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Predictions and Predicaments This entry was posted on 11/5/2007 8:03 PM and is filed under uncategorized. SPicy hoped to get predictions out a little earlier but was called out of town on business and was forced to write this from an uncomfortable hotel chair. SPicy was lucky to squeeze in a visit to Ramsey County to cast a ballot before the plane left from Not Lee Helgen Field. SPicy would like to extend a thank you to KFAI radio for the invitation to participate on an election night panel. For obvious reasons SPicy will not be able to attend. KFAI should be left to wonder if SPicy had not already been invited under another capacity. Isn't that the station Driscoll is on? Unlike election season the predictions are going to be short and sweet. SPicy's opinion of the biggest losers of this election will follow. Ward 1: Debbie Montgomery has a past of being a history maker in Saint Paul. She is the first African-American female police officer, City Councilor and holder of other notable successes. What Debbie will now be is the first African American woman to be re-elected to City Hall. SPicy congratulates Melvin on a well-run race. Too bad the closest he'll get to set policy at City Hall in the next four years will be on the Senior Citizen Advisory Board. He's going to be reeling for a while about the advocacy calls that Bao Vang is making on behalf of Ms. Montgomery. Ward 2: The battle of the gallery(ies). Hosko? SPicy does not think so. Since the primary election Hosko probably worked harder than any other candidate in the city. He door knocked and did everything he could to get his message out. His ad in the paper rivaled any professionally done piece SPicy has seen in decades. It was clear about why he was taking on the incumbent, however his lack of a real campaign team and volunteer base will cost him in the end and Thune will return to take the hospitality industry to task. Ward 3: Harris sold himself to the DFL and all this race will determine is how many people just either don't care or just don't like him. Ward 4: The only question here is will Jane Prince stay on or will Brian McMahon get a "Official Business Parking Pass" for meters around City Hall? Congratulations Russ. You've made this happen on your own, let it be your office. Ward 5 SPicy would like to see Haas. Sorry. SPicy saw Helgen and his team of deputies adorned in Finney for Sheriff shirts hit the streets last weekend and will make it over the top, albeit within 131 votes. Ward 6: People like Dan Bostrom and so does SPicy. Saint Paulites need not fear multi-lingual "Do Not Litter" signs around the neighborhood. Pakou Hang will be out of town disposing of countless muffin stumps this weekend. Upon her return look for her to help Senator Mee Moua open a Congressional Campaign Office in retaliation of Representative McCollum's support of Bostrom. SPicy would Ward 7: Whatever. SPicy loves Kathy. She's got that way about her that just wants to make you leave her neighborhood. Look for more of this to happen during the next four years. She's come to love being the president. Clear some space the crystal gavel on the bookcase. Saint Paul School Board: Carroll, Conlon, Kong-Thao, Hardy, in that order. Just for fun, SPicy wants to make a prediction for Maplewood City Council. Rossbach will win the first position by a large margin. Cave and Nephew will battle it out for the second spot. You'll know who the winner was if City Manager Greg Copeland comes to work on Wednesday morning. The biggest losers: The Mayor will be in hot water from returning incumbents Montgomery and Bostrom. Deputy Chief of Staff Kris Fredson did all he could to unseat these community leaders. The Mayor should have checked that email distribution list before sending his private advocacy emails before the election. Or did he? SPicy wonders how soon Debbie and Dan head into his office and ask for Mr. Fredson's head. Ramsey County Commissioner Toni Carter Trying to be a power broker requires only one thing. Power. The Millard Fillmore Dinner does NOT count as a speaking engagement. Two mortgages, bummer. Director of Planning and Economic Development and HRA Director, Cecile Bedor. Unfortunately this was a good experiment, gone bad. Once director of a now non-existent Minneapolis Library System; Bedor will be under significant pressure to do, well, anything. The Mayor will not have a council in flux to hide behind, now it will be the establishment of his very own legacy. With no realistic development projects or good news in the economic development arena, look for Ms. Bedor to read the audit of the Planning Department quietly to herself. And you had nothing to do with the Ford Plant staying open either. SPicy wishes her well. Saint Paul Bar owners: See Ward 2 Finally, Hillary Clinton. SPicy has no idea why, it just seemed like a good spot to put her name. Everyone else seems to be picking on her. A possible irony of ironies. If SPicy is 66 votes off and Haas unseats Helgen in Ward 5, the Mayor, despite being on the losing side of candidates he supported, will come out the winner in the long run. With a Haas victory, the council majority will become more supportive of a development friendly atmosphere in Saint Paul. Two, (or three) years from now, Coleman just might have a council he did not support to thank for creating an environment that allowed him to succeed. Under this scenario the biggest loser is Environmental Policy Director Anne Hunt. Instead of routinely convincing the Mayor of the evil of growth and prosperity Coleman will have a monthly feature in Saint Paul Magazine cutting ribbon after ribbon. Crazy isn't it, a new Mr. Saint Paul! SPicy will be forced to keep up with election returns online and all the election night festivities will be missed by SPicy for the first time in recent memory. If you come up with some interesting information, or interesting stories, send them to SPicy at tipline@SaintPaulicy.com |
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