City Council Race Overview

• This year 3 seats are open and 5 candidates are running for these seats.
• Each voter will get to vote for 3 candidates.
• City Council terms are for 4 years.
• The balance between moderate and conservative voices on Council hangs on the results of this election.

Candidates and Analysis

• Krauss and Seidel are both seeking re-election. Yassenoff, Heath and McCormick are seeking their first terms.
• The continuum from moderate to ultra-right: Krauss, Seidel, Yassenoff, McCormick, Heath
• UA City Council today leans to the right, but moderates are in the majority. The right-wing agendas of Rankin, Ciatola and Steen are kept in check by a very slim margin of one vote.
• If either Krauss OR Seidel lose, the moderate majority would dissolve with probable outcomes:
  1. stronger attacks against and potential dismantling of our model recycling program
  2. attempts to reduce city services to only those deemed to be "basic", such as sewer, water, etc.
  3. library censorship through appointments to the Library Board
  4. lip service without action on the environmental commitments recently adopted by City Council
  5. more stonewalling of legislative action to address the holes and inconsistencies in home demolition laws
  6. corporate give-aways for Kingsdale development

UA's Mayor

• In UA's form of government, the mayor is elected by Council.
• If Krauss and Seidel are re-elected, the next mayor will be a moderate. (70% probability).
• If either Krauss or Seidel are not re-elected, the new mayor will be far-right (80% probability)
• The mayor appoints the Library Board

Library Board Appointments

• The Library's Board consists of 6 Trustees who are appointed by the Mayor.
• 3 Library Board Trustees will be appointed in 2008.
• Leslie Heath was a vocal supporter of Tim Rankin's anti-gay library censorship initiative.