Quote:
Originally Posted by Slava
^ Sure, and that is all great. My point isn't that he isn't worth voting for or doesn't have some good ideas. I'm just saying that Nenshi supporters talking about how unqualified Barb Higgins is are kind of like the pot and kettle.
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LOL, you're comparing Nenshi to Higgins?
Nenshi: consultant for UN, GAP, teaches non-profit managment, wrote about city issues. Obviously knows and understands the issues.
Higgins: Reads the news. Obviously clueless.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bend it like Bourgeois
Has he [Nenshi] costed any of his ideas out yet? Not meant as a shot. No one else has either and I appreciate it's a double edged sword of having actually said more than anyone else. Since this is campaign HQ I figure someone here will know  |
Well he's costed out the airport tunnel. And he's done a much better job at costing it out than Hawkesworth has.
Really, not many of his policies actually carry major expenses for the city (the exception is improving public transit):
Better Idea #1: Allow secondary suites.
No major public expenditure.
Better Idea #2: Fix auditing process.
Requires aditional funding but could help reduce expenses.
Better Idea #3: Make Calgary more business friendly.
Specifies that the two business taxes would be combined (not reduced) and administrative red tape would be reduced. No major expenses.
Better Idea #4: Better access to the airport.
This one costs money. (~$150M, not ~$500M, Bob Hawkesworth.) But if you assume that the tunnel is not a matter of if but when, then building it now saves money. In addition to the cost of the tunnel, Nenshi proposes two new BRT routes. Transit fares will bring revenue but probably not enough to pay for the routes, at least not initially.
Better Idea #5: Better public transit.
Smart cards, GPS, more BRT. These all cost money. Increasing ridership will mitigate some of the cost. Without having a far too detailed platform (what routes? how often?) it makes no sense to quote a specific dollar figure.
Better Idea #6: Campaign finance reform.
Costs the city nothing.
Better Idea #7: Sustainable communities.
This one saves the city money. A lot of money. Gutting Plan-It (thanks McIver!) cost the city $2 BILLION. Subsidizing water infrastructure costs $10,000 per house.
Better Idea #8: Make city council transparent.
Yeah, webcasting city council meetings costs a bit of money, but not a huge amount. And hopefully, keeping council accountable would create some savings as well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Slava
I think Bankview. I think that you can bring a utility bill or something like that to prove your residence, but check that before you show up and waste your time!
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You vote where you live... as far as I can tell you don't even need proof, you just sign an elector statement. You do need proof that you are Canadian, however.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mazrim
I still don't get why it [the Bow River Flow] wasn't in Kensington, where businesses would benefit the most from it.
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It was explicitly intended to be non-commercial. The usual street fest vendors weren't there. Kensington already has Sun and Salsa.
Quote:
Originally Posted by frinkprof
The thing is that the City of Calgary's transportation department doesn't care what the cause of the road closure application is, or if they do, it has little bearing on if the closure is granted or not.
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If this is the case, then this is a problem because it allows people to close roads for the hell of it (as is, apparently, the case for the Bow River Flow). I'd also say that taking advantage of this impartiality to close roads for the hell of it, is a jerky thing to do. (And for the record, I live very close to the Bow River Flow, went to it, and don't own a car.)
