PeoriaIllinoisan did something that I had wanted to do but just don’t have time. He sent out his own questionnaire on city issues to all the candidates and has posted their responses on his blog. Take a look at what they said about:
The Kellar Branch
The Civic Center Hotel
Glen Oak School
Peoria’s Cumulative (Bullet) Voting System
And there are five other interesting questions that let you get a glimpse into their personalities as well.
There are 14 candidates and we’re going to be whittling them down to 10 at the primary election next Tuesday, February 27.
I’m not ready to make any endorsements yet, but I have ruled out a few candidates: Gale Thetford, Ryan Spain, Kelley Mammen, Gloria Cassel-Fitzgerald. I think Thetford’s record is well documented and needs no further explanation. Ryan Spain is, in my opinion, a “progressive” and not an “essential-services-first” candidate, so I’m fundamentally opposed to his platform. His flashy campaign materials ($$$) and endorsement by Ray LaHood also make me uncomfortable (and before someone asks, yes, I know Jacob is spending more on campaign materials, but the difference is that he has visible means to do so). Kelley Mammen answered the question regarding the Kellar Branch, “That is such a beautiful area and I feel that it should be a trail only.” I’m not going to vote against someone just because they don’t agree with me on the Kellar Branch, but if this is any indication of how she will make decisions that will impact jobs and economic development, I have no confidence in her as a council person. Gloria Cassel-Fitzgerald would make a better school board candidate. Education is clearly her passion, not broader city issues.
Now, this is not to say they aren’t all very nice people. I have nothing personal against them. All I’m saying is that I’m not interested in voting for them for the reasons listed. I think there are stronger candidates who will be better for Peoria. Who are my top five? I’ll continue whittling down the list….
Brad Carter for president!
How about we focus on the City Council primary this Tuesday first. But thanks for the encouragement David.
One needs to remember this council election has nothing to do with republicans or democrats. It is supposed to be about Peoria and our way of life. The Kellar branch seems to be a big issue here now but everyone seems to have forgotten the 4 shootings we had in January.
I personally know Ryan Spain and even though you think he has flashy material (what does that mean?) he has worked very had to raise the few dollars needed to get his name out there. Much harder than Jacob who has the cash and can hire people to do it for him. Ryan has a few supporters who have donated to him but a lot of his true support is his friends who volunteer. That alone should say volumes about his charactor. LaHood shouldn’t even figure into the this at all. I want new blood on the council. I want people who can make decissions in a timely manner and not drag issues on to the point you need your head drilled. i.e. Kellar issue. I don’t agree with Ryan on the trail or the hotel at the civic center but I know Ryan can hear the public and based on that, he can change. That alone is better than the self centered ego nuts we have on this council now. Millionaires are for private business and golf courses. They are not people minded and more often out of touch with the working folk. Keep them out of polictics and things will get done.
A few of Spain’s supporters and their contributions:
Emtronics says, “Millionaires are for private business and golf courses. They are not people minded and more often out of touch with the working folk.” If your premise is true, what would you say about candidates who get the lion’s share of their funding from millionaires?
I wonder what a council would be like and how they would help Peoria’s future development if it were made up of people whose income was not over $30K per year. How would they feel about tax increases and how that money was used? How much interest would they have in subsidizing huge projects in the millions and millions that was going to take up to five years to complete? How would they address the District 150 situations and all the schools that have been abandoned to build new ones elsewhere? Just how would they vote in general on the issues before the current council. What would their solutions be to the problems, or would they make more problems? They certainly couldn’t do any worse than the current council and with incomes of less than $30K per year they would definitely be in touch with the majority of the people. On a one on one equal basis.
Sharon, I don’t think there’s a correlation between how a council person votes and how much money they make.
I care much more about the sources and amounts of politicians’ donations than their incomes. I don’t hold it against a candidate for being wealthy. Sometimes that means they would be less beholden to special interests for their cash.
Well a working person making 30k or so a year would know how to balance a checkbook and just maybe repsect someone else’s money.
LaHood only gave Spain $500? That tightwad.
aside: CJ, I would say that millionaires should donate to causes, that’s how golf courses get built. 🙂 Nothing wrong with buyi…er…supporting a politcal candidate.
CJ,
I am supporting Spain, not because of his backers or who donates to his campaign, but because I have been able to put him to work on some issues in the area already and have him working on a project for the Mayor’s Litter Committee. Not in office and already working, a few on the council currently should take note. Gloria Fitzergerald has a lot of experiences both with budgeting, governement connections, and working with people who need the most representation, the most vulnerable among us. Don’t be too quick to write her off. I am far less concerned with what a candidate is going to say on the council or who will say the right things in front of the cameras, I want people who are going to get things acomplished and for that one needs 6 votes, not just one or two. One needs to be out meeting with the consituents and making things happen. Jacob has been everywhere through this city working on projects, again lessons to be learned. Dan Irving is looking to build consensus and try a teamwork approach. I also have been really impressed with Schierer. He has city council experience and has what is greatly needed on the council, budgetary experience with a city budget. Many of the previous campaign promises and priorities are not being accomplished because the budget has not been completely reformulated to fiance them. There are very large ticket items in the capital budget as noted by Sandberg and VanAuken at last Monday’s Neighborhood Alliance meeting which explain why I will never have the safe sidewalks needed in my own neighborhood intil things get reprioritized. I really do not like the bullet voting system and hope that people will not use it in this election. CJ you had mentioned you were giving all your votes to one candidate, an incumbent. Are you willing to allow chance to decide who gets the guarenteed two empty seats. also before I forget, Montelango has big name support and had to have spent a ton on today’s mailing. Look beyond these things to who has the necessary skills to make real changes, who can build a consensus of 6 votes, who will listen and respond to the peoples concerns. oh, and Brad I didn’t forget you…fellow Guardian Angel.
I pretty much have my five….but not publishing it yet.
I hope people get out and Vote. Most people don’t vote. Some curent council people are deserving to be re-elected. others that are currently seated need to go. As to solving problems we face in the city, no one can solve it alone or has the “Silver Bullet” only working together and in one direction can problems be solved. No one that is running for council can solve the #150 issues, Unless the city takes over the school district. #150 could care less about the city and the taxpayers.
Just VOTE!
Is anyone planning to quiz Park District Board candidates? I would like to know where they stand on several issues: The Kellar branch; the condition of older parks i.e. Glen oak and Bradley which really need repairs and beautification; Completing other trails that have been stalled for years; and concerning the Kellar Branch, why haven’t they done anything to bring the trail across Adams st, Jefferson Street, up Abington St, through Glen Oak Park, through Springdale Cemetary, through the War Drive tunnel and up the steep Harvard Street to the area of the Journal Star entrance. According to the Park Board and Ms. Noble the state grants cannot be used for areas where the track will remain, and it will remain all the way up to War Drive. Therefore, what is the delay in completing this portion of the trail? It is high time that taxpayers and trail advocates put pressure on the Park Board to start completing this part of the trail.
Good question Ed. The Park District is slowly selling out Bradley Park to Bradley. Why? Becuase most of the money the District takes in is going to that balckhole for money, the RexPlex.
Don’t forget the new “Black Hole”- the new Zoo.
Funny how these things are not brought up at the council meetings in front of the cameras. But then the ppd and rta and the green people get up and slander and slam us and wave their arms around and tell everyone that we should be in the “real world”, but we don’t slander them, just point out the facts and still the council chooses them and doesn’t ask the ppd any specific questions. Somewhere down the line this canoe is taking on water and I’m frankly sick of it. Evidently the ppd and rta and green people run this town and the rest of us don’t count one penny, as far as this council is concerned. Perhaps you all better get up and get out and VOTE, I’m tired of taking on water.
These people aren’t Green. Green, according to the Sierra Club’s own website is all about stopping sprawl and providing efficient urban environments. This includes protecting urban infrastructure, like rails. Judging from their site the Sierra Club is a huge proponent of Amtrak including increasing their subsidies and trying to get more places hooked into commuter rail. When they support rails to trail it is abandoned rail in rural areas. Nationally they have moved forward in promoting commuter rail. They have realized the benefits of rail in an urban environment and elsewhere. They advocate shipping by rail. Pretty much their position is anything you can do to become less dependent on autos and trucks is the best course of action. Granted Kellar isn’t commuter, but in the future it is the best chance we have at it. I feel what Peoria’s Sierra Club is backing is the Sierra Club of 15 years ago. It is kind of like Krispy Kreme, Peoria gets all excited about something the rest of the country was over 5 years ago. Peoria needs to stop trying to be a follower and start looking to be a leader. And if we are going to follow let’s try to at least stay within the relevant decade.
Bean Counter, Peoria has always been at least 5 years (closer to 10) behind the time, and has always been a follower. Not going to change. The local Sierra Club is a disgrace. Increases trucks on city streets by supporting destroying the Kellar Branch; does nothing to stop all the new-terrain highway projects being pushed around here; simply supports a Park District whose Director supported expanding the toxic waste dump!
And, by the way, what has the Sierra Club done for Wildlife Prairie Park? One of our greatest natural areas, it was developed, not by the Park District, of course, but by Bill Rutherford (the same whose memory was slandered by Bruce Brown before the council this last week with the implication that Bill was anti-rail, which he certainly was not).
Emtronics: who are the self centered ego nuts and millionaires on the present Council? You speak a lot but say little!
I see that there is now a “Stark County Trails and Greenway Committee”. Their 1st meeting is coming up 2/27 and they will be discussing an extension of the Rock Island Trail for Toulon among other greenway expansions throughout Stark County.
This is where the RTA should be assisting, not trying to rip up existing rail.
The only person close to being a millionaire on the council is Jacobs. Last millinoaire was Ransburg, the Mayor. We all know what we got with him. The self centered ego nuts I am referring to are not millionaires. There are, IMO, 3 on the council now. I will not name names here, maybe I will on my own blog.
I understand the importance of knowing the Peo Council members, their platforms, etc. The problem is this; in order for the “people” to be heard, the “people” must vote! It is the strangest thing that most the people I talk to think that LaHood should have been voted out long ago. So why is he still holding office?!?!?!?
Along with Emtronics, perhaps it is not so much the City Council that is the problem in Peoria. Elected officials or trustees, the various governing boards- PPD, Dist. 150, Lakeview/Museum, etc – are the real problem. I believe here is where you will really find your “millionaires” trying to run the show. Who can really $tand up to these people?
Paul Wilkinson said, “CJ you had mentioned you were giving all your votes to one candidate, an incumbent.”
No, I have said that in the *last* election, I gave all my votes to Gary Sandberg. I did not give all my votes to him this time, but I did give him more than one vote.