Tuesday, November 06, 2007
oh yeah, there's an election today
I'm about to go out and vote. I forgot to remind my faithful readers that today is election day in many parts of the country, and there are a couple of contested races here in the Old Pueblo. If you live in the City of Tucson, be sure to make it to your polling location before it closes (7 PM, I believe).
In the City Council races, I'm voting for Romero, Glassman, and Scott. No surprises there. I know all three and believe they're the best candidates in each of their respective races. And even though I'm voting FOR all three Dems, I'm almost equally voting AGAINST their respective challengers. Baker (running against Romero) and Spahr (opposing Scott) seem hopelessly out of touch with reality.
Oien (Rodney's opponent) seems not to have much substance to run on by how often she's attacked him and his family. Rodney's a smart, decent guy who's tried to focus on issues during the campaign. It's a shame Lori Oien had nothing better to talk about than the success of the Glassman family and environmental issues that had little to do with Rodney or Tucson. Also, she sent out that misleading mailer a couple of weeks ago that falsely implied that she had been endorsed by the Gov.
I can't vote for either candidate in the Mayoral race. How can Bob Walkup, developers' best friend, have made so little headway in Rio Nuevo during his already 8-year tenure? And Dave Croteau means well, but I just can't picture him leading a marching band, much less a city of more than one million residents. So without a viable candidate to vote for, I'll do what I always do in this situation: write in Sam Schwartz.
Finally, Proposition 200. I like the intent of the proposition to try and limit growth and ensure a healthy water supply. The problem is that it is so poorly written there are several easily-conceivable unintended consequences that could come about if it were to pass. Rather than working with a diverse cross-section of the community (not to mention even a single lawyer versed in writing law), the people pushing this proposition seem to have cobbled it together with words that made them feel good about themselves, with little to no consideration of those unintended consequences.
Every now and then I cover a class for a friend who teaches a social policy class at the ASU School of Social Work and the number one point I try to instill in those students is to beware the unintended consequences of any policy, to anticipate how the words can be misread or misinterpreted if they're not crystal clear with their language. It's a lesson we all could benefit from if the authors of Proposition 200 would only learn it.
There's also another proposition on the ballot which has received virtually no attention, to raise the annual salaries of Mayor and Council. Vote yes on that one. You get what you pay for. We have a pretty good Council right now (Mayor notwithstanding), but they won't all last forever.
So go vote: Romero, Glassman, Scott, write-in Schwartz, yes on salary increases for Mayor and Council, no on Prop 200.
In the City Council races, I'm voting for Romero, Glassman, and Scott. No surprises there. I know all three and believe they're the best candidates in each of their respective races. And even though I'm voting FOR all three Dems, I'm almost equally voting AGAINST their respective challengers. Baker (running against Romero) and Spahr (opposing Scott) seem hopelessly out of touch with reality.
Oien (Rodney's opponent) seems not to have much substance to run on by how often she's attacked him and his family. Rodney's a smart, decent guy who's tried to focus on issues during the campaign. It's a shame Lori Oien had nothing better to talk about than the success of the Glassman family and environmental issues that had little to do with Rodney or Tucson. Also, she sent out that misleading mailer a couple of weeks ago that falsely implied that she had been endorsed by the Gov.
I can't vote for either candidate in the Mayoral race. How can Bob Walkup, developers' best friend, have made so little headway in Rio Nuevo during his already 8-year tenure? And Dave Croteau means well, but I just can't picture him leading a marching band, much less a city of more than one million residents. So without a viable candidate to vote for, I'll do what I always do in this situation: write in Sam Schwartz.
Finally, Proposition 200. I like the intent of the proposition to try and limit growth and ensure a healthy water supply. The problem is that it is so poorly written there are several easily-conceivable unintended consequences that could come about if it were to pass. Rather than working with a diverse cross-section of the community (not to mention even a single lawyer versed in writing law), the people pushing this proposition seem to have cobbled it together with words that made them feel good about themselves, with little to no consideration of those unintended consequences.
Every now and then I cover a class for a friend who teaches a social policy class at the ASU School of Social Work and the number one point I try to instill in those students is to beware the unintended consequences of any policy, to anticipate how the words can be misread or misinterpreted if they're not crystal clear with their language. It's a lesson we all could benefit from if the authors of Proposition 200 would only learn it.
There's also another proposition on the ballot which has received virtually no attention, to raise the annual salaries of Mayor and Council. Vote yes on that one. You get what you pay for. We have a pretty good Council right now (Mayor notwithstanding), but they won't all last forever.
So go vote: Romero, Glassman, Scott, write-in Schwartz, yes on salary increases for Mayor and Council, no on Prop 200.
Labels: 2007 City Elections, City Council, Mayor, Tucson
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
take time today
Today is important for two reasons.
First, take some time today to remember that awful day six years ago when more than 3,000 people had their lives senselessly stolen from them. Mourn them and the hundreds of thousands of people around the world who have had their lives stolen in the names of those who perished on 9/11.
Then, if you live in Arizona, go vote in the primary. There is no greater act of civic involvement, and no better way to honor the memory of the victims of September 11th, than going to your polling station and casting a ballot.
First, take some time today to remember that awful day six years ago when more than 3,000 people had their lives senselessly stolen from them. Mourn them and the hundreds of thousands of people around the world who have had their lives stolen in the names of those who perished on 9/11.
Then, if you live in Arizona, go vote in the primary. There is no greater act of civic involvement, and no better way to honor the memory of the victims of September 11th, than going to your polling station and casting a ballot.
Labels: 2007 City Elections, New York, September 11th, vote
Monday, December 18, 2006
never mind
In the comments to my post below about the City Council election, Tedski helpfully points out that Ted Downing lives in and votes in Ward 3, that City Council election eligibility requirements are more rigid than for the state legislature, and that Ted is ineligible to run in Ward 2.
So this begs the question, are there any other well-known Democrats with some experience running for office that actually do live in Ward 2? Am I being a little silly asking this question so early in the game? Is the big prize really the Mayor's race? And does any Democrat have a chance of beating Bumbling Bob?
So this begs the question, are there any other well-known Democrats with some experience running for office that actually do live in Ward 2? Am I being a little silly asking this question so early in the game? Is the big prize really the Mayor's race? And does any Democrat have a chance of beating Bumbling Bob?
Labels: 2007 City Elections, City Council, Mayor, Tucson
tucson city council '07 race already starting?
I meant to add this question to the end of last week's post about Ted Downing's testimony before the City Council on vote-by-mail.
With Carol West not seeking another term next year, is it possible Ted may be considering running for her seat on the Council? They're temperamentally similar, but Ted is certainly more progressive. There's enough of an overlap between Ward 2 and Legislative District 28 that, even if Ted doesn't live in the Ward, he could justify representing it.
This is certainly not an endorsement of a prospective candidacy, just idle speculation. I'd like to see the Dems reclaim the seat (Carol, as you recall, declared herself an independent more than a year ago). The Dems would need to run a strong candidate, preferably one with some name ID and experience running for office. I know Clarence Boykins' name has also been floated as a possible contender.
Maybe I'm jumping the gun here, but it's fun to speculate.
With Carol West not seeking another term next year, is it possible Ted may be considering running for her seat on the Council? They're temperamentally similar, but Ted is certainly more progressive. There's enough of an overlap between Ward 2 and Legislative District 28 that, even if Ted doesn't live in the Ward, he could justify representing it.
This is certainly not an endorsement of a prospective candidacy, just idle speculation. I'd like to see the Dems reclaim the seat (Carol, as you recall, declared herself an independent more than a year ago). The Dems would need to run a strong candidate, preferably one with some name ID and experience running for office. I know Clarence Boykins' name has also been floated as a possible contender.
Maybe I'm jumping the gun here, but it's fun to speculate.
Labels: 2007 City Elections, City Council, Tucson
