[PGT] Calgary Civic Election Results Discussion

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

So do they need to change the way people vote? i waited in line for over an hour last nite. the people working the booths were at least 90 years old. Something has to change!

I think one big change that needs to be made is to open the polls at 7am, which would give a lot of people a chance to vote on their way to work, rather than a mad rush after work.

At 4:00 yesterday, approximately 140,000 people had voted. The final numbers were over 330,000. That means that significantly more people voted in the final 4 hours that the polls were open than in the first 6 hours.

I don't know if there's anything that can be done about the ages of the volunteers since they're volunteers. You can't expect people to take a day off work to volunteer at the polling stations, so you're going to end up with mostly retirees.

[MarchHare]

Originally Posted by pylon

I would be interested to see a study of Nenshi's voters analyzing how many of them have ever paid a nickel of property or business tax to this city in their life.

I voted for Nenshi. I've been directly paying property taxes in Calgary since I bought my home in 2007 and indirectly for the five years prior to that when I lived in an apartment (my landlord paid property taxes from a portion of the rent money he collected from me).

Regardless of what you want to believe, the vast majority of Nenshi's supporters are not unemployed loafers who want to get a free ride at your expense.

[4X4]

Originally Posted by pylon

I would be interested to see a study of Nenshi's voters analyzing how many of them have ever paid a nickel of property or business tax to this city in their life.

Now you're just coming off as a crybaby.

[c.t.ner]

Some random thoughts about the election.

1) jjgallow - I really wish he'd come back to Calgarypuck to see his viewpoint... Oh wait he's probably on the next flight back to BC with the rest of the Hawk-bots. (Sorry, but I'm still in awe of how badly Bob misjudged his team's tactics and what it has done for an entire generation of new voters who will never understand his great service to the city)

2) I'm still in awe of Nenshi's win. I joined the initial campaign to get Nenshi to run, because I thought it would be interesting to see him run and what he'd bring. But I honestly didn't believe he had a chance (until the last couple of weeks when his momentum appeared to be skyrocketing).

3) I have garnished more respect for McIvor than I thought I ever would. I was an avid ABM backer coming into the election, but towards the end I came to respect him. I still don't think he would have been the best mayor for the city, but I don't think he would have destroyed city council and Calgary wouldn't have fallen apart.

As someone who works with small businesses and the growing tech community, I'm excited to see what Nenshi brings to the table and hopefully that this new council will really start to grow a stronger pull for the "creative" industries.

4) Here's an interesting read from DJ Kelly on the new look council and what roles we might see for some alderman under Nenshi - http://calgarypolitics.com/2010/10/1...r-new-council/. It's all hypothetical, but it is interesting nonetheless. I think Carra is going to be a wildcard for the next three years.

5) I find it intresting that with all the real focus on how real change was coming to Calgary, most of the controversial incumbents retained their seats. IMO, the focus on the mayoral race is what probably saved the arses of most returning alderman. Shifting the focus away from hotly contested ward races and solely on the mayoral race.

6) Interesting to see the reactions on CP. I don't blame anyone for being furious or frustrated with the results. I know if the tables had turned and Barb Higgins would have won, I would be just as furious and agitated.

But, I also don't think that we're going to see a massive backlash against Nenshi in the 2013 election. I have a feeling that he'll be around for a few terms. It's going to take something colossal for Nenshi to screw-up on to get him trounced in the next election and I don't see anything like that from his demenior or policies. We won't be seeing Barb of McIvor running again, so unless someone comes in with more persona than Nenshi (which is really quite possible), I just don't see it happening. After all we're still talking civic politics and for the most part, it's always been an extension of High School politics - were popularity and name recognition are more important than platforms.

7) Reading the online commentary in the Sun is fascinating.

I hate to say this, but the Sun took a risk endorsing Nenshi and it is showing in the online comments of their readership.

The comments regarding Mosque being built downtown are mind-numbingly painful to read.

8) Still confused on why Keith Fawcett thinking?

http://communities.canada.com/calgar...ut-nenshi.aspx

I understand that all citizens have a right to an opinion, but as an elected official he really needed to take a step back and think that one through. Talk about garnishing publicity for all the wrong reasons.

Especially given the strong ties between Civic and Provincial governments.

9) I think we saw two great examples of how to run and how to ruin a campaign. On the one hand Nenshi's campaign is going to be a case study on how to create political engagement and on the other hand Barb's campaign will be a case study on the futility of a conservative one-way conversation with the electorate.

Given the potential she had coming into this campaign, I'm still in awe at how many horrible decisions she (or her handlers) made.

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by pylon

I would be interested to see a study of Nenshi's voters analyzing how many of them have ever paid a nickel of property or business tax to this city in their life.

Well, my parents have been paying both property taxes and business taxes for the restaurant they own for the past 20+ years. I started paying property taxes this year. So I can also say with confidence that 166% of the people who voted yesterday for Neshi pays taxes.

Seriously though, not sure what you're trying to say with a comment like that. Are you implying Nenshi won because people who don't pay taxes voted for him? I'm thinking that is your indirect way of saying you McIver voters somehow should have more say in voting. At least, that's how I read your comment.

[4X4]

Pretty good comment on ctner's link to kyle fawcettstweet - EdC wrote: Obviously Kyle Fawcett is in disagreement with the electorate in Calgary. Perhaps it is time for another change?

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by pylon

I would be interested to see a study of Nenshi's voters analyzing how many of them have ever paid a nickel of property or business tax to this city in their life.

Another property tax payer since 2005, include my family and you have 5 more people paying property tax and business tax since 1981.

Oh and my wife too, another property tax payer since 2002.

Oh how could I forget my nonna? Property tax payer since 1972.

[octothorp]

Originally Posted by pylon

I would be interested to see a study of Nenshi's voters analyzing how many of them have ever paid a nickel of property or business tax to this city in their life.

Yeah, because clearly those thousands upon thousands of purple lawn signs placed on private property throughout the city must have been done by free-loading Nenshi supporters without the knowledge or support of the property owners.

[oldschoolcalgary]

Originally Posted by zuluking

I am and she's not. I think it's the Sunnyside / Hillhurst latte crowd that keeps her in council. Another reason to hate lattes...

...too bad for you the majority of voters in your ward didn't buy into the dump Druh campaign...Democracy in action.

[oldschoolcalgary]

Originally Posted by pylon

I would be interested to see a study of Nenshi's voters analyzing how many of them have ever paid a nickel of property or business tax to this city in their life.

combine it with a study of how many Ric supporters have more than a high school education and are under 45 years old and non-white and you have yourself a deal

[oldschoolcalgary]

Originally Posted by oldschoolcalgary

combine it with a study of how many Ric supporters have more than a high school education and are under 45 years old and non-white and you have yourself a deal

ps I pay property tax and voted nenshi

[Ozy_Flame]

I think people actually like Druh in their Ward (this is her what, third term?), but they wanted to give her a bit of a scare to get her back on track a bit. I grew up in that Ward, and I actually feel Druh represents that crowd well. I think she's going to work well with Nenshi too.

[Bill Bumface]

Property taxes since 2004, business taxes since 2005. Voted Nenshi.

My property taxes went up about $1000 this year. I couldn't believe they didn't let me vote twice.

[oldschoolcalgary]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

I think people actually like Druh in their Ward (this is her what, third term?), but they wanted to give her a bit of a scare to get her back on track a bit. I grew up in that Ward, and I actually feel Druh represents that crowd well. I think she's going to work well with Nenshi too.

i did the same thing by voting pashak over Mar, who I think is OK, but wanted him to understand that he's our (ward 8's) representative and that he serves us and not vice versa...

[Cawz]

Originally Posted by jammies

it has nothing to do with being "better" than suburbanites and everything to do with being angry that new suburbs are being subsidized at the expense of EVERYONE - current suburbanites and core dwellers alike. We are paying developers tax money on top of the profits they already make - where does this make fiscal or any other kind of sense?

Originally Posted by jammies

Unsustainable growth will kill this city in the long run unless it is addressed. You can only do so much with efficiencies in the budget while the portion devoted to the creation and upkeep of underlying infrastructure gets bigger and bigger before taxes have to go up substantially. Then outlying communities become more attractive places to live, and people move out of the city entirely, which causes the tax base to decrease, which means taxes get raised even higher, which causes more people to move out, and you end up in a spiral that you can't get out of.

This is the exact same thing that will happen when the home prices increase due to costs that trickle down from the city through the developers. When the try to put the brakes on sprawl, what do you think is more likely – that people will then buy a downtown condo or move to Airdrie?

[trew]

Does anyone know if there is a way to see the vote counts for a particular station/region inside of a Ward?

[yads]

Made a bet back in the spring with a friend against McIver. Boo ya!

How did DCU win again? She is just the worst. Fiscal conservatives don't use public funds to buy golf courses so a few people can have a better view.

[Ramsayfarian]

Originally Posted by pylon

I would be interested to see a study of Nenshi's voters analyzing how many of them have ever paid a nickel of property or business tax to this city in their life.

I've paid property taxes since 1998 and business taxes for about 5 years. The fact that I am a tax payer is one of the reasons why I voted Nenshi.

[4X4]

Originally Posted by Cawz

This is the exact same thing that will happen when the home prices increase due to costs that trickle down from the city through the developers. When the try to put the brakes on sprawl, what do you think is more likely – that people will then buy a downtown condo or move to Airdrie?

That's a pretty narrow way of looking at it. It's not that there can be no suburbs, it's that they have to be planned better. A proper mix of commercial, single family, and multi family. It's pathetic to look at some of the communities that were built in the last decade. Some of them don't even have a 7/11, let alone a bus to take them to the closest community with a 7/11.
It's just so illogical. Mile after mile of single family home. It's impossible to live in one of these communities without having a car, and while that's the buyer's choice, what is going to happen in a few years when the kids are getting old enough to go have a social life? Then the question will be "where's the transit?".
How can you not see that the way things are being done right now is going to bite us in the ass HARD unless someone with a thimbleful of sense starts controlling the growth?

[corporatejay]

Originally Posted by fotze

If we stop building overpasses to aid in the commute from Airdrie they certainly won't move to Airdrie.

Traffic is the number one thing that will prevent sprawl, just like high oil prices are the number one thing to prevent using oil.

And if they do move out to Airdrie, that's when the tolls come in!!