Now Betsy Hodges has PAC backing, too

The Committee for a Greater Minneapolis and the Coalition for a Better Minneapolis sound like they share a common and uncontroversial goal, but the newly minted political action committees are opponents in the financial arms race to elect the city's next mayor.

The coalition, which backs Mark Andrew, formed last week; the committee, which supports Betsy Hodges, announced its existence today. Both are tied to unions that have endorsed the respective candidates.

The Andrew-allied coalition is chaired by Bill McCarthy, president of the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation, AFL-CIO. The Hodges-supporting committee is co-chaired by Leah Solo and Kate Brickman, who both work for the Service Employees International Union.

Unlike the campaigns, which can accept a maximum of $500 from any person or political fund, the new organizations can raise and spend as much as they want. The only thing they can't do is coordinate with the campaigns they support.

We won't know how much money the groups are pumping into the mayor's race -- or exactly where it's coming from -- until the week before the election.

• In a few years, the nation's tallest building may not be in New York or Chicago
• Cop-suit payouts higher in Minneapolis than Baltimore
• New Minneapolis logo: Now with fewer sailboats
• St. Paul saves dilapidated billboard