City elections April 8

City elections April 8
The Editors
April 2003

The Iguana endorses Rob Brinkman and Craig Lowe in the upcoming City Commission races. These two candidates are the kind of people we need in elected office. We also support Warren Nielson, with some reservations. We have mixed feelings on Charter Amendment 2, known as "Save our Wetlands."

Election Picks
City of Gainesville voters have an important election April 8. The City Commission is expanding to seven members, and with the controversy around the current commission, the right wing is poised, with wallets sporting big bucks, to take it over.

District 4, a single member district, has Craig Lowe and Brad Guy running. Brad is very familiar with the process of development and regulation, and very hip to environmentally friendly building and growth patterns. He'd be good, and if our pick Craig Lowe wins, he'll still be there making things better with the work he already does. Craig has a strong human rights background and has been active in many issues and causes for years. We have to reward his hard work with our endorsement.

In the city-wide races, one choice is very clear to us and one very necessary. Rob Brinkman is a solid, even-tempered and knowledgeable candidate who is head and shoulders better for Gainesville than his opponents. He has the endorsement of Gainesville Area NOW and the Alachua County Green Party. (We're aware of a controversy which caused Judy Levy NOW to not endorse in this race, but after looking into it we wholeheartedly support Rob.) Democrats who may be tempted not to support Rob because of his Green Party background need to look hard at the anti-choice and somewhat ill-tempered Democrat he's up against. Rob Brinkman deserves the vote of every progressive in this town, and if you doubt it, call him up and talk to him.

Warren Neilsen, an incumbent commissioner, is faced with an extremely well-funded woman who the local newspaper seems to fawn over. A longtime Republican who's coyly switched to 'no party' Betsy! (like Jeb!) is not who those who love this town need. Warren can be exasperating at times (especially during the recent votes on the war) but the opposition is well-funded and loud. Pat Fitzpatrick and Harold Saive, also in that race, are running on single issues, homelessness and the wetlands amendment respectively. Pat would be our second choice if you can't bring yourself to vote Neilsen again. We just hope it won't come back to haunt you later while you're looking at Betsy Whittaker on the dias a few months from now.

Rob's and Warren's races could go to runoff, if so--please--put in some energy. This election is pivotal.