2014 Mayoral Election

[HillStreetBlues]

Originally Posted by Dr Awesomesauce

Wicked. Anyway, with a name like Crystal, it's little surprise. She no doubt spent her formative years in a trailer park somewhere.

But Crystal's the prejudiced one, right?

[Dr Awesomesauce]

Originally Posted by HillStreetBlues

But Crystal's the prejudiced one, right?

Haha...yeah, sure, I'm prejudiced against people with names like Crystal, Misty and Darlene - it's true - but I'm OK with race and religion, so pick your poison. I'm no saint.

[Dr Awesomesauce]

I'm really intrigued to see who fills the void left my Morelli. I'm expecting a long line of interesting names to queue up.

[HillStreetBlues]

Originally Posted by Dr Awesomesauce

Haha...yeah, sure, I'm prejudiced against people with names like Crystal, Misty and Darlene - it's true - but I'm OK with race and religion, so pick your poison. I'm no saint.

You're "OK" with race and religion, huh? Sure, I bet. I'm not sure I'm understanding the difference between making assumptions about someone because she's named Darlene and making assumptions about someone because he's named Mohammed or Joshua. It seems to be that anyone who will pre-judge one will pre-judge the other as well. I only find it amusing when someone accuses someone else of being a bigot because he thinks he knows everything there is to know based on that person's name...

[mattgrande]

Ivana Nosic (@IvanaNosic on Twitter), is a Croatia-born Hamiltonian country singer, that is currently the only candidate for Ward 2.

[bigguy1231]

Crystal, unfortunately for you, you will be lucky if you garner a thousand votes. You probably should have considered running for ward councillor before throwing your hat into the mayoral race. Unknown's never get elected mayor in this city.

The mayor is just one vote on council, just like a ward councilor. It's easier for an unknown, underfunded person to make a mark on a ward level than it would be to put the organization together needed to run city wide.

[Crystal Lavigne]

You're right Bigguy1231, unknown's never get elected in this city. It's always the same old, same old, same OLD.
We need a CHANGE.

[Pearlstreet]

Your heart is in the right place Crystal. Unfortunately being a socialist only doesn't win, despite other odds. Start with conveying your experience and education (I mean that in the least douchey way possible).

[mattgrande]

Hi Crystal,

I do agree that we need a change in a lot of seats in City Hall... I hope you don't mind my asking, but do you have any budgetting experience? Have you ever done any "business" type stuff before? In your interview with The Hamiltonian, you said that you were a mother of five when asked about your experience. Do you believe managing a family budget is enough to jump into a $1.3 billon budget?

Are you involved with your ward association or neighbourhood association? Have you headed a committee? Have you worked with your councillor on any issues?

I don't mean to come across too harshly, but it sounds like you're trying to go from 0 to mayor with no steps in between.

[mattgrande]

I don't want to harp on Ms Lavigne too much, but stuff like this isn't going to win her many votes: https://twitter.com/Crystal4Mayor/st...24864436039680

[Crystal Lavigne]

Originally Posted by mattgrande

I don't want to harp on Ms Lavigne too much, but stuff like this isn't going to win her many votes: https://twitter.com/Crystal4Mayor/st...24864436039680

Once again Matt, here is the response I gave to you on Facebook regarding it:

You and your group, find it a joke to try to attack me. I have no use for that. In fact, the exact words from your group are " i don't think she's prepared for what the dissident community in hamilton is going to throw at her. only the strong will survive!" Also. "that is why bob is not on fb or twitter..he could not handle it". I have no use for those who want to abuse others. Abuse is a abuse- no matter the form. Yourself told a blatant lie "Matt Grande- She wants to remove a bike lane because she personally hasn't seen anyone on it..." I don't need to respond to people who want to attack (and lie)...because they think it's funny. You and your fellow friends have a good day, Matt!

You guys almost had me in your trap of cat and mouse. I have Zero use for those who find it their goal to try to beat and batter someone down for the "fun of it". I have every right to run in this election- just the same as you. We truly do need new faces at City Hall. City Hall needs more "real" people. Not those who come from power and money (or name recognition alone). It should be someone who sees a real vision for our future.

No, I have never run for office before. So politically, this is my first time. Why didn't I run for councillor at first?
I didn't run for councillor first because I couldn't make the biggest impact that way. I run for mayor now, I start getting that name recognition, and hopefully 4 or 8 years down the road, Hamiltonians will realize that all these people that they keep voting in over and over again, aren't the people for the job. It's okay to let the younger generations have a voice!
No one can budget 1.5 billion dollars without the help of council, I don't expect to either, but I bet I can do a better job than now. I would draw strict attention to the wasteful spending. I believe that all spending should be made easily available for the PUBLIC to view. After all, everyone on council is employed by the public, they have a right to know where every last cent was spent. They have a right to know if they feel as though their TAXPAYING dollars went to good use or not.
I believe that Hamilton needs to look into other options when it coems to generating a large amount of taxes, while keeping the taxes of the people down.
Stop clogging our arteries downtown. No to the LRT- we should be looking underground.
No casino in our downtown Hamilton- but I do support a well thought out, well planned casino in another area.
Bike lanes, let's plan them out properly, so they can be utilized to their maximum. Not placed down the middle of a street (only on one side) and then not even the entire stretch of street!
Hamilton needs leadership!
Hamilton needs someone (people) that can actually MAKE decisions!
Hamilton needs a change!

[CaptainKirk]

Originally Posted by Crystal Lavigne

Stop clogging our arteries downtown. No to the LRT- we should be looking underground.

What arteries are clogged?

Why no LRT?

"Underground"? Can you elaborate? That would be prohibitively expensive, no?

[coalminecanary]

Wow. Starting a rant with what boils down to "you people" is a good way to get most readers to tune out after one sentence.

[mattgrande]

Originally Posted by coalminecanary

Wow. Starting a rant with what boils down to "you people" is a good way to get most readers to tune out after one sentence.

If it's not clear from her post, the group she's referring to is the Dissidents Hamilton Chapter group. I believe she thought I was "attacking" her as part of that group, when I'm just an asshole all on my own

[movingtohamilton]

Originally Posted by coalminecanary

Wow. Starting a rant with what boils down to "you people" is a good way to get most readers to tune out after one sentence.

^ This. +1

[Dr Awesomesauce]

Originally Posted by Crystal Lavigne

No, I have never run for office before. So politically, this is my first time. Why didn't I run for councillor at first?
I didn't run for councillor first because I couldn't make the biggest impact that way. I run for mayor now, I start getting that name recognition, and hopefully 4 or 8 years down the road, Hamiltonians will realize that all these people that they keep voting in over and over again, aren't the people for the job.

Delusions of grandeur?

The best course of action would have been to attend a local ward meeting - once or twice at least. And then perhaps get involved in some sort of ward or city-wide initiative of some sort - you know, whatever interests you (aside from 'waste' I'm not sure what that might be). And then, maybe, run for city council or mayor...maybe.

You've missed several steps - IMO - and as someone who loves this city, I find it offensive what you're doing. Everybody gives Baldasaro a break because, well, he's really, really high. You, on the other hand, seem relatively sober, so there's little excuse. I think it would be best to take a step back and regroup because storming City Hall and slashing the budget, aside from being completely boring and cliche, is never going to happen.

[mattgrande]

Former city & regional councillor Don Ross is running for mayor. I know nothing about him. Anyone remember much from when he was on council?

[Jon Dalton]

^ I think I worked for that guy years ago. If it's the same person anyway, he seemed like a good businessman and a nice guy.

[Frankenrogers]

CBC Hamilton spoke with Don Ross. Not my type of candidate based on his answers to a few questions.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilt...ayor-1.2508261

From the article:
Here are Ross’s positions on some key Hamilton issues:

Aerotropolis — The aerotropolis, or Airport Employment Growth District plan, will see 555 hectares slated for development around the airport. Hamilton lacks industrial and employment lands, Ross said, and he is in favour of the aerotropolis. In fact, “it probably isn’t big enough,” he said.

Mid-Peninsula highway — Ross is in favour of a highway running from Toronto to Niagara. It would be “really beneficial” for the region, he said.

U.S. Steel — Last year, U.S. Steel announced it would permanently halt steel making in Hamilton. Ross said if he was mayor, he wouldn’t wait for U.S. Steel to come to him. “I’d be going down to visit the president of U.S. Steel and say ‘What are your plans for my city?’”

Two-way streets — Ross believes in examining two-way street conversion case by case so as not to “change the dynamics” of downtown Hamilton. That includes looking at how they impact travel time. He has concerns about the current bus-only lane running through a portion of King Street, he said.

[CaptainKirk]

Originally Posted by Frankenrogers

CBC Hamilton spoke with Don Ross. Not my type of candidate based on his answers to a few questions.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilt...ayor-1.2508261

From the article:
Here are Ross’s positions on some key Hamilton issues:

Aerotropolis — The aerotropolis, or Airport Employment Growth District plan, will see 555 hectares slated for development around the airport. Hamilton lacks industrial and employment lands, Ross said, and he is in favour of the aerotropolis. In fact, “it probably isn’t big enough,” he said.

Mid-Peninsula highway — Ross is in favour of a highway running from Toronto to Niagara. It would be “really beneficial” for the region, he said.

U.S. Steel — Last year, U.S. Steel announced it would permanently halt steel making in Hamilton. Ross said if he was mayor, he wouldn’t wait for U.S. Steel to come to him. “I’d be going down to visit the president of U.S. Steel and say ‘What are your plans for my city?’”

Two-way streets — Ross believes in examining two-way street conversion case by case so as not to “change the dynamics” of downtown Hamilton. That includes looking at how they impact travel time. He has concerns about the current bus-only lane running through a portion of King Street, he said.

Yikes!

Old school for sure.

Pretty much wrong answers for all those questions.

Scratch him off of my list for potential mayoral vote.