Quote:
Originally Posted by killer_carlson
You can split hairs all you want, but in the court of public opinion and as being reported by the major newspaper in the city, a perception and expectation was created by Nenshi during the campaign that the SE LRT would be built.
He did nothing to dissuade that perception during the campaign. Once elected, he is now attempting to do just that.
That is leaving a bitter taste in mouths of voters in the SE (according to the Herald). I can't say I blame them.
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I wouldn't call it splitting hairs, but it is definitely splitting the fluff from the facts. I think that there's too much weight being put onto the Herald's reporting (or any newspaper, newscast, etc.). If you cut through the clutter and look at the facts, this becomes a non-issue: the funding isn't going to happen if it gets used fully/largely on the SE LRT, and that's not surprising at all. But I understand that getting people riled up with a perceived injustice helps move papers.
I haven't seen anything that actually puts the SE LRT at any lower of a priority than it was before or during the election. This is really quite simple: the money was never intended to be used on it and can't be used on it. The Herald can quote upset community members in the SE all they want and make an issue out of nothing, but getting angry at Nenshi for breaking promises that he never made, and for not spending money on things that it can't be spent on is misguided.
As far as I can see, the SE LRT remains as much of a priority today as it did last week. As soon as a sizable chunk of money can be found to do it properly, it will be done. And that's all I remember Nenshi promising about it.