2010 Mayors Race

[frinkprof]

^Couldn't find a site after a brief search. Technically I believe he said he would build the 8th Avenue Subway, not necessarily bury the 7th Ave. LRT (or all of it anyway).

Here's the article about Jenkins running in ward 13:

http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Th...774/story.html

[Slava]

Originally Posted by frinkprof

^Couldn't find a site after a brief search. Technically I believe he said he would build the 8th Avenue Subway, not necessarily bury the 7th Ave. LRT (or all of it anyway).

Here's the article about Jenkins running in ward 13:

http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Th...774/story.html

Thanks. I actually take back my saying that I'll definitely vote for him....I really think that people should run in the wards that they live in. I know there is another guy who has picked up nomination papers, so I'll see where he stands before I commit.

I doubt very much that I would vote for DCU though. Frankly my dream was that we could get rid of McIver, DCU and Connelly all in one mayors race. It will still happen, its just that she needs to lose aldermanically instead of in the mayors race.

[Bunk]

Mods - wondering if we could do a series of polls on the mayor's race. I don't see a way to create a thread with a poll myself.

Now that it seems most if not all the candidates are declared and there is information now out there about each, perhaps we could do a first poll now, and maybe a second towards the end of the summer to see how things evolve as people drop out or as people become more familiar with candidates. Then a third maybe a couple of weeks before the October 18th election.

As of now, this is the list of candidates:

- Bob Hawksworth
- Joe Connelly
- Craig Burrows
- Naheed Nenshi
- Jon Lord
- Ric McIver
- Paul Hughes
- Kent Hehr
- Wayne Stewart

[Bunk]

^ I've PMd a request to the Mods.

Edit: PM'd every mod, thus far no reply.

Edit 2: Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Slava

Thanks. I actually take back my saying that I'll definitely vote for him....I really think that people should run in the wards that they live in. I know there is another guy who has picked up nomination papers, so I'll see where he stands before I commit.

I doubt very much that I would vote for DCU though. Frankly my dream was that we could get rid of McIver, DCU and Connelly all in one mayors race. It will still happen, its just that she needs to lose aldermanically instead of in the mayors race.

Why don't you like DCU. She seems like the only one on council this past term with common sense. I didn't like her campaign for provincial office while on council but I think her voting record is pretty solid.

[frinkprof]

Originally Posted by GGG

Why don't you like DCU. She seems like the only one on council this past term with common sense. I didn't like her campaign for provincial office while on council but I think her voting record is pretty solid.

One of the most overused terms in this election.

Besides the fact that the adage "common sense isn't all that common" often rings true, I've found most uses of it in people's campaign literature could be replaced with the words "sentiment(s) common to my core group of supporters, but nevertheless debatable."

Altogether it has become an empty term.

To respond more directly to your post, I disagree. Diane Colley-Urquhart has taken more positions on issues that I disagree with as opposed to positions that I agree with. Wouldn't make a very good mayor compared to other options in this race.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by GGG

Why don't you like DCU. She seems like the only one on council this past term with common sense. I didn't like her campaign for provincial office while on council but I think her voting record is pretty solid.

Her campaign for office while holding her seat didn't thrill me but it runs deeper. She's been an alderman for a couple of terms now and has spearheaded almost nothing of substance. Instead she has re-opened debate on the recycling program after it was passed and basically looked for ways to grandstand here and there without much effect.

I actually couldn't figure it out at first. There are issues that affect this ward that just seem to linger with no resolution. Everything from basic traffic flow (the ridiculous left hand turn at Avenida on Macleod trail, the perpetually broken lights on 162ave and the 3 sets of lights within a block by the C-train station to name a few) right through to the increased crime and vagrancy that the c-train has brought to this area. Why wouldn't our alderman take aim and fix these things, or take a stand? Who wouldn't want to beautify the area they live in? There in lies the rub; she doesn't live here. She probably rolls through every now and again or stops at the cattlebaron for a steak, but I can't stand that from an alderman. This is why voting for Jenkins will be an issue for me as well.

Like I say, I know that someone who lives in the ward picked up papers. I don't know his name, but if he's reasonable and is the only one who does he'll have my vote.

[GGG]

Is there a website that shows Alderman's voting records on key issues. The closest I can find is the Report Card that was released that supposedly rates Alderman based on Taxpayer friendly motions but I can't even find a basis for those rankings so they are likely flawed. So if anyone can find an easy place to review voting records please post it here.

Really the city website should have one front and center. I was trying to backup my claims of why I like DCU but the only ones I can think of off the top of my head is her being Anti-Bridge and part of the movement to send Bronco's budget back for review and more cuts.

As for the Avenida left turn on McLeod this is actually a guarantee given to the developer that that access would be given in both directions. As a fix though they should at least put in a merge lane on the left had side of South Bound Mcleod so that south bound traffic wouldn't have to have a Red light.

[Bunk]

No. One does not have a way to access voting records. This is a specific issue that Nenshi has pointed out as one of the major transparency issues with the way Council is run.

[Slava]

The thing with DCU and her sending the budget back though is that it's pure grandstanding. It's like when Brian Mulroney brought the GST forward with a 9% rate and then graciously lowered it to 7%. She comes and says the increase is ridiculous and then basically has nothing effective where it can be brought in line.

The left turn lane is given to developers and that's fine and fair enough. It's still ridiculous though when you have 1000 cars sitting at a red light on a major artery so that 5 cars and turn left at the height of rush hour. DCU does nothing about things like that because she is either (a) not affected because she lives further north (b) not aware because she lives further north or (c) cozier with the developers than with her constituents. I can't see evidence of her trying to find a solution here.

It's funny that you can't think of anything that she's done either though! The bridge is a non-issue for me and certainly doesn't have anything to do with her ward. Getting back to the LH turn you would think a true fiscal conservative would block that lane up and force people to use the multi-million dollar overpass 10 seconds down the road to turn left actually!

Anyway, it is what it is. I would just greatly prefer to have someone living in the ward representing the ward. Truthfully the traffic issue is not a huge impact on me, ts just a minor annoyance. But when someone has been a two term alderman and can point to nothing that have brought forward as progress in the height of a boom for the city it makes me wonder why they should even be in the mayoralty conversation.

[CaramonLS]

Herr was one of the guest speakers at the CCIS Annual general meeting. He gave a good speech and showed his support for the organization.

Good thing in my books.

[Slava]

^what's CCIS? (Hopefully not something I should know!)

[SebC]

Originally Posted by GGG

Is there a website that shows Alderman's voting records on key issues. The closest I can find is the Report Card that was released that supposedly rates Alderman based on Taxpayer friendly motions but I can't even find a basis for those rankings so they are likely flawed.

That report card was a joke. 70% of your score is awarded for being against taxes and for cutting spending. Whether or not that would send the city straight into the crapper was irrelevant. The report operates on the assumption that all spending is bad spending, all taxes are bad taxes. That's a piss-poor assumption. That's why McIver get an A+ and Bronco gets a D, but intersections and LRT expansions cost money and I'm glad Bronco was willing to build them.

Whole report card here:

http://www.boma.ca/2009CouncilReportCard.pdf

[GGG]

Originally Posted by SebC

That report card was a joke. 70% of your score is awarded for being against taxes and for cutting spending. Whether or not that would send the city straight into the crapper was irrelevant. The report operates on the assumption that all spending is bad spending, all taxes are bad taxes. That's a piss-poor assumption. That's why McIver get an A+ and Bronco gets a D, but intersections and LRT expansions cost money and I'm glad Bronco was willing to build them.

Whole report card here:

http://www.boma.ca/2009CouncilReportCard.pdf

If that list just published which alderman voted for which issue I think it would have been a pretty good exercise. Just putting them all together without giving any information on who voted for what is just useless.

[CaramonLS]

Originally Posted by Slava

^what's CCIS? (Hopefully not something I should know!)

Calgary Catholic Immigration Society (it's non-religious, but still has the name). It's probably the best immigrant serving organization in the city.

[frinkprof]

Apparently Alnoor Kassam will announce his candidacy for mayor tomorrow.

[Bigtime]

Maybe he'll use those stupid green stop signs as his logo again. Those made a lot of sense... He is one of those candidates that would be better off just giving the money he is going to blow campaigning to charity, but he is a slum lord and all so I doubt that he would go in for that.

[mykalberta]

He has no chance in this race, he shouldnt see his standing in the last one as an indication that he has a lot of support. He was the anti Bronco candidate last election. He will get slaughtered this election IMO.

[Slava]

I had heard that he wasn't running again because he isn't allowed to finance the whole thing himself. The maximum contribution is $5000, it would take him too much work to do what he did last time.

I don't think he has much of a chance in any event.

[Bunk]

Yeah, he primarily self-financed about a $1 million campaign in 2007. I believe the new rules only allow up to $10,000 in self-financing and $5000 in contributions from other individuals etc.

I agree, he has no chance.