We have municipal elections coming up in New Brighton shortly. I'll look at this election in more detail later on, but the outlines are pretty simple:
The incumbent mayor, Dave Jacobsen, is a good guy, but over time he's been pulled to the left, especially on spending issues. Gina Bauman, who has long been the voice of fiscal sanity on the city council, is running against him. Gina winning would upset the apple cart. Another woman named Val Johnson is also running, but based on a cursory look at her Facebook page, it's not clear why.
Two city council members are up for re-election. Paul Jacobsen is also a good guy, but like his namesake the mayor, he's been pulled left over time. Mary Burg is a big spender and friend to the municipal employees, who like her on the council because she's a reliable vote for their interests. The two primary opponents to Paul Jacobsen and Burg are Rick Moses and Susan Erickson. I've known Rick for years and he's a solid fiscal conservative. I've met Erickson, although I don't know her well. She's also a fiscal conservative.
For the citizens of New Brighton, it comes down to name recognition vs. motivation. If you'd prefer the city to be run more efficiently, Bauman, Moses and Erickson are the people to choose. If you're okay with the free spending status quo, the Jacobsens and Burg are your choices.
No comments:
Post a Comment