Opinion: Does No One Want $171,000 a Year?*

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The filing deadlines have passed for next year’s City Council election (less than 150 shopping days left!), and at least three of the seven Council members up for re-election -- Tom LaBonge, Wendy Greuel and Greig Smith -- will be running unopposed. (An eighth seat, for District 7, will have a special election to replace the departing Alex Padilla.) Is there no one in these fair districts who covet a U.S.-leading City Hall salary of $171,648, with all kinds of built-in raises and such?

You’d think that in a tumultuous electoral season, there’d be more political competition. But scandal-plagued House Republicans ran unopposed this year even in Southern California, so perhaps it should come as no surprise that City Council would have some races that are positively Castroesque, despite the better salary.

* Post updated with more accurate info.