Sean it looks like you're going to have a full plate for an hour's meeting. I would throw out the Republican/Democrat question. Most people don't connect national partisan politics with city issues. It doesn't help that our city elections tend to deemphasize party affiliation.
Another specific issue that you have on your draft list that I'm not sure about is "doubling the bus system." I think it's great to talk about social responsibility on the part of the city to provide transportation options for its citizens who may not have access to a car, and I really look forward to hearing a little bit about what he thinks about this issue, but I think to call for a blanket doubling is a bit short-sighted. Consider this: which is better, to "double" the bus system, or to increase the number of trees under the city's purview by 100%? The city is going to have to make trade-offs, there's never going to be enough money in the budget to do everything we want. I think it's important to consider quantifying the cost vs. the benefit of certain actions.
The political atmosphere of City Hall sounds like an interesting issue, if he'll open up to you about it honestly.
The NIMBY questions you name, in my mind, are a bit irrelevant today. The problem I see is that the market is what has finally halted these projects, although the NIMBYs certainly had a hand in delaying them. But I don't see a lot we can do at this point, until the economy recovers and new proposals are put forth.
You've probably already had your meeting, so this is kind of dumb. Oh well.
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It is impossible to defeat an ignorant man in argument.
~William G. McAdoo
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