Editorial: St. Paul -- Bob Long, Randy Kelly

Popular St. Paul Mayor Norm Coleman will be a tough act to follow. Widely credited for raising the city out of a deep slump, Coleman will bestow on his successor immediate pressure both to keep the momentum going and provide strong, new direction for the next four years.

To that end, voters need to choose a candidate who has vision as well as the leadership and presence to turn dreams into reality. The new mayor must deal with a decidedly different landscape; the economic growth of the 1990s has slowed, and recent legislative changes mean cities will receive less state help. Steering the city through tighter economic times requires someone with the wisdom and good judgment to balance budget priorities.

The city's next leader must be a consensus builder and negotiator -- one who can make the case for urban concerns in the Legislature, in Congress, in County Board and school board offices and with grass-roots community groups.

With all those challenges awaiting, 16 St. Paulites placed their hats in the mayoral ring. Of the six major candidates, five are elected or former elected officials. Based on our interviews, research and their records, we recommend state Sen. Randy Kelly and former City Council Member Bob Long to voters in the Sept. 11 primary.

During 27 years in the Legislature, Kelly has earned a reputation for getting things done. Representing the city's East Side, he has initiated or helped broker dozens of successful projects for St. Paul and the state, ranging from the new Metropolitan State University campus to laws aiding crime victims and witnesses to brownfield cleanup.

Kelly articulates a clear city vision that includes completing important current projects such as downtown housing and commercial development, and improving the Midway and University Avenue areas. He wants to keep taxes affordable, improve transportation and infrastructure, create more housing and employment and improve schools and public safety.

He is well versed on regional and statewide issues, and shows an understanding of St. Paul's role as a center for East Metro development. Kelly, 51, is a DFLer with close ties to his party, but he also has support from Republican Coleman, the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce, building trades and the police and fire unions. Having built those varied relationships, Kelly could hit the ground running.

Attorney and former Council Member Long is arguably the most enthusiastic, aggressive campaigner in this field. He appears to draw energy from personal contact with all types of people and has the personality to naturally build consensus.

Sometimes described as a "Type A salesman," the 43-year-old could indeed "sell" St. Paul and generate continued excitement about the city. He is running as a reform-minded, fiscally conservative moderate Democrat with a detailed St. Paul "blueprint" that offers creative ideas for developing housing and jobs.

Since leaving the council in 1994, Long has practiced in the areas of municipal law, public finance, economic development, housing and legislation. He knows government and private-public partnerships inside out. As a council member, he was the chief author of a half-cent sales tax to help fund downtown and neighborhood development. Long was also a leader on housing, youth, environmental, human rights and public safety issues.

The remaining four top candidates also have a range of experience and varied strengths and weaknesses. However, none is as strong as Kelly or Long.

A second-tier aspirant with potential, including a strong independent streak, is First Ward Council Member Jerry Blakey. Now in his second term, Blakey, 42, has grown into a good public servant. Once an almost shy campaigner, he has developed into a good speaker with an impressive list of redevelopment accomplishments in his diverse ward.

During the 1997 campaign, an opponent called him a "closet Republican." True to that charge, Blakey switched from the DFL to the GOP last spring. He could have a bright political future. Perhaps as one of the few experienced African-American Republicans in a DFL town, he can help tone down the party's extreme views and attract a more diverse group of moderates to the GOP.

Candidate Jay Benanav, 50, is the Fourth Ward council member and a knowledgeable contender. A lawyer and head of a nonprofit insurance company, he became known for asking tough questions and often opposing Mayor Coleman.

Benanav has DFL endorsement and the support of well-respected former Mayor George Latimer. However, we wonder whether his low-key and sometimes difficult style could maintain current excitement about the city's future. And we're concerned that he'd have difficulty dealing with segments of the business community following contentious City Hall battles over development issues.

Roberta "Bobbi" Megard, 64, is a former council member, professor and League of Women Voters director who most recently has worked to reduce billboard advertising. She is thoughtful and well informed but doesn't have the base of support or contacts comparable to the other candidates. Nor does she have the forceful presence and cheerleading ability the job requires.

Veteran city employee Bob Kessler is an independent who has injected important city nuts-and-bolts issues into the campaign. After 28 years in various management posts, he knows every aspect of city operations and has a wealth of ideas for efficient city management. Still, his resume does not have the depth or breadth of the top contenders.

Others vying to lead St. Paul are not campaigning as actively. Readers can learn more about them in today's Star Tribune Voter's Guide.