Global reveals developer’s plan to control CGY city council

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by First Lady

Shhh.... they even say that on their website.

http://www.votecalgary.ca/vote-calgary-story/

God you're daft.

[First Lady]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

God you're daft.

Next time I'll use green text for you.

[Bunk]

The Mayor doesn't have a singular agenda. He has ideas on a large variety of issues on which the City deals with. He put forth several dozen ideas through 12 policy themes in his last election platform. He's been successful in completing or moving substantially on 11 of those 12 themes (the last remaining glaring one being campaign finance reform - but this is currently a Provincial decision).

The Mayor has a bully pulpit by way of having the title and being elected by the city as a whole. Nonetheless, we have a so-callled "weak Mayor" system and thus he must use the power of his persuasion to convince others to support his ideas.

On really important issues related to growth and development (such as the Growth Management Framework - to more logically sequence growth based on financial efficiency - one can say part of the Mayor's "agenda") Council has moved forward with a relatively high degree of unanimity actually.

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by First Lady

Next time I'll use green text for you.

Saw right through your "shh".

So.
Shh.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Bunk

On really important issues related to growth and development (such as the Growth Management Framework - to more logically sequence growth based on financial efficiency - one can say part of the Mayor's "agenda") Council has moved forward with a relatively high degree of unanimity actually.

And yet, with regards to the standard development agreement (that sets the development fees), Nenshi voted against council on the grounds that they did not increase the fees (i.e. reduce the subsidies) enough.

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by Manhattanboy

Seriously, why not? At the federal and provincial levels, I may not know the candidates by name, but at least in a general sense I know where they stand on most issues by party affiliation.

I think that's exactly what people object to. Party politics stiffles independent thinking and actual problem solving. In party politics, elected representatives automatically oppose certain policies simply by virtue of it being from the opposition party rather than on its merits.

Ideology and partisanship blinds.

The beauty of independent members of Council, and particularly of this Council is that although you often get vigorous disagreement on issues and 8-7 or 9-6 votes, it's rarely the same 8 and the same 7. You get people on opposite sides of the ideological spectrum co-sponsoring motions because they agree it's the right solution (Today for instance, Druh Farrell and Shane Keating co-sponsored a Notice of Motion of Air Conditioning noise). One of the criticisms of the last Council is that it started to look a lot more like party politics. Lots of 8-7 votes, but almost always the same block of 8 and the same block of 7 based on ideology.

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by SebC

And yet, with regards to the standard development agreement (that sets the development fees), Nenshi voted against council on the grounds that they did not increase the fees (i.e. reduce the subsidies) enough.

That's true. Council as a whole generally agreed to the principle that the acreage assessment should be higher to pay for a greater proportion of growth costs, but there was disagreement on how much it should increase at that time.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by Manhattanboy

Seriously, why not? At the federal and provincial levels, I may not know the candidates by name, but at least in a general sense I know where they stand on most issues by party affiliation.

You just answered the question.

Furthermore, I wish partys were banned from provincial and federal governments.

[smoothpops]

FFWD retweeted their article from 2007 which i think is a good compliment to the video;


http://www.ffwdweekly.com/article/ne...aign-financin/

[puckluck2]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Pardon my french but #### you Shane Homes. Never buying a home from you #######s.

Lol nobody should have bought a home from Shane homes before this video was released.

Absolute garbage company that got ahead by tactics used in this video. The worst quality you can get is from Shane homes.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Bunk

The Mayor doesn't have a singular agenda. He has ideas on a large variety of issues on which the City deals with. He put forth several dozen ideas through 12 policy themes in his last election platform. He's been successful in completing or moving substantially on 11 of those 12 themes (the last remaining glaring one being campaign finance reform - but this is currently a Provincial decision).

The Mayor has a bully pulpit by way of having the title and being elected by the city as a whole. Nonetheless, we have a so-callled "weak Mayor" system and thus he must use the power of his persuasion to convince others to support his ideas.

On really important issues related to growth and development (such as the Growth Management Framework - to more logically sequence growth based on financial efficiency - one can say part of the Mayor's "agenda") Council has moved forward with a relatively high degree of unanimity actually.

I thanked you, mostly for the use of 'bully pulpit' which is not only way under-utilized but perhaps the throwback of all throwbacks!

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by Manhattanboy

Seriously, why not? At the federal and provincial levels, I may not know the candidates by name, but at least in a general sense I know where they stand on most issues by party affiliation.

Researching the Mayoral and Councillor candidates in my ward is hard, please federal and provincial parties come to the municipal level so I can just blindly vote away.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by Manhattanboy

Seriously, why not? At the federal and provincial levels, I may not know the candidates by name, but at least in a general sense I know where they stand on most issues by party affiliation.

Is that what we want? Faceless candidates we can project an entire party's platform onto? What happened to, I don't know, doing what your constituents want, you know, the whole ####ing point of elected representation?

[OffsideSpecialist]

Montreal has political parties for its municipal government, and its renowned for being a corrupt disaster.

I hate political parties at the provincial and federal levels. Seeing that kind of petty partisan politics at the municipal level would be a travesty.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Manhattanboy

Seriously, why not? At the federal and provincial levels, I may not know the candidates by name, but at least in a general sense I know where they stand on most issues by party affiliation.

So basically, you want to be able to vote for a bunch of yes-men just because you're too lazy to take 10 minutes out of your day to do a little research before an election?

[surferguy]

Originally Posted by Manhattanboy

Seriously, why not? At the federal and provincial levels, I may not know the candidates by name, but at least in a general sense I know where they stand on most issues by party affiliation.

Then you are lazy and are voting blindly. The idea of knowing your candidates makes you an educated voter. That is your job when you head to the polls, know your candidates and where they stand. If you end up just towing the party line on a vote because of their political color you end up with idiots like Rob Anders with a job.

[Bigtime]

Let's see what DCU is tweeting about this morning shall we?

The province is not taking $50M of your property taxes. Council wants to know your priorities. Give back? Police? Transit? Pay debt? Roads?

All your property taxes should stay in Calgary. Province takes half of it for education throughout the province.

Praise to the province for announcing Senior's Tax Deferral Program so seniors can stay in their homes longer.

RT @calgarysun: Anti-rape campaign aims to shame perpetrators http://www.calgarysun.com/2013/04/22/calgary-police-and-anti-sexual-assault-advocates-unveil-campaign-to-shame-would-be-rapists … #yyc

RT @Crockatteer: Thanks to @AndrewScheer and @MarkAdlerMP for honouring Holocaust Survivors and the Canadian Society for Yad Vashem

It's like she is almost trying to distract us from something...

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by Manhattanboy

Seriously, why not? At the federal and provincial levels, I may not know the candidates by name, but at least in a general sense I know where they stand on most issues by party affiliation.

"The problem with any ideology is that it gives the answer before you look at the evidence."
-Bill Clinton

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Let's see what DCU is tweeting about this morning shall we?











It's like she is almost trying to distract us from something...

The fact that she tweets at all is a minor miracle. Easily the worst alderman of the bunch. I say that based entirely on personal bias and anecdotal evidence though, because I know there are a few competitors!

[HotHotHeat]

Originally Posted by KTrain

The developers aren't to blame here because, from what I understand, they're not doing anything illegal.

It's the Aldermen who are voting because their wallets are fuller that are to blame. They need to be called out about this so voters can make some changes.

I don't disagree, although I doubt you will find many people in the city that see Wenzal's behaviour as acceptable. Home developers in this city are greasy, plain and simple.

This sort of reporting outs the alderman and developers. It's great.