Council Elections - Goldman vs. Wilder vs. Everyone Else

Councilman Manoli Loupassi, who has turned from one of the Mayor's biggest admirers into one of his most credible and sincere critics, is not running for reelection. This is an important council seat and the Mayor's former advisor and sideman, Paul Goldman, is running along with at least four others. Since the Mayor abruptly fired him earlier this year, it would make for interesting political drama to have him on the council. On the other hand, he was the architect and mastermind of many of the Mayor's policies and at least partially responsible for the underhanded and over the top tactics the Mayor is famous for. In other words, I don't trust him. Especially when James Ukrops is backing another candidate. I think Ukrops and his cohorts have taken a lot of grief for their commitment to the city and it wouldn't hurt my feelings to have someone on the council pushing what I think is a constructive agenda for the city. This election is at least partially a referendum on Mayor Wilder's mandate for "reform". I'm hoping there will remain a strong coalition to challenge his personal agenda and open the process for citizen input, which the council represents.