I work for Mayor Nenshi, ask me anything!

[morgin]

Originally Posted by GP_Matt

Also, my limited knowledge of the Calgary mayoral race has led me to believe that the incumbent usually wins in a landslide. In fact, the last time the incumbent lost was in 1980 when Ralph Klien came into power. This has led me to think that quality candidates do not oppose the mayor but instead wait until the mayor steps down for a close race to replace him.

Assuming that I am correct, is there any indication that this election will be different or is Nenshi looking at 80-90% support?
(This question isn't necessarily directed at Bunk)

My totally uninformed and selectively sampled survey has me thinking it would be totally strange for Nenshi not to take another term with a fairly large majority. He seems to have continued support across a fairly broad and varied base of people, and he hasn't had any major controversies. It probably helps that he looks like an all star mayor right now compared to mayors of other large cities.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by GP_Matt

Also, my limited knowledge of the Calgary mayoral race has led me to believe that the incumbent usually wins in a landslide. In fact, the last time the incumbent lost was in 1980 when Ralph Klien came into power. This has led me to think that quality candidates do not oppose the mayor but instead wait until the mayor steps down for a close race to replace him.

Assuming that I am correct, is there any indication that this election will be different or is Nenshi looking at 80-90% support?
(This question isn't necessarily directed at Bunk)

It won't be close. At this point no one of any name has said they're running, so he likely won't face a serious challenger (and nor should he).

[tenyardrambo]

how come city members are getting a raise and our infrastructure/schools are deteriorating?
http://www.globaltvcalgary.com/city+...563/story.html

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

I actually find this thread very informative and quite delightful to read.

I'm glad - and I'm happy the questions are very thoughtful. There are several new questions - I probably won't be able to catch up with them until tomorrow.

[Addick]

Originally Posted by Slava

To the same point, of course no one bears the full brunt of the costs for their public services. That is how public services work. You have no kids, but you still pay taxes and support education. I might rarely need medical attention, yet I still pay for that system. You can't pick and choose what you're supporting. We're not running a cafeteria here; you pay into the system and we elect people to distribute the resources accordingly.

Just like other public services and public goods, there has to be a line that separates reasonable expenditures and the frivolous. For instance, I'd definitely help fund the treatment for your son's rare cancer but there is no way I'd support paying for your wife's boob job. The City does have an obligation to provide both hard and soft infrastructure for its citizens but it absolutely does not need to be in the business of funding people's desired lifestyles and dreams.

Personally, I think the City should do away with the property tax model and move to a model where the dwelling owner would cover their dwelling unit's portion of the City's operational budget. The City would need to find out how much each dwelling would have to pay if everyone lived in basic yet sustainable neighbourhood. If your dwelling is located in a neighbourhood that costs more to service, you have to pay the basic levy plus the difference. If your dwelling is located in a neighbourhood that costs less to service, you have to pay the basic levy less the difference.

[EYE_Overstand]

i live in Victoria park... and the Alpha House is a complete mess and i believe it should be relocated out of an area which is filling up with many professional workers and walking past it everyday when taking the train (victoria park station) is out of control somedays. Not that its Unsafe.... its just a complete eye sore and just something i HATE seeing after a long day of work.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by EYE_Overstand

i live in Victoria park... and the Alpha House is a complete mess and i believe it should be relocated out of an area which is filling up with many professional workers and walking past it everyday when taking the train (victoria park station) is out of control somedays. Not that its Unsafe.... its just a complete eye sore and just something i HATE seeing after a long day of work.

Just one question, did you live in Victoria Park before Alpha House was there, or after?

I need to know this for science (and to determine if this is a case of NIMBY or reverse-NIMBY).

[Slava]

Hasn't Alpha House been there for at least a decade or more?

[EYE_Overstand]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Just one question, did you live in Victoria Park before Alpha House was there, or after?

I need to know this for science (and to determine if this is a case of NIMBY or reverse-NIMBY).

Ive been in Victoria Park for 5 years now, and before i lived in Yaletown Vancouver for 4. i just believe that they should relocate the Alpha house to the 39th Ave station area. its far less residential.

anyways... i don't care if its been here for over a decade or not... these are worthless individuals who are high and intoxicated at all times of the day... this is an issue every cities core has to deal with, and i understand this, but I'm just calling for its relocation.

[jammies]

Why don't you move and solve your own problem?

[EYE_Overstand]

Originally Posted by jammies

Why don't you move and solve your own problem?

hahaha. right. i am not moving anywhere.

[Knalus]

Originally Posted by EYE_Overstand

Ive been in Victoria Park for 5 years now, and before i lived in Yaletown Vancouver for 4. i just believe that they should relocate the Alpha house to the 39th Ave station area. its far less residential.

anyways... i don't care if its been here for over a decade or not... these are worthless individuals who are high and intoxicated at all times of the day... this is an issue every cities core has to deal with, and i understand this, but I'm just calling for its relocation.

Just because you move Alpha House doesn't mean that you would move those individuals. I think the house is there because the people are there, not vice versa. I used to live in that neighborhood too, I know what you mean.

[surferguy]

Originally Posted by EYE_Overstand

Ive been in Victoria Park for 5 years now, and before i lived in Yaletown Vancouver for 4. i just believe that they should relocate the Alpha house to the 39th Ave station area. its far less residential.

anyways... i don't care if its been here for over a decade or not... these are worthless individuals who are high and intoxicated at all times of the day... this is an issue every cities core has to deal with, and i understand this, but I'm just calling for its relocation.

I've lived here for 8 years and the neighborhood has gotten exponentially better. I don't care that the Alpha house is two blocks away, these people need help and that is what the AH is for. I have never had issue with the fact that these individuals are in my neighborhood, it is part of downtown life and you will never be able to quell that.

Asking for its removal to benefit your lifestyle is a case of NIMBY. Furthermore, calling these people worthless is outright shameful. Why don't you walk to City Hall instead to take the train? That way you don't have to see these dreadful blights of society?

[jammies]

Originally Posted by EYE_Overstand

hahaha. right. i am not moving anywhere.

That's too bad, I hear they have some units opening up in Self-Entitled Estates and some in NIMBYville as well.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by jammies

That's too bad, I hear they have some units opening up in Self-Entitled Estates and some in NIMBYville as well.

Eau Claire?

[EYE_Overstand]

Originally Posted by jammies

That's too bad, I hear they have some units opening up in Self-Entitled Estates and some in NIMBYville as well.

hahaha. I'm sorry that your a victim of capitalism.

[jammies]

Originally Posted by EYE_Overstand

hahaha. I'm sorry that your a victim of capitalism.

I'm sorry you're unable to write in proper English. Maybe the Alpha House has an outreach program for people with your difficulties, and eventually you can get a job.

-edit- and enough off-topic, sorry. I shall refrain with anything further.

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by DownInFlames

Bunk, is there any progress on adopting the Skateboarding Amenities Strategy?

There are few legitimate places for skateboarders in this city. Besides the aging Millennium Park there is a tiny community park in McKenzie Town and the private park run by the Westside Rec Centre that last limited hour.

Even Edmonton has a better skatepark infrastructure. How sad is that?

Indeed - it's a strong strategy and the Mayor's a strong supporter of it. As with anything, it's the availability of funding (or lack thereof) that's the limiting factor. These facilities are competing with all other recreation and capital needs as well. The City has very few sources of funding for parks and recreation capital. We're hoping a new deal with the Province will alleviate that shortage of funding for these purposes.

The major expenditure recently on recreation is on the four new regional recreation centres - 3 in the SE and one in the far NW. The programming for those rec centres are still being worked on, but perhaps there's an opportunity to include skate facilities on those lands.

[Bigtime]

I lived in Victoria Park for 3 years (in the Arriva building) with my wife and then our newborn daughter (who was 2 when we moved out). We always knew what the entire area was like before we chose to move there, and we loved every minute of being down there. Just a matter of treating everyone with respect and keeping your situational awareness up, but I cannot remember a single time when I was concerned for my safety or that of my family (including multiple walk-bys of the Alpha House).

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by GP_Matt

Bunk,

You have mentioned several times that Mayor Nenshi is revamping some procedure or totally overhauling something else. Do you know if this is something that a future mayor can just undo or are the changes deeper?
The question is a bit vague but I would hate to think that all the work could be easily ignored because the next mayor wants to overhaul the system again.

In theory any by-law or program could be reversed. A lot of the changes the Mayor is pushing are systemic and long term. The hope is that the changes are effective and that no one would want to reverse them. As these programs have been moving along, they've also gained a good amount of consensus on Council - not just scraping by 8-7 with a lot of controversy. RouteAhead, Cut Red Tape, Zero Based Reviews and Transforming Planning are good examples of that.