You know what I would like to hear during the upcoming campaign for mayor of New London? I'd like to hear some ideas for the development of the Fort Trumbull peninsula.

In his fourth year, Mayor Daryl Justin Finizio has nothing to show in that regard. He campaigned on a promise to dissolve the former New London Development Corp., which was an easy target because of its link to the eminent domain debacle. In running against the NLDC, candidate Finizio was essentially able to run against eminent domain. Short of running against perhaps cancer, that is about the easiest foe you could pick in New London.

But in office, Finizio did not dissolve the agency, he renamed it and appointed new members. It became the Renaissance City Development Corp. After campaigning against the agency, he had branded it with a term of endearment.

In his campaign, Finizio had described New London as "a shining city waiting to be born."

"New London can become the Renaissance City," wrote Finizio during his 2010 campaign.

Last June, during the short period when Finizio said he would not seek re-election (only to reverse field and dive back in this past November), his honor decided he did not want the Renaissance City Development Corp. (RCDC) in charge of redevelopment efforts in his Renaissance City after all.

He effectively called for dissolution of the development agency and the return of Fort Trumbull parcels to city control. Since then, not much has happened. Most recently, on Nov. 6, the Planning and Zoning Commission, voting 5-2, gave a negative report on the proposal to transfer the properties to the city.

"I see increased risk, increased liability risk, increased cost to the city, that have not been quantified to my satisfaction," said commission member Tim Ryan, who made the motion.

The vote means it would take five votes on the seven-member council, not four, to approve the transfer of Fort Trumbull development from the RCDC to the city administration. This is significant, because the mayor has had a reliable four votes on the council, but could have serious trouble picking up a fifth.

If only all this energy could actually be devoted to working with the development agency to try to attract development to Fort Trumbull.

Finizio appears intent on exorcising the demons of eminent domain. He talks of only developing something of a public nature on the spot where residents were forced to sell their homes after the U.S. Supreme Court agreed with the city that the property could be seized under eminent domain law. He has mentioned a desalination plant (bizarre) and a parking garage with first-floor retail space (more realistic).

There is no question the city and the NLDC botched the development efforts in Fort Trumbull. No one seemed able to step back and see that seizing homes would be a public relations disaster, no matter how the courts ruled. The city should have found a way to work with the property owners.

But that does not mean city leaders have to wear sack cloth and beat their collective breasts in lamentation for past eminent domain sins. The city needs development, it needs to broaden the tax base, and it should be open to all potential ideas, not restrict options because of history.

Finizio arrived in office soon after the Yale Urban Design team unveiled an exciting vision for Fort Trumbull. It referenced a conference/resort hotel, a modern, urban neighborhood and a small commercial center to service it. It emphasized the need for a pedestrian bridge linking the Fort Trumbull section to the downtown.

The candidates for mayor should explain how they would pursue that vision or offer their own. Moreover, Finizio will have to explain why his administration has had so much ado to achieve nothing.

Paul Choiniere is the editorial page editor.

Twitter: @Paul_Choiniere