Have Pod People Taken Over Mary?

For the life of me, I can’t understand what’s happened to Mary. No connect-the-dots theories. No claims of City Hall corruption. Now she’s saying that she wouldn’t disband the Lake City Development Corporation, the urban renewal agency that she despises. Has one of those sci-fi people robbed Mary of her Mary-ness? Is she now shambling through life with a smile on her face and kind words for everyone? After using LCDC for years as her personal cyber pincushion, Souza told audience at last night’s debates that she wouldn’t disband the urban renewal agency. Neither would Steve Widmyer or Joe Kunka, if they’re elected mayor. Souza said she would change the focus of LCDC from “residential development” to job creation (never mind the approximate 1800 jobs that the URA has helped attract to Coeur d’Alene). Meanwhile, Kunka still doesn’t seem to understand what LCDC is all about, a position he had a month ago when I interviewed him at Huckleberries HQ. You’d think a mayoral candidate would figure out his position on one of the campaign’s key issues.

Question: Are you surprised by Mary Souza’s stand on urban renewal?