From the Editor

This week, instead of our normal editorials, we offer the Daily editorial board's endorsements for select local races to be decided by the primary election on August 8. The endorsements include contested races for mayor of Ann Arbor, city council seats in wards 1, 3 and 5 and the 53rd district seat in the state House of Representatives. (City council wards 2 and 4, as well as the 52nd district seat in the state House, do not have contested primaries.) Given that there is no Republican candidate running for city council or for mayor, voting in the August primary is vital for anyone wishing to have a say in local government.

Our endorsements reflect both the Daily's commitment to serving the student body as well as upholding the ideals we have come to stand for over the decades. I invite you to join in a discussion of our endorsements on our blog The Podium, which can be accessed by clicking on The Podium link at our homepage or by visiting http://apps.michigandaily.com/blogs/thepodium/.

As always, thank you for reading.

Imran Syed
Editorial Page Editor

Ann Arbor City Council

Ward 1

In the first ward, incumbent John Roberts, who was appointed to council 10 months ago, faces his first electoral challenge from Ron Suarez in the primary. We admire Roberts's willingness to engage in a dialogue with fellow council members and citizens and work cooperatively toward adequate solutions. Also worthy of note is his view that students are citizens of the city and must be listened to. Despite these qualities, though, we find Roberts's stance inadequate to overcome the elaborately planned, carefully considered proposals Suarez presents.

Suarez is a proponent of building up Ann Arbor's downtown and increasing density as a way to curb urban sprawl. He also has a unique understanding of what it will take to reduce cars and traffic in Ann Arbor. Everyone realizes that building up the downtown would create traffic nightmares unless a solution is proposed. But Suarez is one of the few who sees the need for not simply logistical measures such as adding parking spaces, but for encouraging long-term lifestyle changes that include walking and riding bikes. He says that the city can't force people to ride bikes or take a bus, but it can facilitate it by the way it designs future developments in downtown. We couldn't agree more.

The Daily endorses: Ron Suarez

Ward 3

The three Democrats vying for the vacant seat in the third ward are Steven Kunselman, Jeff Meyers and Alice Ralph. Of the three, Meyers brings the right combination of enthusiasm and knowledge about local government to the job. Though he's quick to point out that he hasn't lived in Ann Arbor for 30 years like some others on council, Meyers has swiftly gathered the understanding of local affairs necessary to be effective on council.

Meyers points to Portland, Ore., where he once lived, as an example of a community that's doing a better job of planning for smart growth than Ann Arbor. He hopes to encourage mixed-use developments to increase density downtown and around the University, and he has some innovative ideas to increase student involvement with city government that we haven't heard from anyone else - in any race.

Kunselman, who served for years as the administrator of Sumpter Township and who currently serves on the city's planning commission, would certainly be a competent member of council. We remain unconvinced, however, about how well his technocratic and almost frightening grasp of the minutiae of local government would translate to the setting of city council. Finally, Ralph has good intentions - running to bring more transparency to council and include citizens in the process - but her ideas seem vague compared to Meyers's carefully honed and comprehensive platform.

The Daily endorses: Jeff Meyers

Ward 5

In the fifth ward, incumbent Chris Easthope faces Sonia Schmerl and Richard Ankli. Easthope, first elected to the Council in 2000, brings a balance of progress and practicality to his position. Six years of experience informs his approach to everyday issues such as parks (maintain what we have before creating new ones) and parking (build new structures near the highways and bus visitors downtown).

The issue of the growth and development of Ann Arbor, especially the downtown, weighs heavily on the minds of voters this year, and it's on this issue that Easthope truly sets himself apart from his opponents. Ankli, though good-natured and admirably willing to listen and dedicate time to finding solutions, remains inadequately informed of the issues themselves. Schmerl disapproves of many things about the current council, including a lack of transparency, but considers her election as a solution in itself.