Watson to enter civic race Monday

LiberalMPP Jim Watson is set to quit the legislature and officially register his candidacy for Ottawa's mayoralty on Monday.

Watson will file his nomination papers at the Orleans client service centre on Centrum Boulevard at 11 a.m.

He stepped down as Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister on Jan. 12, whenhe first announced he would take a run at Ottawa's top job.

Watsonhas kept a low profile during last week's civic budget deliberations,butsuggested he was not satisfied with a 3.77 per cent property tax hike approve by council on Friday.

"I've [got] a group of advisers that are going to give me some unbiased, unfiltered input as to what can be cut to keep the tax rate lower than what council approved," he told CBC News on Sunday.

The city has some "real structural financial challenges," he said, adding he thinks there are "some administrative savings that can be had."He hasyet to elaborate on what kinds of policies he would introduce as mayor if he's elected in the fall.

"One of the things I'm going to work on over the course of the next couple of months is putting together a series of suggestions so that people know very clearly the kinds of budgets thatI would like to see if I'm fortunate enough to be mayor," he said Sunday.

Watson,who was mayor of Ottawa from 1997 to 2000,will also formally step down as MPP for Ottawa West Nepean on Monday.

So far, Watson's main rivalsfor the mayor's job are Bay Ward Coun. Alex Cullen and Robert G. Gauthier, former publisher of the independent newspaper National Capital News.

Mayor Larry O'Brien has said he will revealin June whether he is running for re-election.

Chiarelli plays up experience

Meanwhile, former Ottawa mayor and erstwhile MPPBob Chiarelli has beenofficially nominatedas the Liberal candidate to replace Watson inOttawa West Nepean.

Speaking to his supporters on Sunday, Chiarelli said his experience will serve the riding well if he is elected.

"I know how Queen's Park works. I know how city hall works," he said."I've had so much experience dealing with institutions in this community with the hospitals, with the universities, with the school boards, with the business community."

Chiarelli wasMPP for Ottawa West from 1987 to 1997. He was mayor of the newly amalgamated City of Ottawa from 2001 to 2006.

He ran for re-election at the end of his second term, but was defeated by O'Brien. Chiarelli has been working as a lobbyist since losing the mayor's job.

Mike Patton and Beth Graham are vying for the Progressive Conservative nominationin the riding.

Mark MacKenzie is the candidate for the Greens, and Brad Harness is running under the Reform banner.

No NDP candidate has been chosen yet. A byelection date has not been set.