SOUNDS LIKE AN INTERESTING CAMPAIGN IN ST. PETERSBURG

This fall means that a number of municipalities throughout Florida will hold elections for mayor and city commission/council positions. In many cases these races will be snoozers, but one of the more promising contests will be for Mayor in St. Petersburg.

Incumbant Republican Rick Baker will face off against progressive Democrat Ed Helm in the election November 8. Helm is a retired civil rights attorney, who worked with the federal Department of Labor for 26 years. Baker is also an attorney with a speciality in corporate and business law. The race, BTW, is officially nonpartisan.

Helm has been an advocate for curbside recycling, but according to his Web site he is also concerned with fire and EMT response times in some areas of St. Pete and is advocating that luxury housing developers be required to set aside a number of units for moderate and low income residents or underwrite construction of income appropriate housing.

Baker also co-chaired President Bush's Florida campaign in 2004.

It should be a campaign to keep your eyes on.