Bronco's Running Scared!

  Give it up Dave!  Our Mayor, Dave Bronconnier just refuses to let the campaign fundraising issue go.  He brought this issue up last February and continues to push it in advance of the 2010 Calgary Municipal Election.  If you really think about it, it is not hard to see why!   His last challenger, Alnoor ( I will fund this campaign myself) Kassam caused Dave to spend a larger chunk of his campaign war chest than he hoped for, in order to compete in 2007.  Alnoor was never a serious threat, unlike the uphill battle the mayor is facing in 2010. 

 If Alderman Ric McIver decides to run for Mayor, he will win in a landslide.  So, if you are an unpopular, lame duck Mayor on his way out the door, what do you do?  Limit your challengers ability to raise funds.  I do not necessarily disagree with the "new" rules they are proposing, but I think that it is unfair to impose them on an existing group.  Like I said before, "Why Now Bronco"?...  if he is  so keen on the new rules, why should he be able to use the $300K+ that he already has stored in his mattress?  Why not just donate it to charity now and just run on the money you raise going forward.  Not likely?  You better believe it....

 Personally, I do not think Bronco is going to run again, regardless of what he has said publicly.  I believe that he announced his "intention" to run again to stop the flow of funds from his arch-rival, Ric McIver.  Bronco is a lame duck mayor and knows that if he announced he would not seek re-election, he would not be able to try and push through his socialist policies on the citizens of Calgary in 2009/10.   I can foresee a "change of heart" come August, when he will announce that he wants to spend "more time with his family" and not run for Mayor.

 If he does run again, the $5000 cap is not a big deal to him.  Take a look at his campaign contribution disclosure from 2007 here.  Most of the donations are under $5,000, save  a few giant donations from some of Calgary's largest construction/development companies.  It is truly an interesting ( and telling) read. 

Either way...I am just hoping that Ric McIver announces his intention to run.  I have a new pair of runners for door knocking and a piggy bank full of coins to donate.  Don't worry, it will be under $5,000 though!