Mussmann for Mayor, Act IV

Today the Register-Star has the story that Gossips reported on Thursday: "Mussmann now in mayor's race." It appears that Mussmann is trying to appeal to the disproportionate number of registered Democrats in Hudson by characterizing herself as the "lone Democrat" running for mayor. Nick Haddad, the candidate who has the official endorsement of the Hudson City Democratic Committee, is quoted in the article as saying Mussmann's decision to run is "disingenuous," noting that she had up until now been an apparent supporter of Republican mayoral candidate William Hallenbeck.

Disingenuous does seem to be the appropriate term. Remember Mussmann's performance--for that's certainly what it was--at the public hearing months ago for the Robinson Street Historic District designation? She prefaced her comments, in which she claimed (without evidence) that the Historic Preservation Commission had forced developer Eric Galloway to spend thousands of dollars more on projects than was necessary and exacerbated Robinson Street residents' fears that historic designation would force them to make improvements to their houses they couldn't afford, by reminding people, in a self-effacing, aw-shucks manner, of her previous campaigns for mayor, assuring them she had no intention of doing it again. So what changed her mind?

The Register-Star quotes Mussmann as saying: "The challenges we face in the next few years could make or break us as a small city. We must approach these challenges with an appreciation of our unique diversity and a sense of equity and fairness." This statement is so vague it's hard to disagree with it, but what challenges is she talking about exactly?