Strong Mayor - Strong City?

[raisethehammer]

interestingly enough, July is when city hall empties out for 2 months for summer vaction.
so unless you were hoping that someone would provide a blow-by-blow description on Eisenberger's vacations there wasn't much to write here.

[Boomtown_Hamilton]

Originally Posted by raisethehammer

interestingly enough, July is when city hall empties out for 2 months for summer vaction.
so unless you were hoping that someone would provide a blow-by-blow description on Eisenberger's vacations there wasn't much to write here.

Vacation eh? interesting....... I thought it may have had something to do with "tapegate".

[ryan_mcgreal]

Originally Posted by Boomtown_Hamilton

Vacation eh? interesting....... I thought it may have had something to do with "tapegate".

"Tapegate" turned out to be a a non-issue. The lawyer who investigated the incident concluded that Eisenberger's actions were "wholly proper" to his role as Mayor and that while he technically did violate the code of conduct, it was undertaken in a manner consistent with the Mayor's duties under Section 226.1 of the Municipal Act, 2001. He recommended that council take no action against the Mayor, and council voted to concur.

[Boomtown_Hamilton]

Originally Posted by ryan_mcgreal

"Tapegate" turned out to be a a non-issue. The lawyer who investigated the incident concluded that Eisenberger's actions were "wholly proper" to his role as Mayor and that while he technically did violate the code of conduct, it was undertaken in a manner consistent with the Mayor's duties under Section 226.1 of the Municipal Act, 2001. He recommended that council take no action against the Mayor, and council voted to concur.

......a "non-issue" in a Court of Law....but a BIG issue for the voters of Hamilton come next election.

[flar]

Originally Posted by Boomtown_Hamilton

but a BIG issue for the voters of Hamilton come next election.

I doubt it.

[Boomtown_Hamilton]

Originally Posted by flar

I doubt it.

Hello brother flar...Tell me, why do you doubt it?...is it because he won't be running in the next election???

[thistleclub]

If you assume Eisenberger's running again, the man considered to be his most likely rival was the other party in "Tapegate," whose actions -- actively leaking Eisenberger's conversation to the press rather than delivering the evidence to the city's legals -- seem of lower character than the mayor's. On top of which, the mayor's conversation was deemed a non-criminal contravention of code by an independent lawyer and council voted by a wide margin not to censure him. If you spoke to most voters today they might not even know it happened. A year and a half from now, I doubt that will have changed. Clark, meanwhile, may be seen as man who values power over principle. That impression might be indelible. Perhaps more so considering the third party involved in the proceedings. Not speaking for flar. Just saying.

[Dundasguy]

Originally Posted by ryan_mcgreal

"Tapegate" turned out to be a a non-issue. The lawyer who investigated the incident concluded that Eisenberger's actions were "wholly proper" to his role as Mayor and that while he technically did violate the code of conduct, it was undertaken in a manner consistent with the Mayor's duties under Section 226.1 of the Municipal Act, 2001. He recommended that council take no action against the Mayor, and council voted to concur.

Kind of like DiIanni's campagn spending wasn't an issue. He didn't really mean to do it, it was an accident.

Enough of the BS here guys, Burger boy is totally out to lunch if he thinks he has any shot at another term.

[adam]

Eisenberger is the first mayor in years to produce positive change in the city. This has not gone unnoticed.

[flar]

Originally Posted by thistleclub

If you assume Eisenberger's running again, the man considered to be his most likely rival was the other party in "Tapegate," whose actions -- actively leaking Eisenberger's conversation to the press rather than delivering the evidence to the city's legals -- seem of lower character than the mayor's. On top of which, the mayor's conversation was deemed a non-criminal contravention of code by an independent lawyer and council voted by a wide margin not to censure him. If you spoke to most voters today they might not even know it happened. A year and a half from now, I doubt that will have changed. Clark, meanwhile, may be seen as man who values power over principle. That impression might be indelible. Perhaps more so considering the third party involved in the proceedings. Not speaking for flar. Just saying.

This is basically what my answer would have been.

[Boomtown_Hamilton]

Originally Posted by adam

Eisenberger is the first mayor in years to produce positive change in the city. This has not gone unnoticed.

OK guys enough of the generalities. "Positive change?"........give us some specifics please???

[Boomtown_Hamilton]

Originally Posted by thistleclub

If you assume Eisenberger's running again, the man considered to be his most likely rival was the other party in "Tapegate," whose actions -- actively leaking Eisenberger's conversation to the press rather than delivering the evidence to the city's legals -- seem of lower character than the mayor's. On top of which, the mayor's conversation was deemed a non-criminal contravention of code by an independent lawyer and council voted by a wide margin not to censure him. If you spoke to most voters today they might not even know it happened. A year and a half from now, I doubt that will have changed. Clark, meanwhile, may be seen as man who values power over principle. That impression might be indelible. Perhaps more so considering the third party involved in the proceedings. Not speaking for flar. Just saying.

I beg to differ. This is where you and I will have to disagree. The same thing is going to happen for the next election like happened in the last one and that is it will be a protest vote.

In the last election, Fred won not because people wanted to see Fred in there as the Mayor, Fred won because people didn't want to see a repeat and have the "other guy" back in there again. Same thing will happen the next time around. People will vote for the "other guy" because they won't want to see a repeat and have Fred back in office for another term.

[flar]

There's a difference this time, DiIanni was corrupt, people believed he was corrupt and he was convicted. The perception that DiIanni is corrupt, which is probably more than a perception, has followed him and destroyed his chances for public office. Eisenberger hasn't done anything and the general perception is that he isn't corrupt.

[thistleclub]

Inasmuch as people care about municipal elections (and they typically don't), being found guilty of (unknowingly?) violating the province's Municipal Elections Act is qualitatively different than (unknowingly?) violating council's intramural Code of Conduct. And as I say, the fact that his presumed chief opponent coloured outside of the lines will probably render this politically neutral in November 2010. Plus history will have conspired to alter the campaign dynamics between now and then.

[Dundasguy]

In any case, what's left of Hamilton's manufacturing industry is about to be blasted with both barrels. If the city sees 10-12% unemployment as economists predict, the next election will be about the economy and nothing else.

[MsMe]

Originally Posted by Dundasguy

In any case, what's left of Hamilton's manufacturing industry is about to be blasted with both barrels. If the city sees 10-12% unemployment as economists predict, the next election will be about the economy and nothing else.

And with a lot of the larger companies not Canadian owned like they were sure puts a new light on the whole situation.

[FairHamilton]

I'm confident the 1/3 of the population of Hamilton that votes won't care about this Eisenberger indiscretion.

The difference between the Di Ianni and Eisenberger indiscretions is primarily one thing, money. People care about money, they don't care about minor lapses in a code of conduct.

My prediction this will be a non-issue in 2010. To think anyone will remember this issue, even when reminded by mayoral competitors, seems to me to be improbable.

[adam]

Originally Posted by Boomtown_Hamilton

OK guys enough of the generalities. "Positive change?"........give us some specifics please???

2-way street conversions
commuter bike lanes
redesign of the farmer's market and library
streetscaping of king st
ethics commissioner
public input on issues like Light Rail and City Hall
making Light Rail a priority - its crazy an urban city like Hamilton has such poor public transit
providing the proper environment so the James St North arts community could flourish

These are just a few things he's done for us that stick out for me personally. Eisenberger has helped move the city forward for the benefit of its citizens instead of like the previous mayor who did things for the benefit of his favourite cronies while the city itself continued to rot.

Do the rest of the research yourself and inform yourself. Hamilton is an urban city that has been held back for far too long.

[raisethehammer]

Originally Posted by adam

2-way street conversions
commuter bike lanes
redesign of the farmer's market and library
streetscaping of king st
ethics commissioner
public input on issues like Light Rail and City Hall
making Light Rail a priority - its crazy an urban city like Hamilton has such poor public transit
providing the proper environment so the James St North arts community could flourish

These are just a few things he's done for us that stick out for me personally. Eisenberger has helped move the city forward for the benefit of its citizens instead of like the previous mayor who did things for the benefit of his favourite cronies while the city itself continued to rot.

Do the rest of the research yourself and inform yourself. Hamilton is an urban city that has been held back for far too long.

He's done more to further Hamilton's attempts at revitalizing itself as a real city than our previous 25 years of crap mayors.
although, I wouldn't give him or anyone at city hall too much credit for the James North art district. Two-way conversions certainly were the first and most important step. Other than that, it's been all grassroots.
It's nice to have a mayor who doesn't regard everything between Dundas and Stoney Creek as wasteland. I'm still having a tough time getting used to it.

[highwater]

I don't think DiIanni's past scandal affected the mayoral election so much as the fact that in spite of his past, he was still accepting corporate donations, including from the same people who had over-contributed the first time around! In contrast, Fred was not accepting any corporate or union donations of any kind. I believe that's what swayed many people. It certainly swayed me. Fred has now set the bar. Anyone wishing to run against him in the next election will also have to forgo corporate and union support. Should be interesting.