Norby Answers Critics by Tossing Hat in Ring

Mayor Chris Norby has announced that he will run for reelection in November, seeking a fourth term.

This week, in a newsletter to his supporters listing his reasons for seeking reelection, Norby wrote, “Past experience has made me even less comfortable and more eager to make improvements I now realize are not only possible but essential.”

Norby said he takes issue with recent criticism from the public and his colleagues on the council for “not being a team player.” He said that, although many City Council meetings are contentious and long, the council members’ job is not to “make each other and the staff look good, but to arrive at the truth. . . . As mayor, I have encouraged a full discussion of all issues by both the council and the public.”

The mayor described redevelopment as a “shell game,” in which “business decisions once made by the free market are now increasingly being dictated by government planning.”

“Redevelopment has become a form of corporate welfare” that lavishes “goodies” on favored retailers, auto dealers and developers, he wrote.

Norby, who often casts the lone dissenting vote in council decisions, said he also opposes low-income housing projects.

Two other council members, Peter Godfrey and Julie Sa, also are eligible for reelection. Godfrey said he is unsure whether he will run again. Sa said she will seek reelection.

Candidates for the seats have until Aug. 9 to file the paperwork. If Norby, Godfrey or Sa fail to file by Aug. 9, the filing period would be extended to Aug. 14.