear alien to Cambridge--aone-party city whose charter declares that therewill be no partisanship.
"The city is definitely divided along partylines," says Pilgrim. "Cambridge could be such abeautiful city--we could have so much to go for ifwe could only cross the two-party line."