Every move the New Brighton City Council has made regarding elections has been, in a word, disingenuous. No matter how the matter is framed, the real objective has always been the same -- maintain power for themselves and freeze out anyone who would challenge that power. Cancelling the 2019 election has never been about saving money; it's really about making sure that certain people in the city are denied a voice in government for as long as possible.
Gina Bauman was a member of the New Brighton City Council for two terms. Gina saw her role as being a watchdog and advocate for the taxpayers of the city. She had some success in her time on the council, most notably ensuring that local government assistance (LGA) money was returned to the taxpayers, not spent on pet projects. This was always a wise stance, because it is never a given that the city will get LGA money.
The rest of the council, and those within the city who preferred the status quo, always hated Bauman for her green eyeshade and her fearlessness. They tried to change the term of office in 2015 to shorten Bauman's term, but got swatted down by the courts. Badly. So when Bauman's term ended following the 2017 election, the council immediately moved to extend terms a year. This was never about saving money, but to prevent Bauman and others who share Bauman's views an opportunity to run against the current occupants of the office. Who will rid the City Council of these turbulent priests?
It's not about saving money, of course. The City Council loves spending money and, now that Bauman is out of the way, gets to spend even more. It's about avoiding accountability for as long as possible. A no vote on the initiative rewards the City Council. A yes vote keeps the day of reckoning where it should be.
Next: don't bother the City Manager. He's very important.
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