Yesterday was a dark, overcast and stormy day.  SPicy was trying to enjoy a Snicker bar but contrary to what SPicy was promised on the wrapper, there was no satisfaction.  With a full day to absorb the news that the City Council approved the Chris Coleman 14.80% property tax levy increase SPicy is mystified by the logic.  It is well known that the Mayor's office was lobbying heavily for it as an attempt to show some sort of progress toward fiscal prudence.  The historic tax increase is even being spun by the Mayor's staff as the "conservative" approach.

Excuse me for a minute............ahhhh, now SPicy feels better. 

The thing that concerns SPicy the most is not so much the approach the Mayor's office is taking, and that's frightening in and of itself, but that progress of this City is idle and is withering in stagnation.  Mayor Coleman can continue to whine about the State and LGA, he can continue to lay blame at the feet of Norm Coleman and Randy Kelly, but the reality is he has done nothing but prove his inability to be a leader, understand the facts as they are presented and make difficult decisions.

SPicy is sensing that the level of optimism held by the citizenry of Saint Paul is at the lowest since, well I'm not sure. 

Even Jim Schiebel attempted to bring the North Stars to Saint Paul and we felt good for at least 15 minutes during his term.  But let's get beyond the campaign rhetoric that the Chris Coleman camp has produced; that he has a better working relationship with the delegation; or that the city's financial woes can be laid at the feet of Norm Coleman and Randy Kelly. 

SPicy asks everyone to remember that even then-Council Member Chris supported every big ticket item that came through the city and he supported every 0% levy increase.  He is now blaming everyone but himself for having to work through what he set in motion and illustrating his lackluster ability to be a leader after just two years as Mayor of Saint Paul.  

Give us something.  Anything to show the people of Saint Paul that there is hope.  SPicy is concerned that Saint Paulites are being tricked by the blame perpetuated by Coleman and his Camp Wellstone lackeys.  What is a more accurate forecast is that Coleman's 5-year outlook is nothing but a desperate plea to get re-elected to a job that he is really not sure why he wanted to start with. The hard truth that even Coleman supporters need to accept is that he ran because Randy Kelly handed anyone who would run a solid chance at victory because of the most ill advised political blunder of all-time. Heck, Rafael Ortega, the only person less qualified than Coleman could have been elected.

Please Mayor Coleman can you please give us something other than excuses as to why your lot in Saint Paul's history is due to somebody else's decisions.  SPicy is uncertain as to whether or not there is a candidate, more liberal or conservative out there that can defeat Chris Coleman. Conservative or liberal, there has to be an individual that has the skills and charisma to be  the person willing to provide shelter from the storm when hot and cold fronts collide. The sirens are blaring and more people than ever are considering shelter in the suburbs.  We're losing the springtime freshness of a vibrant city and are facing a leadership drought.

SPicy is beginning to assess the damage from the first wave of storms and as said before it does not seem to be about liberal or conservative politics.  It's beginning to be about the optimism and hope that someday soon there will be a ray of sunshine coming from the sky.  It's about a collection of neighborhoods, businesses and people that are successful together and proud of their city.  SPicy hates to be so negative, in fact SPicy longs for the day that praise for Coleman's leadership could be a daily occurrence, as predictable as the rising sun. The only thing predictable right now is the sun is setting on an era of community pride, progress and economic development in Saint Paul. 

Much like pop star wanna-be lip syncing Milli Vanilli, Coleman's only real legacy will be to "Blame it on the Rain", yet he himself shares in the responsibility for seeding the clouds. 

SPicy has been watching for a fresh breeze, but much like yesterday's overcast skies there does not appear to be much on the horizon.  At least not yet...