C'mon Derek - Run...you can cover these guys!

morgan wrote:

Thanks for the post Erik- I was wondering what (if any) the interest level was in the upcoming elections. Even though the city is financially strapped (thank you new convention center!) there are still important decisions to be made.

Yes, very fundemental policy decisions about the future for the city are going to be made in the coming few years including the basic urban design of the city and how and where is the city is going to grow.  With all of the development interest coming into town, the right decisions need to be made or the city will be built out in a poor way. 

Trying to reverse course and trying to make an attractive place after they have been built out badly is very difficult as University Place is finding out.

Here's some questions pertaining to downtown:

1) What actions have you taken in the last 5 years to support downtown and the neighbood business districts?

2) Downtown Tacoma is pocked with empty lots and empty buildings and has a high street level retail vacancy rate.  What strategies do you intend to implement to support the rehabilitatation of our vacant buildings and infill our empty lots?

3) Having travelled to Portland and observed the lively, high density, pedestrian friendly downtown streets, will you now work to implement a building code in Tacoma which makes the construction of such a downtown design possible such as removing the off-street parking requirement?

4) Have you studied other cities and identified the specific methodologies and techniques to create an attractive and pedestrian friendly downtown?

5) What strategies will you employ to support the rehabilitation and protection of our historic buildings downtown and throughout Tacoma before they are knocked down or fall down?

Last edited by Erik (2007-10-13 22:29:41)

I look forward to serving the citizens of the West End for four more years," Manthou said. Maybe this is why the residents in the rather large size of the NORTHend that
Mr. Manthou represents never see or hear from him.
Go to http://www.cityoftacoma.org/Page.aspx?hid=2089#Dist1  to see that District 1, Manthou's District is a great deal more then the West End. I saw this blog on the Editorial Op page and I am really impressed w/the
interest in what's going on.

Soccermom

I vote for "The Elvis"

Julie Anderson is reported by the TNT to be "strongly backing" Spiro Manthou for Tacoma City Council:

Anderson contends council members ought to have at least some shared staff and offices where they can meet constituents and do business. I suspect Anderson would live in her office if she ever got one.

She's staying out of the race for (term-limited) Bill Evans' at-large council seat, but she's strongly backing fellow incumbent Spiro Manthou against former mayor Harold Moss.

http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/oped?p= … #more12211

Last edited by Erik (2007-07-11 02:56:56)

Someone asked about Robert "the Traveller" Hill's campaign.  Apparently, he's an interesting fellow.  From what I've heard, he's running on a platform of arming everyone with guns, increasing sex shops, and promotion of masturbation.  Here's a bit from the voter guide:

"There are too many cops. The money that is spent on five offi cers could be used to sponsor fi rearm-safety training classes. Also, instead of crushing and destroying guns, the police department should give these away to the local universities and high schools, so students and faculty and staff can choose to protect themselves. I believe in making Prostitution the Lowest Enforcement Priority. I believe in changing the zoning laws so that it is easier for strip clubs and massage parlors to open in the city. I believe in selling or demolishing the Tacoma Dome.... "

I had expected the Trib to endorse either Manthou or Moss on Tuesday with their other endorsements, but I forgot they won't be in the primary so there's no need until October or September.

Interesting, too, that they endorsed two candidates for Pos. 8. I'd never seen that. Will they re-endorse someone after the primary and before the general depending on which two get past the primary? What if Marilyn and David get past the primary, would they pick one? If Marty and Jonathan won the primary, would the Tribune make a recommendation? Interesting questions these ...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Clear Channel Outdoor endorses friend to the arts: Robert "The Traveler" Hill for Tacoma City Council Position No. 7*

Over a week, in an unprecedented move the largest billboard operator in Tacoma has politicized the bulk of her holdings to the election campaign of a man known as "The Traveler."   For over a week local residents have been increasingly confused by all 190+ billboards branded with an enigmatic CONSTITUTION MATTERS motto; as of this press release--mystery solved.

In an email interview with Clear Channel Outdoor's consumer quality manager, Greg Severson says: "Mr Hill's motto captures the spirit of how we believe this country [or city] should be led.  We're all to happy to buffalo that exuberance onto the public imagination... which, of course, benefits us in our long run."

WE SEEK FELLOW TRAVELERS who UPHOLD THESE IDEALS:

    --There are to many cops bossing people around, telling us what we can & cant do to ourselves or others.
    -- Not enough guns in our schools!
    -- Female Masturbation Day would bring joy to countless millions.
    -- The Tacoma Dome must be destroyed at any cost.
    -- Artists are worthy of suspicion.


* this message was paid for by FRIENDS FOR THE SPEEDY ELECTION OF ROBERT "THE TRAVELER" HILL, the PEOPLE'S ATHEIST LIBERTARIAN REALITY BRIGADES, SAY-WA! and the TRIPLANETARY REALTORS CREDIT UNION OF UNINCORPORATED PARKLAND.

Last edited by NineInchNachos (2007-08-04 20:38:03)

Have any of you seen the candidates postcards in the mail? Let me know what you think if you have...some were really good. One was rather strange in my opinion.

Robert "the traveler" is mocking our democratic process. And CC is helping him. Wake up Tacoma!

David Curry is busy, but not campaigning. He skipped the endorsement process for Pierce Conservation Voters, even though energy options is supposed to be a big deal for TPU. He missed the briefing on Sound Transit's Pacific crossing, held by the City's public works sub-committee. And when the NE Neighborhood Council and LWV held a forum on Northshore, Reverend Curry was at a White House conference on faith-based initiatives. We all need priorities; it's just not clear that City Council is high on his list.

One of the things I found most interesting about the blogs and the primary election was an air of positive discussion about local politics. I know first hand that information was sent to newspapers and blogs ( I was CC'd on the conservations ) and yet they felt it was better to keep it civil.  For that applaud them.
I know when I was a candidate, I was warned not to comment on the Northshore golf course issue because of the quasi-judicial nature of the issue. That is why I skipped the rally in the summer and would have likewise skipped this forum if I was still the race ( just as other candidates for other positions stayed quiet on this) . I was running to be on council to be a voice. I did not want my campaign promises to force me to miss the vote on an important issue.
  I am saddened that this blog would be used for negative politics. When the mud starts flying, everybody gets dirty.