Response to Mayor Don Ness

I noticed Brandon posted an interesting e-mail from Mayor Ness on Thursday, regarding the makeup of the next city council. Although our mayor makes many fine points, I would like to challenge him on a few things he mentioned.    

"Ideally, our City Council would have two strong conservatives, two strong liberals, and five moderates ranging from the center-left to the center-right. That way, you could ensure that each issue would be taken on its own merit."

I agree. There should ideally be a nice mix, so everyone is heard. But if neither myself nor Councilor Jim Stauber are elected, all we're going to have are representatives from the far left. And I don't even think many thoughtful progressives really savor that notion. And Mayor Ness, though you say Dan Hartman is running as a moderate, all the union money coming in through PACs is being spent on his behalf. So while he may position himself in the middle, let's be honest, he's going to support unions first, and residents second. Follow the money. That's what matters. Just because Mr. Hartman calls himself a moderate doesn't mean he is one, or can be, with the amount of dollars spent on his behalf.

Meanwhile, people like myself are constantly painted as right wingers, just because we're for balanced budgets and curbing spending. Essentially we want to run the city like we run our households -- with fiscal responsibility. What's so right wing about that?

    "I'm convinced that most Duluthians want independent-minded, solution-focused city councilors. Unfortunately, the middle does not have the political energy of the extremes along the political spectrum, especially in low-turnout primaries. The result is that strong center-left candidates like Mike Akervik and Heath Hickok did not even survive the primary - even though that is where the majority of Duluth voters are politically."

 I think my success so far has to do with the fact that I spent a lot more time door knocking. It's not like I have an army of right-wing enthusiasts plugging my campaign all over town.