Mayoral race: again, it's about values

The RCJ has summarized the finance reports filed for the June 5 elections in Rapid City. Mayor Shaw has outraised all other candidates combined by a 2-1 margin.

I was surprised to see that Alan Hanks hasn't raised and spent more, from the look of my mailbox -- I've gotten four glossies (two mailings--my spouse and I have different names) and that kind of mailing is not cheap. Maybe he's targeting carefully.

My personal favorite, Tom Johnson, is in the running, and, like Hanks, has seriously invested in his own campaign. You have to admire that level of commitment.

I'm of the opinion that Hanks [from what I know of his opinions and actions as a legislator] and Shaw [from what we've seen in his recent dealings with Wal-Mart and Cabelas] are both business friendly candidates, running for a City Hall that seems to be looking out for "economic development" ie, developers and other heavy power interests, and not as interested in the good of those that aren't in the top 10-percent income folks. It's time for a change in leadership.

I feel Tom Johnson is the best choice because he has experience on the Council and far less divisive than the other Council members running for mayor. If you have been to Council meetings or seen them on public access TV, you know what I mean when I also observe that he is not quite as interested in hearing the sound of his own voice than others in the group. (!)

If you live in Rapid, be sure and vote next Tuesday. This is an important election.