Council Race Update

Adding interest to this year’s council race is Lance MacLean trying to win back his seat. Despite a flood of special interest money to keep him in office (including more than $100,000 from the deputies union), MacLean was recalled on Feb. 2. Unless outsiders spend another fortune on his comeback, he’ll likely lose again on Nov. 2.

In his ballot statement, MacLean vents his anger over being removed from office. He also rails against the “reckless” council decisions that led to a budget shortfall.

MacLean promises: “If elected, I will create a Blue Ribbon taskforce to audit city operations to identify waste and inefficiency.” He had 7 « years to identify waste and inefficiency, and he was consistently in the council majority creating it.

Voters might not remember MacLean’s campaign promises when he ran in 2002. Back then, he said he would “create a top-down audit” to identify waste and inefficiency. After he was elected, he never mentioned it again. He also said he’d sell Dan Joseph’s $6,000 desk on eBay. After the election, he said it was a joke.

MacLean’s former backers in city hall have distanced themselves and engaged in spin. After defending MacLean in the recall, they now say they were only objecting to the idea of a recall and the expense of a special election.

Will MacLean use his entire campaign treasury attacking residents who voted for the recall, the 51 proponents who initiated his removal and current and former council members – even those who were defending him six months ago?

Voters on November 2 will have an opportunity to tell incumbents – and ex-incumbents – that their services are no longer needed.