Brian F. Kelcey
@stateofthecity.bsky.social
Was @stateofthecity on Twitter. Veteran of a B-Grade, Film Noir genre of politics known as "local government." Current gig: second tour of duty in the Winnipeg Mayor's Office. Hometowns: Victoria, Winnipeg, Toronto. Working on 'Debt City' (see debt.city)
Again: anyone publishing a poll like this or a graph without publishing Independents as a qualifier is an enemy of Western Civilization and a servant of the AntiChrist
(Corrects error in prior angry post)
(Corrects error in prior angry post)
And the trend goes both ways, by the way.
The US government is telling Americans to hate Europeans and Canadians. And many have dutifully changed their opinions.
The US government is telling Americans to hate Europeans and Canadians. And many have dutifully changed their opinions.
February 7, 2026 at 1:32 AM
Again: anyone publishing a poll like this or a graph without publishing Independents as a qualifier is an enemy of Western Civilization and a servant of the AntiChrist
(Corrects error in prior angry post)
(Corrects error in prior angry post)
Fiscal federalism, with Chinese characteristics
Shifting control over Chinese city audits from municipal to provincial authorities led to improved audit outcomes, highlighting agency challenges involved in decentralization, from Jian Chu, Raymond Fisman, Yongxiang Wang, and Maoliang Ye www.nber.org/papers/w34776
February 6, 2026 at 8:08 PM
Fiscal federalism, with Chinese characteristics
Los Angeles, CA. "Unusual for so many major candidates to be on the fence." Maybe because we are in the era of 'why would anyone want this job' mayoralties-?
One candidate dropped out. Another candidate jumped in. A third, County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, is still deciding.
With Saturday's deadline looming, the lineup of candidates looking to run for L.A. mayor is very much in play.
w/ @noahmgoldberg.bsky.social
www.latimes.com/california/s...
With Saturday's deadline looming, the lineup of candidates looking to run for L.A. mayor is very much in play.
w/ @noahmgoldberg.bsky.social
www.latimes.com/california/s...
L.A. mayor’s race is in major flux, days before deadline
It's unusual for so many major candidates to be on the fence about a mayoral bid so close to the filing deadline, Pomona College politics professor Sara Sadhwani said.
www.latimes.com
February 6, 2026 at 6:48 PM
Los Angeles, CA. "Unusual for so many major candidates to be on the fence." Maybe because we are in the era of 'why would anyone want this job' mayoralties-?
This piece, by a newspaper that often has problems with facts, is grossly misleading. The City of Winnipeg has adjusted property tax rates to make reassessments revenue neutral for decades; and Klein as a former councillor should know this.
www.winnipegsun.com/opinion/colu...
www.winnipegsun.com/opinion/colu...
Winnipeg homeowners get unexpectedly high assessments
Winnipeggers are opening their mail this week and getting an unwelcome jolt again. The City of Winnipeg has sent out proposed property assessments for the 2027 tax year, and for
www.winnipegsun.com
February 6, 2026 at 1:42 PM
This piece, by a newspaper that often has problems with facts, is grossly misleading. The City of Winnipeg has adjusted property tax rates to make reassessments revenue neutral for decades; and Klein as a former councillor should know this.
www.winnipegsun.com/opinion/colu...
www.winnipegsun.com/opinion/colu...
Minneapolis, MN. H/t @danvock.bsky.social
The Minneapolis City Council allocated $1 million to help residents pay rent as part of an effort to help immigrants who have lost income amid the federal immigration crackdown.
Minneapolis City Council votes to spend $1 million to help people pay rent amid immigration surge
Despite concern about the city’s finances, the council voted to dig into its cash balance to help renters as eviction filings spike statewide.
www.startribune.com
February 6, 2026 at 1:01 AM
Minneapolis, MN. H/t @danvock.bsky.social
Super potholes, in Montreal
Montreal takes emergency measures to address 'disastrous' potholes montrealgazette.com/news/local-n...
February 6, 2026 at 12:51 AM
Super potholes, in Montreal
New York City, etc
Punchbowl reports Trump will release Gateway funds if Schumer agrees to rename Dulles and Penn Station for Trump.
punchbowl.news/article/whit...
punchbowl.news/article/whit...
Trump wants Dulles and Penn Station renamed for him
Trump offered to release the funding for the Gateway infrastructure project if Schumer agrees to support renaming Dulles and Penn Station after Trump.
punchbowl.news
February 5, 2026 at 11:58 PM
New York City, etc
Edmonton, AB. Just caught this while searching for other things... not sure how easy that pitch is at this moment with a separation referendum looming... maybe Alberta should tie that problem off, first?
edmontonjournal.com/news/knack-i...
edmontonjournal.com/news/knack-i...
Knack in Ottawa: Mayor to pitch Edmonton as 'strategic location' for defence spending
Knack in Ottawa: Mayor to pitch Edmonton as "strategic location" for defence spending
edmontonjournal.com
February 5, 2026 at 10:40 PM
Edmonton, AB. Just caught this while searching for other things... not sure how easy that pitch is at this moment with a separation referendum looming... maybe Alberta should tie that problem off, first?
edmontonjournal.com/news/knack-i...
edmontonjournal.com/news/knack-i...
Tequila, Jalisco
The mayor of Tequila, a city in Jalisco state, Mexico, was arrested along with three other officials accused of extorting beer and tequila companies in the state, the Mexican authorities said on Thursday.
Mayor of Tequila, Mexico, Is Accused of Shaking Down Tequila Companies
The mayor of the city that is the birthplace of the bottled spirit is the latest official to be arrested as Mexico targets cartel-related corruption.
nyti.ms
February 5, 2026 at 10:30 PM
Tequila, Jalisco
Reminder: I didn't sign up for city politics to get into housing policy.
February 5, 2026 at 10:22 PM
Reminder: I didn't sign up for city politics to get into housing policy.
Las Vegas, NV
As the Las Vegas Valley runs out of land to develop on, a growing chorus of real estate developers and stakeholders say the region should consider building up more instead of out.
READ MORE: lvrj.com/post/3595776
READ MORE: lvrj.com/post/3595776
February 5, 2026 at 6:04 PM
Las Vegas, NV
Kharkiv
‼️ About 100,000 families in Kharkiv remain without heating after Russian attack
About 100,000 families in Kharkiv remain without heating after Russian attack
About 100,000 families in Kharkiv have been left without centralised heating as a result of Russian attacks on energy facilities.
www.pravda.com.ua
February 5, 2026 at 5:35 PM
Kharkiv
Chicago, IL
Mayor Brandon Johnson’s marquee plan to bring fresh groceries to South and West sides — which first called for a city-owned grocery store and later evolved into a proposed year-round market — has slowed to a crawl. Tenacious @taliasoglin.bsky.social follow up
www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/05/p...
www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/05/p...
Mayor Brandon Johnson’s public market plan slows to a crawl
Nearly a year after announcing plans to open a public market, the city appears unable to share concrete details about what that project will look like.
www.chicagotribune.com
February 5, 2026 at 2:23 PM
Chicago, IL
Philadelphia, PA. Tempted to quit my job to do a podcast on snow policy, and team up with some geeks to invent "a revolution in snow clearing" b/c public expectations on what's possible versus resources is just an ugly ratio everywhere. It's the _______ [insert metaphor] of city-state capacity.
Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, who campaigned on a promise to provide city services, is feeling the heat from fed-up Philadelphians.
Such resentment has burned other cities’ mayors before.
Such resentment has burned other cities’ mayors before.
Philadelphians are frustrated with the city’s snow storm cleanup. What does that mean for Mayor Cherelle Parker?
www.inquirer.com
February 5, 2026 at 2:12 PM
Philadelphia, PA. Tempted to quit my job to do a podcast on snow policy, and team up with some geeks to invent "a revolution in snow clearing" b/c public expectations on what's possible versus resources is just an ugly ratio everywhere. It's the _______ [insert metaphor] of city-state capacity.
Morning ☕ thoughts on political toxins in the West: we have come to confuse declaration as action, confuse ideology as principle, confuse partisanship as ideology, and confuse policy as purpose.
February 5, 2026 at 1:51 PM
Morning ☕ thoughts on political toxins in the West: we have come to confuse declaration as action, confuse ideology as principle, confuse partisanship as ideology, and confuse policy as purpose.
Look: when listening to a random song gives you a happy flashback of a completely improvised house party that happened *in 1991,* it must have been a pretty good party. Well hosted, John. You did good.
February 5, 2026 at 4:04 AM
Look: when listening to a random song gives you a happy flashback of a completely improvised house party that happened *in 1991,* it must have been a pretty good party. Well hosted, John. You did good.
San Diego, CA fiscal.
Delays to parking fees, drop in tourism contribute to San Diego's budget deficit
San Diego faces a $16.8 million year-end deficit driven by delayed Balboa Park parking fees, weakened hotel-tax receipts, and excessive overtime in police, fire-rescue, and…
San Diego faces a $16.8 million year-end deficit driven by delayed Balboa Park parking fees, weakened hotel-tax receipts, and excessive overtime in police, fire-rescue, and…
Delays to parking fees, drop in tourism contribute to San Diego's budget deficit
Officials believe actions by the federal government have led to a drop in international travel, which is hurting San Diego's budget.
www.kpbs.org
February 5, 2026 at 2:29 AM
San Diego, CA fiscal.
Work for 18 months on a book about something and then some guys* just make a movie about it that you can consume in two hrs instead.
I finally have access to "Drop Dead City" and will probably watch tomorrow. Will be weird to see a new POV of a thing I've already absorbed dozens of old POVs of.
I finally have access to "Drop Dead City" and will probably watch tomorrow. Will be weird to see a new POV of a thing I've already absorbed dozens of old POVs of.
February 5, 2026 at 1:45 AM
Work for 18 months on a book about something and then some guys* just make a movie about it that you can consume in two hrs instead.
I finally have access to "Drop Dead City" and will probably watch tomorrow. Will be weird to see a new POV of a thing I've already absorbed dozens of old POVs of.
I finally have access to "Drop Dead City" and will probably watch tomorrow. Will be weird to see a new POV of a thing I've already absorbed dozens of old POVs of.
Lying on the floor
With my sick kid
Lookin' up at Dallas and Chicago
On our mantelpiece
Listening to Patsy Cline and Frank Sinatra
As one does
With my sick kid
Lookin' up at Dallas and Chicago
On our mantelpiece
Listening to Patsy Cline and Frank Sinatra
As one does
February 5, 2026 at 12:42 AM
Lying on the floor
With my sick kid
Lookin' up at Dallas and Chicago
On our mantelpiece
Listening to Patsy Cline and Frank Sinatra
As one does
With my sick kid
Lookin' up at Dallas and Chicago
On our mantelpiece
Listening to Patsy Cline and Frank Sinatra
As one does
Hiroshima ---> Milano
Tadatoshi Akiba, former mayor of the city of Hiroshima, has been selected as a flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy, recognizing his efforts to promote peace. 👉 ebx.sh/M6midT
February 4, 2026 at 10:53 PM
Hiroshima ---> Milano
Paris mayoral race
Municipales à Paris : face à Emmanuel Grégoire, tous les coups sont permis pour LFI
Municipales à Paris : face à Emmanuel Grégoire, tous les coups sont permis pour LFI
Après la diffusion d’un visuel par Sophia Chikirou, jeudi 29 janvier, les soutiens du socialiste, visé depuis le début de la campagne par de violentes piques insoumises, dénoncent un «grave dérapage».
www.liberation.fr
February 4, 2026 at 8:49 PM
Paris mayoral race