The Local Scene -- Second Thing to Know

As you consider your vote in the upcoming New Brighton municipal elections, it's important to understand the following:

• Councilmember Mary Burg is not running for re-election to her own seat on the council. Since her seat is not up this cycle, she'll be part of the council for the next two years, no matter what else happens.
• Mary Burg is instead running for mayor, attempting to oust Mayor Dave Jacobsen, who has been an effective mayor for the last four years.
• If Burg is successful, she will get to name her own replacement on the city council, which effectively means that a vote for Burg is the equivalent of voting for her twice, since the mayor's vote on the council has the same weight as the vote of the other members of the council.
• Mary Burg wanted to keep a significant portion of the Local Government Assistance (LGA) money that got showered down on New Brighton, instead of having it go for property tax relief. Because Gina Bauman outmaneuvered her, the money is going to property tax relief instead of being spent, and included in municipal baseline budgeting going forward.
• LGA money isn't something you can count on -- in many years, New Brighton hasn't received any.
• If Mary Burg is elected mayor, she will be able to effectively stop Gina Bauman from guarding your money, whether Bauman is re-elected or not, because she will effectively control two of the five votes on the council, and she will likely have no trouble gaining the support of at least one other member of the council, especially if one of the newcomer candidates (about whom more in a future post) is successful in ousting Bauman.
• To boil it down: if you vote for Mary Burg, you are voting to raise taxes on yourself. Perhaps that is what you want. Perhaps you are Happy to Pay for a Better New Brighton. Just understand that is what will happen if Burg is successful in ousting Mayor Jacobsen.