Cedar Rapids Mayor -- Now it's a Fight

The race to become Cedar Rapids next mayor is now, in fact, a race.

City Council member and mayor pro-tem Brian Fagan formally enters the campaign today. Already waiting for him is trucking exec, former Iowa House speaker and former local chamber prez Ron Corbett, who announced his candidacy way back in March.

The good news is these are serious, experienced candidadates stepping forward at a time when Cedar Rapids seriously needs leadership. And their differing backgrounds, visions and stands on key issues will give voters an actual choice.

Fagan has served a four years as an at-large council member and spent the last year taking on a lot of the mayor's public duties. Corbett has loads of political, legislative and executive experience.

With Fagan acting in many ways as a de facto mayor since the flood, and with Corbett campaigning for several months to win the actual mayor's chair, folks in this town have had a pretty good opportunity already to size up these contenders. Now the hand-to-hand campaigning starts.

There are already stark differences. Corbett has assailed what he calls the city's "culture of delay" in making critical post-flood decisions. Fagan argues that a careful, methodical approach steeped in public input was best to make sure the city didn't get shortchanged or squander opportunities to make improvements post-flood.

Corbett sees no reason not to return city facilities to pre-flood locations, such as the Veterans Memorial Building. Fagan talks about how the flood has presented the city with a chance to improve its facilities for the future, with a focus on accessibility and sustainability.

Corbett's tapping the raw frustrations of vocal voters who are unhappy with the city's performance and who want to clean out the council. Fagan's hopes rest on convincing folks that his time "in the trenches" has given him the experience the city needs going forward.

Right now, I think frustration has a clear lead over staying the course, so Corbett has the edge. But it's too soon to count out Fagan, who is just now making his opening argument.

It's going to be a fascinating race. Let me know what you think.