As entertaining as the Austin Mayor's race may be, there should be a very interesting battle in San Antonio to replace the term-limited Mayor Phil Hardberger. First term City Council member Diane Cibrian is in.

"I'm moving forward," Cibrian said. "Yes, I am running for mayor, and I'm excited about the future of San Antonio."

She said she amended her campaign treasurer's report Wednesday to show that she's seeking San Antonio's top elected office, not a second term in District 8 on the North Side.

The switch allows her to begin accepting checks of up to $1,000, the maximum contributors can give to mayoral candidates. Council candidates are capped at $500.

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Cibrian will almost certainly face former Councilman Julian Castro, who narrowly lost to Phil Hardberger in 2005. Far less certain is Trish DeBerry, a media consultant and co-owner of Guerra DeBerry & Coody, a marketing and communications firm.

By the way, the next Mayor of San Antonio will be able to serve more than two two-year terms, as the charter proposition that was championed by outgoing Mayor Hardberger was passed by the voters earlier this month. The margin of victory was about 12,000 votes, or 51.6% to 48.4%. Maybe now someone in Houston will use that result to try to alter our own stupid term limits law.