Here’s who I’ll be rooting for next Tuesday night while I struggle to stay up for the 11 o’clock news.

Mike Craig:  The main difference between Mike Craig and his opponent, fellow Democrat Shaun Enright, was evident in one answer at last week’s debate sponsored by the East Toledo Club. Enright, an IBEW Local 8 employee, said the City of Toledo should have accepted a union offer to buy the Marina District for one dollar more than the offer made by Chinese investors, the Dashing Pacific Group.

That would have killed any likelihood of development. Craig, on the other hand, had the courage to stand up to the unions and support Dashing Pacific’s bid. His reasoning is sound. The Chinese pledge to bring $300 million of foreign investment here, new ideas and new potential citizens.

If the Chinese choose union, so be it. But, that shouldn’t be a requirement attached to their investment.

Craig has not always been responsive to his constituents. However, after five years on the job, he is growing into it. His communication has improved and he has vision.

Enright beat Craig in the primary, which shows there is still some dissatisfaction with Craig. However, if East Toledoans think Enright will be more responsive, they should think again. The Press, the largest circulating newspaper in East Toledo, tried numerous attempts by phone and email to get Enright to debate. The effort included a call to the Chairman of the Lucas County Democratic Party. The debate was on October 20. On September 21, Enright replied by e-mail that he would get in touch with this newspaper “soon.”

It was only when our reporter called him two days before the debate to find out why he wasn’t going to attend, that he confirmed. His reason for the delay was that he had four e-mail accounts and his campaign manager didn’t see the notice. Imagine the excuse you, as a citizen, will get.

I understand the politics here. He beat Craig in the primary. Why debate an experienced councilman when your inexperience may show? Answer--because the citizens deserve to hear both candidates.

Enright does have energy and his idea to start a landlord-tenant remediation program in an effort to stabilize renter families is worth exploring. But, two questions remain: Will he be his own voice? And, will your complaint get lost in his myriad email accounts?

Tom Susor: Susor served eight years on Oregon council and was council president when voters in 1991 turned him out. This paper did not endorse him that year, partially because of his arrogance.

Twenty years later, Susor, now wiser and mellower, is venturing back in the public arena. He would bring a unique perspective to council. He manages his family business, a union electrical contracting firm. As the manager of a union shop he knows both perspectives when it comes to negotiating benefits and work rules. He is also a strong proponent of economic development.

Sandy Bihn: There is no stronger local voice for the health of Lake Erie. Period. As a Lake Erie Waterkeeper, Bihn has fought to bring awareness to legislators about the negative effect green algae has on the tourism industry and how power plant discharges affect the fish population. She also leads the effort to restore the Toledo Harbor Lighthouse.

Lowell Krumnow: It’s brother versus brother in Elmore; one progressive, one conservative. I’d choose Lowell, the progressive thinker, over Jim, the conservative.

Drive through Elmore, Pemberville, Gibsonburg or most any small town in Northwest Ohio. Most have been hurt economically by the big box stores and easy highway access to shopping centers anchored by national or regional stores. To maintain a vibrant downtown, village councils have initiated streetscape projects and merchants have banded together to create and promote special events to attract shoppers from their own community as well as neighboring communities. Lowell Krumnow understands this. He has been involved in a number of events including the Tombstone Derby and Grubs & Suds. He has also organized a Green Summit to explore alternative means of energy for the village.

Issue 2: This referendum on Senate Bill 5 restricts bargaining rights for public employees, limits pubic employer contributions to health insurance and retirement plans. It has little chance of passage, according to the latest Quinnipiac University Poll.

A yes vote would uphold SB 5; a no vote would maintain the status quo. The no’s have a 57 to 32 percent edge with the election a little more than week away. Interestingly, while the bill looks like it will go down to defeat, those polled expressed support for some of the bill’s measures. These were: having public workers pay at least 10 percent of their wages for pensions and at least 15 percent for the health insurance premiums. Also, respondents supported merit versus seniority raises commonly called step increases.

Respondents opposed the ban on public strikes, limits on bargaining for health care and eliminating seniority as the sole factor when determining layoffs.

I side with Toledo Mayor Mike Bell on this issue. He has been a union firefighter, fire chief and now mayor of a city struggling to balance a budget and provide services to those who pay the salaries of those who provide the services. Issue 2 would give local government and schools needed options to better serve the taxpayer without raising taxes during what looks to be another few years of tough economic times.

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