It's the Budget, Stupid

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First Ward challenger Sumi Kailasapathy says she's walked all her precincts and found "the biggest issue is the neighbors feel they have no control" over their city, citing council's approval of the Near North affordable housing PUD and the unmowed parks as examples. Incumbent Sandi Smith supports Near North despite the neighbors' objections, saying it will replace a small portion of the 100 supportive housing units the city lost when the old Y went down.

Kailasapathy, a CPA, says that "when core services have been eroding, it's not good to be throwing money at things we don't need." Asked about core services, Smith, co-owner of Trillium Real Estate, replies, "You mean police and fire? The crime rate's going down. Fires are going down. And the mowing schedule is last year's schedule--nineteen days."

"The biggest issues in Ward Four are the city's budget priorities," says challenger Jack Eaton, a labor lawyer and Lesko supporter, citing the rising police-courts building and the decaying Stadium Bridge as examples of misplaced priorities. "I would urge council to stop waiting for federal and state funding to repair the bridges," Eaton says. "Float bonds to pay for the bridge, and repay the bonds from the city's road repair millage."