August is on the horizon, which means the local political landscape is about to heat up. Campaigns will kick back into gear, ballot initiatives will pit voters against their more indulgent neighbors, and a couple of the more intriguing local elected officials will call it quits.

It looks like Palo Alto is about to follow in San Jose’s footsteps and is gearing up for a battle that could generate the same kind of acrimony seen last year during the Measures V and W election. The Palo Alto City Council approved a proposal this summer to put a measure on the November ballot that would repeal binding arbitration between the city and its public-safety unions.