Decision 2010: Calgary Municipal Election

[jeffwhit]

enjoy this while it lasts. It's better than Brian Burke's twitter

http://twitter.com/Alnoor_Kassam/

[frinkprof]

Nevermind.

[frinkprof]

Nevermind.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by fusili

Mersar and Bigtime, and all other Beltline residents- I better see you there, or I will be disappointed in you

Sorry but I'm out of town this weekend!

[gantenbein]

Originally Posted by Bassic Lab

Being identified as a Liberal is not much of a negative for Calgary mayors. It isn't like it was a secret that Bronconnier and Duer, or even Klein during his municipal days, were Liberals. When was the last time this city elected a mayor who wasn't seen to be not only a liberal but a Liberal?

Didn't Bronconnier run federally against Rob Anders in Calgary West? Doesn't get much more big-L Liberal than that.

I don't recall Duerr being regarded as a liberal. It was hard for me to discern any political ideology behind his leadership.

Now that I've had some coffee, I realise I completely misunderstood your post, Bassic Lab. Ignore!

[gantenbein]

post deleted -- brain's not working yet this morning

[MalcolmTucker]

I remember him (Duerr) wearing Stockwell Day gear back at the leadership convention when he was elected leader of the federal party, but then again so were his kids and they are both big L liberals these days. So ambiguously over the map (much like Klein)

The top 2 finishers in the 2001 civic election ran federally for the Liberals in '97 so I can't see it as a detriment. As people say, there is not a conservative or liberal way to pave roads.

[fusili]

Originally Posted by frinkprof

^That's pretty funny. I like the tweet of Paul Simon lyrics.

The reason why I am listening to Paul Simon right now. Those tweets are pretty hilarious.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by Sir.Humphrey.Appleby

As people say, there is not a conservative or liberal way to pave roads.

Actually, there is - the conservative way is to hire private contractors to do the work, through a bidding process where they have to compete against each other.

The liberal way is to have a huge "roads" department, all unionized, that take 3x as long to pave the same amount of road - and also cost 3x as much because for every worker you have a foreman to stand around watching. Oh, and they can only work from 9am to 5pm, guaranteeing the most disruption to traffic.

I say this somewhat tongue in cheek, but I've witnessed it in practice.

[fusili]

Originally Posted by freeweed

Actually, there is - the conservative way is to hire private contractors to do the work, through a bidding process where they have to compete against each other.

The liberal way is to have a huge "roads" department, all unionized, that take 3x as long to pave the same amount of road - and also cost 3x as much because for every worker you have a foreman to stand around watching. Oh, and they can only work from 9am to 5pm, guaranteeing the most disruption to traffic.

I say this somewhat tongue in cheek, but I've witnessed it in practice.

I totally agree with the bidding process. Roads maintenance, construction etc etc, should all be put out to bid. The city should stick to planning and regulation, and leave construction and maintenance to the private sector.

[outoftheice]

A guest column in today's Sun by Ric McIver. After reading it I have to say... I still don't understand where this guy is coming from. It's like underneath he has some very 'liberal' and 'progressive' views on how to keep building the City but whenever he thinks people are paying attention he makes sure to play the cost cutting conservative. One of these personalities are the real McIver but I don't know which one and I'd be afraid to find out after an election. Personally, my favourite quote from the article is this:

I believe we need a mayor who sees leadership as a team effort to be shared with all members of the community

McIver was probably the most partisan person in the current city council. He'd make huge stands on rather inconsequential issues just to be seen as fighting for taxpayers interests... You don't earn the name Dr. No for nothing. That being said, I'm glad to see that Rick Bell seems to be calling McIver on this issue in various columns.

The entire column can be read here: http://www.calgarysun.com/comment/columnists/2010/05/06/13841206.html

[Wooster]

I read this article as well. I agree with your assessment of McIver. He's a tricky one to read on issues. On some things he's bang on, is extremely cordial and supports innovative progressive ideas, in other circumstances he acts like a grandstanding douchebag.

[Ramsayfarian]

Originally Posted by Wooster

I read this article as well. I agree with your assessment of McIver. He's a tricky one to read on issues. On some things he's bang on, is extremely cordial and supports innovative progressive ideas, in other circumstances he acts like a grandstanding douchebag.

It's almost like McIver has dual personalities. According to the comments, McIver is a liberal.

[jeffwhit]

^^The Chinatown centennial party seems to be a hot-button issue with the dumb-as-bricks Rick Bell crowd. What are the details on this evil little celebration, because from what I've garnered from reading newspaper comments is that they will be closing all the downtown streets during morning and afternoon rush hour, then shelling motorists with mortars from McHugh Bluff for a whole week.

How that's an appropriate way to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Chinatown, I'll never no, but Ric McIver's a tax-and-spend liberal kitten rapist for voting for it.

[fusili]

McIver:

In the short term, we will review downtown parking policies that make for the most expensive and least convenient parking situation of almost any city in Canada.

In the longer term, we will work toward spreading out jobs so they are not just concentrated in three areas of the city.
...

We will strive for a core transit strategy that will create a zone in the centre of Calgary where people will have a real choice about whether to leave their cars at home.

In other words, it took less than two sentences to contradict himself.

Someone has to explain to people like McIver that spreading out employment is horrendous for traffic and even worse for transit and having a "core transit strategy" also means having a core employment strategy. I take back saying that McIver isn't so bad - this guy has absolutely no concept of urban geography and urban economics.

[frinkprof]

Nevermind.

[fusili]

Originally Posted by frinkprof

^To be fair, with the "spreading out" bit, I thought he might be talking about TOD nodes. Although, like the rest of the article it is pretty vague, so who knows?

Even spreading out to TOD nodes is not as good a strategy as concentrating office jobs in the core. Locating jobs to Brentwood might be good for those living in the NW, but for anyone else, it will be less of an incentive to take transit. Uni-centric cities are actually a really good thing when it comes to transit, poly-centric cities, not so much.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by fusili

Even spreading out to TOD nodes is not as good a strategy as concentrating office jobs in the core. Locating jobs to Brentwood might be good for those living in the NW, but for anyone else, it will be less of an incentive to take transit. Uni-centric cities are actually a really good thing when it comes to transit, poly-centric cities, not so much.

Couldn't agree more.

Also consider what drives Calgary's transit system. It isn't our sheer size, we're only a million people. It isn't our density, we're fairly spread out. It's the expensive parking downtown.

Put employment nodes all over the place and people will just drive there, free parking and all. Unless we try to raise parking rates in the suburbs.. yeah, that'll go over well.

[jeffwhit]

^^ I think spreading out employment centres a little wouldn't have a major impact on transit ridership, but the fact is we need some LRT lines that support it first like a couple crosstown routes that bypass city centre.

[mersar]

Looks like the dinosaur is running again... from FFWD:

Despite 27 years on council and almost being blown to smithereens, Hodges isn’t quite ready to call it a day. “In spite of all the rumours, I’m running,” he says.

Source