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)
Playing my kid. He's not bad for 6.5 yrs. His most important flaw at this point is that while he is good at projecting different outcomes of next moves, he keeps muttering his plans and intentions to himself in a revealing whisper.
November 23, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Playing my kid. He's not bad for 6.5 yrs. His most important flaw at this point is that while he is good at projecting different outcomes of next moves, he keeps muttering his plans and intentions to himself in a revealing whisper.
It was ever thus... (NYT, 8 June 1969. From tonight's reference list for tomorrow's writing, but I'm too tired to read more of it tonight).
November 23, 2025 at 3:07 AM
It was ever thus... (NYT, 8 June 1969. From tonight's reference list for tomorrow's writing, but I'm too tired to read more of it tonight).
@pamelablais.bsky.social I'm comfortable pointing at Toronto policy for that big drop despite those two issues for two reasons: the first wave of GTA condo take-up didn't really happen until the late 1980s; and second, b/c national trends on purpose-built rental didn't decline nearly as quickly.
November 22, 2025 at 6:40 PM
@pamelablais.bsky.social I'm comfortable pointing at Toronto policy for that big drop despite those two issues for two reasons: the first wave of GTA condo take-up didn't really happen until the late 1980s; and second, b/c national trends on purpose-built rental didn't decline nearly as quickly.
A pointed tirade in an otherwise positive review of Mayor John V. Lindsay's book "The City," in which Jack Newfield presciently pokes holes in the Lindsay's (in)famous earnestness simply by acknowledging the limits of city leadership. NYT, 29 March 1970:
November 19, 2025 at 12:35 PM
A pointed tirade in an otherwise positive review of Mayor John V. Lindsay's book "The City," in which Jack Newfield presciently pokes holes in the Lindsay's (in)famous earnestness simply by acknowledging the limits of city leadership. NYT, 29 March 1970:
Took my kid with me to walk with the City Hall team at the Santa Claus parade. He's still buzzed after we sent him to bed, and I'm still cold and stiff long after it was over.
It might just be the right night to haul out an old friend.
It might just be the right night to haul out an old friend.
November 16, 2025 at 2:17 AM
Took my kid with me to walk with the City Hall team at the Santa Claus parade. He's still buzzed after we sent him to bed, and I'm still cold and stiff long after it was over.
It might just be the right night to haul out an old friend.
It might just be the right night to haul out an old friend.
Urban deer wondering wassup
(along the Assiniboine River, just S of the St. James cemetery, in Winnipeg)
(along the Assiniboine River, just S of the St. James cemetery, in Winnipeg)
November 15, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Urban deer wondering wassup
(along the Assiniboine River, just S of the St. James cemetery, in Winnipeg)
(along the Assiniboine River, just S of the St. James cemetery, in Winnipeg)
Maybe it'll help if I can see 'em while I write about 'em.
November 9, 2025 at 3:27 AM
Maybe it'll help if I can see 'em while I write about 'em.
Margin tightening in Seattle's mayoral race as the painfully slow count continues...
November 8, 2025 at 11:14 PM
Margin tightening in Seattle's mayoral race as the painfully slow count continues...
If you see this... well, you get the idea
November 8, 2025 at 5:59 PM
If you see this... well, you get the idea
How did it come to this
November 8, 2025 at 4:04 PM
How did it come to this
I... I just don't understand why King County doesn't know how to count ballots. WTF? Apparently the Seattle mayoral race is STILL open for business.
November 7, 2025 at 4:14 PM
I... I just don't understand why King County doesn't know how to count ballots. WTF? Apparently the Seattle mayoral race is STILL open for business.
Kurulek-esque hints of a prairie winter: walking my kid to school, I saw one (1) panel of my roof covered in light snow, the top of one (1) parked car, this patch of playground... and literally nothing else.
November 7, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Kurulek-esque hints of a prairie winter: walking my kid to school, I saw one (1) panel of my roof covered in light snow, the top of one (1) parked car, this patch of playground... and literally nothing else.
I want to thank the coffee growers of Colombia for their help with my morning today. Trade is good. Glad for Canada's free trade agreement with Colombia, facilitating $2.6b in bilateral trade to help both countries grow our economies. Yay. 🍁🇨🇴
November 7, 2025 at 12:59 PM
I want to thank the coffee growers of Colombia for their help with my morning today. Trade is good. Glad for Canada's free trade agreement with Colombia, facilitating $2.6b in bilateral trade to help both countries grow our economies. Yay. 🍁🇨🇴
So a mayor walks into an office... (he had an idea). But the real reason I'm posting this is to shout out to the blue book visible beside him, "Cities and the Constitution," w/ essays by @emmettmacfarlane.com, among many others who don't seem to be on BlueSky, just so you all know it got used. ;)
November 6, 2025 at 4:58 PM
So a mayor walks into an office... (he had an idea). But the real reason I'm posting this is to shout out to the blue book visible beside him, "Cities and the Constitution," w/ essays by @emmettmacfarlane.com, among many others who don't seem to be on BlueSky, just so you all know it got used. ;)
Trying that Seattle update again
November 5, 2025 at 5:38 AM
Trying that Seattle update again
Ok so I woke up again, and here is Seattle, with the centrist incumbent Bruce Harrell holding a solid above-poll lead, while in Minneapolis the margin holding Frey back from victory is small enough heading into a second ballot that the Incumbent is confident of victory. 1/2
November 5, 2025 at 5:28 AM
Ok so I woke up again, and here is Seattle, with the centrist incumbent Bruce Harrell holding a solid above-poll lead, while in Minneapolis the margin holding Frey back from victory is small enough heading into a second ballot that the Incumbent is confident of victory. 1/2
Sorry, forgot to add
November 5, 2025 at 3:32 AM
Sorry, forgot to add
First cut out of Minneapolis. Thx to whomever that was who steered me to AP.
November 5, 2025 at 2:57 AM
First cut out of Minneapolis. Thx to whomever that was who steered me to AP.
You mean the one in the US Bank Plaza at 200 South 6th Street, right across the street from City Hall and the County building?
I'll repeat that in case you missed it: you mean the one that's **right across the street from City Hall** and the County building?
Top notch political analysis there, eh?
I'll repeat that in case you missed it: you mean the one that's **right across the street from City Hall** and the County building?
Top notch political analysis there, eh?
November 4, 2025 at 7:58 PM
You mean the one in the US Bank Plaza at 200 South 6th Street, right across the street from City Hall and the County building?
I'll repeat that in case you missed it: you mean the one that's **right across the street from City Hall** and the County building?
Top notch political analysis there, eh?
I'll repeat that in case you missed it: you mean the one that's **right across the street from City Hall** and the County building?
Top notch political analysis there, eh?
Ok so now tell me how many of those projected million are actually gonna show up and vote
November 3, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Ok so now tell me how many of those projected million are actually gonna show up and vote
Yeah, we all missed it, buddy
November 2, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Yeah, we all missed it, buddy
Clearing old photos off my hard drive, found myself impersonating Alec Baldwin in front of the mural on the Board of Trade office wall. That's a Toronto streetcar, for those who've never been steeped in Toronto iconography before. Pic is only 6ish yrs old, but I feel a lot older than this picture.
November 1, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Clearing old photos off my hard drive, found myself impersonating Alec Baldwin in front of the mural on the Board of Trade office wall. That's a Toronto streetcar, for those who've never been steeped in Toronto iconography before. Pic is only 6ish yrs old, but I feel a lot older than this picture.
I keep telling myself, whatever else goes wrong, at least this year, this city had a decent fall, and not the twenty-day parody of one it usually gets. Autumn Man is satisfied.
November 1, 2025 at 3:14 PM
I keep telling myself, whatever else goes wrong, at least this year, this city had a decent fall, and not the twenty-day parody of one it usually gets. Autumn Man is satisfied.
Found, while searching through old photos for a new avatar.
It's a long story. 😁
It's a long story. 😁
November 1, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Found, while searching through old photos for a new avatar.
It's a long story. 😁
It's a long story. 😁