Editorial: Electing leaders in tough budget times

During the next four years, a major challenge for St. Paul city leaders will be maintaining core services -- including police, fire and public works -- with limited resources.

With year after year of cuts in state local government aid (LGA) and more on the horizon, the City Council and mayor must make difficult budget choices. They'll need to look for internal savings, protect taxpayers from unreasonable increases and find ways to generate new revenue.

In addition, the council has to see the Central Corridor light-rail project through to completion and make decisions about the redevelopment of the Ford plant site in Highland Park.

All seven City Council seats will be on the Nov. 8 ballot. Based on interviews and other research, the Star Tribune Editorial Board is making endorsements in three of what are considered to be the most competitive races.

Because St. Paul is using ranked-choice voting, we've selected a second choice in the two wards with more than two candidates.

Second Ward

This diverse ward was represented by incumbent Dave Thune, 61, from 1990 to 1998. Thune stepped down for four years and has been reelected twice to the council since 2004.

Thune has done a good job balancing the needs of the entire city and those of his district, which includes downtown, West 7th Street, the West Side and Summit Hill. He took the lead in supporting a city smoking ban even though many of his bar and restaurant owner/constituents opposed it.

An architectural designer who has run a small gallery and coffee shop, Thune is a strong advocate for human rights, downtown residential development, environmental issues and historic preservation.

Our No. 2 choice in this race is Jim Ivey, 43, co-owner of a software company and a newcomer to politics. Smart and articulate, the Green Party-endorsed candidate offers a good mix of business experience and neighborhood advocacy and creative problem-solving.

Also running for the seat are Bill Hosko, 49, an art gallery owner, and Cynthia Schanno, 55, a self-employed aircraft broker. Both are well-informed on ward issues.

Perennial candidate Sharon Anderson, 71, will also be on the ballot but is not a serious candidate.

The council seat in the Highland Park/Macalester-Groveland area is open because incumbent Pat Harris is stepping down. The field includes several capable candidates with a range of experience and skills, but Chris Tolbert, 28, gets our nod.

An assistant Hennepin County attorney and lifelong St. Paul resident, Tolbert has the temperament and collaborative skills to work well with constituents, council colleagues and the mayor.

His legal background will be an asset as the city works with Ford to redevelop the site of the plant, which will close this year.

Tolbert's priorities are public safety, economic development, and transportation and transit -- including successful completion of Central Corridor. He also believes the city must continue to work closely with schools on preparing tomorrow's workforce.

Our second choice is John Mannillo, 64, a historic building developer and commercial real-estate broker. He is well-known in the city and has served on various city committees and commissions for the past three decades.

Fifth Ward

This district spans about half the Como neighborhood, the North End, the Railroad Island area, and the western portion of the Payne/Phalen neighborhood. Two DFLers are vying to represent the ward. Incumbent and council vice president Lee Helgen, 42, merits reelection to a third term.

By some reports, Helgen is a policy wonk who needs to work on his people skills. Still, he has helped his ward and contributed to important citywide decisions. Helgen has done good work on environmental issues and helped create a green-building policy for city-owned buildings.

During his tenure, several hundred new jobs came to his ward, and the Rice Street commercial corridor has seen significant improvement.

Parts of the district were hit hard by property foreclosures, and Helgen has contributed to city efforts to offer foreclosure counseling in several languages, provide federal rehab funds to homeowners, and demolish blighted buildings and resell properties quickly when necessary.

Helgen is facing challenger Amy Brendmoen, 41, a marketing manager for the Children's Home Society and Family Services.

She is an energetic campaigner and creative thinker who is stressing improved community participation in city decisions. Brendmoen is a solid second choice, but she did not make a strong enough case to unseat the incumbent.

This race is believed to be the most competitive because neither candidate was able to win DFL endorsement. However, they have divided the endorsements that often fall under that banner. Helgen is supported by AFSCME Council 5, the SEIU Minnesota State Council, and the St. Paul Federation of Teachers Local 28.