Ed Helm for Mayor of St. Petersburg
Sun Sep 18, 2005 at 05:01:51 PM PDT
As a strong supporter of Dean's 50 state strategy at all levels, today when I was contacted by an organizor for Ed Helm's mayoral campaingn to attend a meeting today, I jumped at the opportunity to help.
Ed Helm hasn't been getting the best of press. And I was unsure of the candidate I would meet today. But after the meeting I am convinced that I just met the new Mayor of St. Petersburg. Ed's struggle will be an uphill one, his incumbent is Rick Baker, and Baker has strong ties with the Bushes, he even hosted a huge campaign event in St. Pete from him.
I would like to go over the meeting I just attended and introduce you too, to the next Mayor of St. Petersburg, Ed Helm.
::Flip::
As with other campaign meeting I have attended, Ed's started with an introduction of everyone and why they were supporting him for Mayor, whether recycling, against "Bush Culture" or for a choice. I took notes of everyone's view:
- Supported Kucinich.
- Has an intellect that can offer real programs (rather than the incumbent)
- His progressive stance will "turn the tide".
- Ed is a Democrat with a plan, not the rethug framed no-plan democrat.
- Head of St. Petersburg Democrats cut a $500 check.
- I stood up and said that by slaying the head of the beast [compassionate conservative] will not starve it, only defeating the roots of that beast will.
- Prinicipled, Baker has many ties to Bush and the St. Pete Times that gives him very favorable press.
- Grassroot candidate who is just not part of the elite.
- His wife said, they met when working for a senator's staff and anti-Vietnam war. That his candidacy is a convergence of the right time. Was concerned that St. Pete will become a high-priced town like Marco Island where workers can't afford to live where they work or will become a Palm Beach where everyone will be driving hours to get to work. Ed will be vigilant on maintaining a growth plan that includes diversity.
- Ed will follow his passions, was scared of the direction of this country as seen with Katrina's martial law, Ed would help us step forward.
- Known Ed for about a year going on 50, and is a man who "walks the talk". This person also just came from a unity church event where Baker was speaking and was invoking God as looking down on St. Pete, the delivery had no teeth.
- A midtown resident, said that if Baker's redevelopment plan for midtown was closing the grocery store and opening liquor stores, he is doing very well.
- A peace activist just met him at a protest last night, and that was enough for her to support Ed.
- Baker has not attended 1 of the open forums held at city hall, which shows that he is out of touch. Baker also placated the Black community by saying upon his re-election last time, he would keep the current head of police, he did not honor that and dismissed him with a personal friend within 6 months.
- Met Ed at a DFA and Dean meeting, and agreed with Ed about getting away from a corporate controlled media. Ed will serve the people and not be self-serving.
- Worked with Ed before on issues.
- Ed's a good guy.
- A Deaniac, that met Ed in a Mark Twain costume, if he could pull of that he can pull off anything.
- Respect and admiration for Ed, and his wife and family. Sick of 1-man dictatorships that Baker is running. Ed has the nerve, courage and fortitude to stand up to that dictator.
- A Key West native that saw growth ruin her childhood home is concerned for the state's growth, and that Baker won't stop those growth struggles.
- Concerned for corporate power in the city, badgered by the police when excercising the first amendment. Noted that when Baker was asked about his opposition in this race, Baker pretended to swat a fly and stated "I don't know him"
- Trickle down is not working, only grassroots, knocking on doors, works for the chain, and it goes up not down.
This was starting to give me a very good view of Ed. He was not some "recycling fringe guy" that the St. Pete Times had covered him as. Then Ed addressed us.
- Ed started off saying that this was as much of a family choice as his choice, and knew the pitfalls when running against a member of the Bush might harm them. His wife had full veto power and chose not to use it.
- Just retired and many friends encouraged him to run, as they knew he would be the only one that would.
- He knows this will be a national campaign, with Baker bringing in one if not both Bushes. He has aligned for Clinton, Jesse Jackson and Kucinich to stump for him.
- At a recent Democratic conference he recalled the former mayor of Clevaland's enthusiasm for his recent declaration of candidancy, and then immediately started giving him pointers, know the city budget better than your opponent, etc. etc. Ed said the former mayor was obviously going back into mayoral mode.
- Ed said that "He has beaten the St. Pete Times before and will do it again". This is relating to the Times bad coverage of his mayoral canidacy compared to when Ed helped spearhead a city resolution that changed the city from a strong council chairman to the now strong mayor style of governance. And then went on to say that even though the style of government is a strong mayor, that he will infact be a 'real' strong mayor.
- He noted that in this past quarter he raised more money than Rick Baker, proving false some of the Times coverage of his canidacy being uphill and frivolous.
- He has previously been involved with senior citizen rights activists.
- Noted that he would not turn a deaf ear, as the current mayor has, to this year's 80% increase in crime.
- He recalled his recent trip to the bank teller, where the teller asked "is it true you are running for mayor". He said yes and posed a question to her, "what would you like me to do first as mayor". She paused and then said "address why young teenage boys are killing other young teenage boys"
- He recounted a recent meeting with a St. Petersburg black delegation. Ed and a lone volunteer, were the only white men in the audience of about 100. As the group was hearing individuals speak about race relations, the atmosphere was not a good one for the white man. Then it was Ed's turn to speak and replied in his "white guy opinion" it is good to be in St. Pete. But then re-iterated that in his "Ed Helm opinion" the only reason St. Pete is good for him is due to five advantages he has "that he was white, a male, educated, not poor and not gay". Ed stated that need to change and all people should have a reason to enjoy St. Petersburg.
- He would like to address transportation as a major issue. And told us of a story where a woman lost her job because the bus system runs on a different schedule on holidays, even though people still work on the holidays, and specifically about one lady that had lost her job because of this.
- He attended a republican club recently to debate Baker. Baker no-showed. While at the club, republicans there lamented that they were not "bag full of money for a high rise condo" people and thats the real reason Baker didn't show. The head of the club then started making attack point notes for Ed to use against Baker. Ed even recruited volunteers for his campaign from that group of republicans.
- Ed then asking about a recent book he read, that we have 800 some bases worldwide, even though the cold war is dead. And that is the reason why many cities do not have transportation for its public.
- Ed said he would take Baker on, Take Young on, and Take Bush on.
- He then disclosed his financials of total assets, which were around $2 million. And commented that at the family meeting, this was discussed and wether it was worth it to run and lose their wealth. The family backed his decision.
- Ed plans to fund his campaign with his own money and will make a $50,000 contribution to make it a campaign that will blow away Baker's lackadaiscal approach to his re-election.
- Ed stated "Baker will debate me" and the lede the St. Pete times should be following is "When will Baker debate Helm"
- He plans to seek a Dean commitment, whether verbally or monetarily in this non-partisan race. That really isn't non-partisan when you look at Baker's background.
- He asked us about his "Centurion" program for campaign giving and how he wants 100 centruions, people that commit or get a group to commit 500 dollars.
- He will be introducing Ray McGovern at the Peace Rally in St. Petersburg on the 24.
- His website is www.edhelm.com
- He has video crew coming into town this wednesday and will want people to help make up the group that will be in the advertisement.
- He encouraged us to call the supervisor of election, @ 727.464.6788, to request for absentee ballots and that every person we recruit to vote for him, to request one too. Because only 40% of registered voters vote on election day however 70% of voters mailed an absentee ballot will vote.
- He then finished, that in a city of 75K registered democrats vs. 49K registered republicans, that there should be no reason that the city shine a progressive beacon.
Afterward, as I collected my papers from the campaign organizer, I had a chance to talk to Ed. He asked me where I was from, trying to get to know me, but he had me at Hello. I then told his campaign organizer that I would post a diary on Kos. And that he should get Ed to address the community here.
So Kossacks, open up your wallets please and let Ed know that the blogoshpere is proud to hear about progressives running against entrenched incumbents that are major backers of the Bush Family. Here is his contribution link.
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