This is good news for Saint Paul.

Tonight, I attended the formal announcement of the Eva Ng For Mayor campaign, at the James J. Hill Mansion on Summit Avenue.

Ng (pronounced “Ing”) is about five feet of dynamite.  She’s a Vietnamese-American businesswoman with a long track record as an executive and – are you paying attention, Saint Paul? – turnaround consultant.

In a city that on the one hand complains about being short of money and on the other hand is building ice arenas and gives the mayor a staff of 22 (most of whom have one or more deputies), she’s a woman who’s had to make payroll and come in on time and under budget.

Just as important, perhaps?  In a city where the foreclosure crisis is leaving thousands of vacant homes (exacerbated by City Council policies) sending property values into the tank, she’s a property-rights advocate (and I saw not a few property rights people from across the aisle – DFLers! – at the party tonight).

Candidate Ng is going to be on the Northern Alliance Radio Network on April 11. This is gonna be dynamite.

UPDATE:  Jamie Delton was also there.