[Unsound]

So, has anyone started paying attention yet? Or even heard anything from the candidates? So far, the signs are the only sign of an election for me. No pamphlets or door-knockers as of yet.

[QBC]

Not really paying attention. The signs are cluttering up our pretty town, I've heard a little BS on the radio but thankfully we haven't had to put up with "Time for a Change" or "Experience and proven performance". The only knock on the door tonight was from the girl guides selling cookies and I had no cash on me or I'd be piggin out on cookies right now...

[ASLplease]

Beavers are selling popcorn again, its expensive at about $18 for 18 bags( microwave popcorn) but my wife tells me that its good quality popcorn.

[Unsound]

Man, you guys are lucky. No one selling cookies or popcorn here. Had a mother and daughter trying to sell their religion a few days ago... i'd prefer popcorn.

[QBC]

Well then kick that F'in mayor you've got to the curb and tell the dude or dudette that you vote for, they'll only get your vote if they bring Girl Guide Cookies to town!!!

Now that would be a real issue for a municipal election!!!....

[Unsound]

lol that can be my tie-breaker. AS it is I'll vote for anyone who even mentions trying to do something about Yellowhead Trail. I really really really want them to finish taking all the lights out and putting overpasses in. My drive home after work is ridiculous.

[Yogi]

Unsound wrote:

lol that can be my tie-breaker. AS it is I'll vote for anyone who even mentions trying to do something about Yellowhead Trail. I really really really want them to finish taking all the lights out and putting overpasses in. My drive home after work is ridiculous.

Oh man. I got stuck there the other day 1/2 hr to go from 119 St to 156th. What a fucking disaster that is! I do try to plan my business trips to the city during the day.

As to the topic here, I got one of our local candidates here last week. I voted for him lat election,but unfortunately, he didn't land a seat on council. He's trying again, and he'll get my vote again!

[Unsound]

Unfortunately, I have to take the yellowhead to and from work every day. I start early so it's not a problem going, but coming home in rush hour...it's enough to make a person political.

Sadly, I don't think it's an issue at for most people in this election. I think most of us northsiders have just given up hope on the subject. Now everyone's distracted by the airport and the arena issues.

[bootlegga]

Unsound wrote:

lol that can be my tie-breaker. AS it is I'll vote for anyone who even mentions trying to do something about Yellowhead Trail. I really really really want them to finish taking all the lights out and putting overpasses in. My drive home after work is ridiculous.

I feel for you, but when the NW Henday opens next year, the Yellowhead will probably drop in priority again (but then the northside always gets neglected in favour of those rich southsiders). One candidate (John Oplanich) in Castledowns compared the two sides of the city to un-developed North Korea and shiny, new South Korea.

I'd like to see better connections to downtown from the northside myself (maybe a tunnel/bridge crossing the Yellowhead near 113a st), and I would have liked it if we actually had a plebiscite on the Muni (to finally decide the issue once and for all), but our betters decided the peons in the city don't deserve to decide on such important issues.

As such, I haven't decided who to vote for, but I won't be voting for any incumbents this time.

[Mr_Canada]

Stupid Yard Signs and new bright LED billboards screaming "ELECT ----- ------"

No!

[Unsound]

bootlegga wrote:

Unsound wrote:

lol that can be my tie-breaker. AS it is I'll vote for anyone who even mentions trying to do something about Yellowhead Trail. I really really really want them to finish taking all the lights out and putting overpasses in. My drive home after work is ridiculous.

I feel for you, but when the NW Henday opens next year, the Yellowhead will probably drop in priority again (but then the northside always gets neglected in favour of those rich southsiders). One candidate (John Oplanich) in Castledowns compared the two sides of the city to un-developed North Korea and shiny, new South Korea.

I'd like to see better connections to downtown from the northside myself (maybe a tunnel/bridge crossing the Yellowhead near 113a st), and I would have liked it if we actually had a plebiscite on the Muni (to finally decide the issue once and for all), but our betters decided the peons in the city don't deserve to decide on such important issues.

As such, I haven't decided who to vote for, but I won't be voting for any incumbents this time.

Have you been reading my diary? lol I pretty much agree with everything you said there. Except for the bridge on 113a st. That's where my parents live, it's already a pain in the ass with all the traffic there lol I am prepared to be comopletely selfish on that one.

[hurley_108]

bootlegga wrote:

I feel for you, but when the NW Henday opens next year, the Yellowhead will probably drop in priority again (but then the northside always gets neglected in favour of those rich southsiders). One candidate (John Oplanich) in Castledowns compared the two sides of the city to un-developed North Korea and shiny, new South Korea.

Hey, not all us southsiders are rich, though I do understand what you're saying. I used to live in St. Albert, and I agree the Yellowhead has massive problems. Unfortunately, to fix them would require the buying up of massive amounts of real estate, because interchanges need a buttload of space.

Quote:

I'd like to see better connections to downtown from the northside myself (maybe a tunnel/bridge crossing the Yellowhead near 113a st), and I would have liked it if we actually had a plebiscite on the Muni (to finally decide the issue once and for all), but our betters decided the peons in the city don't deserve to decide on such important issues.

I know the muni is an issue near and dear to you, but the petition was well short of the required number of signatures, and 11 months late on a two-month deadline. There's no way council could have accepted it without saying the rules don't matter.

Quote:

As such, I haven't decided who to vote for, but I won't be voting for any incumbents this time.

I'll be voting for Mandel and my incumbent councillor, Iveson. Haven't researched the trustees yet.

[bootlegga]

hurley_108 wrote:

bootlegga wrote:

I feel for you, but when the NW Henday opens next year, the Yellowhead will probably drop in priority again (but then the northside always gets neglected in favour of those rich southsiders). One candidate (John Oplanich) in Castledowns compared the two sides of the city to un-developed North Korea and shiny, new South Korea.

Hey, not all us southsiders are rich, though I do understand what you're saying. I used to live in St. Albert, and I agree the Yellowhead has massive problems. Unfortunately, to fix them would require the buying up of massive amounts of real estate, because interchanges need a buttload of space.

I'm not saying I totally agree with Oplanich's sentiment, but I can see where he's coming from. Look at transportation history here in Edmonton; the Whitemud was completed more than a decade ago. Next came the Henday. What part of the Henday got done first? The west, then the south (the northern section wasn't started until last year). Then city council voted to spend $250 million for one overpass - to service South Edmonton Common.

Conversely, in the past decade, they've built one overpass on Yellowhead (156 St) and widened the lanes under the 97 st overpass from two to three.

hurley_108 wrote:

bootlegga wrote:

I'd like to see better connections to downtown from the northside myself (maybe a tunnel/bridge crossing the Yellowhead near 113a st), and I would have liked it if we actually had a plebiscite on the Muni (to finally decide the issue once and for all), but our betters decided the peons in the city don't deserve to decide on such important issues.

I know the muni is an issue near and dear to you, but the petition was well short of the required number of signatures, and 11 months late on a two-month deadline. There's no way council could have accepted it without saying the rules don't matter.

Actually, I'm on the fence these days about the Muni (I think leaving half of it open for another decade or so and then closing slowly is OK. What worries me is the clean-up cost, which I think the city lowballed so they could close it. The petition was only short by a few thousand signatures (they needed around 76,000 and got about 73500). Frankly, the 60 day limit is a bogus way of preventing city council from ever having to listen to one - after all, what organization could gather a minimum of 10% of Edmontonians signatures in 2 months? Not many...

To me, this was an major issue that should have been decided by Edmontonians, not ten people sitting at city hall. I don't demand a vote on every little thing city council does, but this decision is big enough to affect hundreds of thousands of Edmontonians (those working there, those living under the flight paths like me, those dependent on air ambulances, and finally taxpayers who will have to pay for the clean-up of almost a century of aviation).

I thought it was a petty, small-minded decision by City Council, and that's why I'm upset about it. I wanted to vote on the issue. At least if they had put it on the ballot and the majority of Edmontonians had voted to close it (which I think would have happened - many people are just tired of the issue and want it to go away), it would have wiped out any support Envision Edmonton had. Now, no matter what happens, EE can stick around like a bad smell for at least another three years, which will seem like forever for many people.

hurley_108 wrote:

bootlegga wrote:

As such, I haven't decided who to vote for, but I won't be voting for any incumbents this time.

I'll be voting for Mandel and my incumbent councillor, Iveson. Haven't researched the trustees yet.

I've met Mandel recently, and even though he is a nice guy and an eloquent speaker, I can't see myself voting for him (or any of the other ten councillors who voted against having a plebiscite).

[hurley_108]

bootlegga wrote:

I'm not saying I totally agree with Oplanich's sentiment, but I can see where he's coming from. Look at transportation history here in Edmonton; the Whitemud was completed more than a decade ago. Next came the Henday. What part of the Henday got done first? The west, then the south (the northern section wasn't started until last year). Then city council voted to spend $250 million for one overpass - to service South Edmonton Common.

Conversely, in the past decade, they've built one overpass on Yellowhead (156 St) and widened the lanes under the 97 st overpass from two to three.

I think the phasing of the Henday construction was more of a provincial decision than a municipal one. But as I said, I agree that the Yellowhead needs a lot of work.

Quote:

Actually, I'm on the fence these days about the Muni (I think leaving half of it open for another decade or so and then closing slowly is OK. What worries me is the clean-up cost, which I think the city lowballed so they could close it. The petition was only short by a few thousand signatures (they needed around 76,000 and got about 73500). Frankly, the 60 day limit is a bogus way of preventing city council from ever having to listen to one - after all, what organization could gather a minimum of 10% of Edmontonians signatures in 2 months? Not many...

What council could govern effectively if there were not serious barriers to having every decision challenged by a plebiscite? Not many. Look at California's failed experiment with direct democracy. Besides, I don't see any candidate promising to change the formula for holding a plebiscite - just saying that following the rules was the wrong thing to have done.

Quote:

To me, this was an major issue that should have been decided by Edmontonians, not ten people sitting at city hall. I don't demand a vote on every little thing city council does, but this decision is big enough to affect hundreds of thousands of Edmontonians (those working there, those living under the flight paths like me, those dependent on air ambulances, and finally taxpayers who will have to pay for the clean-up of almost a century of aviation).

I don't know. I think that we elect our representatives to be the decision makers for us. I think a precedent was set on the airport by those two plebiscites in the 90s that makes people think that it's special. But what about that 23 ave overpass? Hundreds of millions of dollars spent there - is that worthy of a plebiscite? How about the downtown arena? I think that there's enough contention about public funds being used for professional sport venues that if there's any issue that's worthy of a plebiscite, it's that one.

Quote:

I thought it was a petty, small-minded decision by City Council, and that's why I'm upset about it. I wanted to vote on the issue. At least if they had put it on the ballot and the majority of Edmontonians had voted to close it (which I think would have happened - many people are just tired of the issue and want it to go away), it would have wiped out any support Envision Edmonton had. Now, no matter what happens, EE can stick around like a bad smell for at least another three years, which will seem like forever for many people.

We may have to agree to disagree on this point.

Quote:

I've met Mandel recently, and even though he is a nice guy and an eloquent speaker, I can't see myself voting for him (or any of the other ten councillors who voted against having a plebiscite).

To me Mandel = LRT extension. Smith did dick all for 9 years, and Mandel's finally got the ball rolling on that and other issues. I think they bungled it badly, as they cancelled almost all cross-river bus routes and now there are serious delays every single day as commuters and university students have to cram onto 3- and 4-car trains because the stations they just built (Health Sci and Mckernan Belgravia) can't take 5 car trains, nor can the northern wiring, all of which now has to be fixed. But at least we now have the infrastructure. I get the distinct impression Dorward would have been just like Smith. I don't see any of the other candidates being contenders. I just think Dorward would be a massive step backwards.

[bootlegga]

hurley_108 wrote:

Quote:

To me, this was an major issue that should have been decided by Edmontonians, not ten people sitting at city hall. I don't demand a vote on every little thing city council does, but this decision is big enough to affect hundreds of thousands of Edmontonians (those working there, those living under the flight paths like me, those dependent on air ambulances, and finally taxpayers who will have to pay for the clean-up of almost a century of aviation).

I don't know. I think that we elect our representatives to be the decision makers for us. I think a precedent was set on the airport by those two plebiscites in the 90s that makes people think that it's special. But what about that 23 ave overpass? Hundreds of millions of dollars spent there - is that worthy of a plebiscite? How about the downtown arena? I think that there's enough contention about public funds being used for professional sport venues that if there's any issue that's worthy of a plebiscite, it's that one.

I agree that not everything should be voted by Edmontonians, but this is a major issue, not a decision whether taxes should go up by 4% or 5%. If we can have a vote on Keillor Road (which was going to cost less than $50 million to upgrade), why not one to finally decide the fate of the airport? Especially considering the vote we had in 1995 didn't say anything about closing the airport.

And I can definitely people wanting a say in the downtown arena if the city is going to have to cough up money for it. Mandel is really walking a tightrope on that issue.

hurley_108 wrote:

Quote:

I thought it was a petty, small-minded decision by City Council, and that's why I'm upset about it. I wanted to vote on the issue. At least if they had put it on the ballot and the majority of Edmontonians had voted to close it (which I think would have happened - many people are just tired of the issue and want it to go away), it would have wiped out any support Envision Edmonton had. Now, no matter what happens, EE can stick around like a bad smell for at least another three years, which will seem like forever for many people.

We may have to agree to disagree on this point.

Fair enough.

hurley_108 wrote:

Quote:

I've met Mandel recently, and even though he is a nice guy and an eloquent speaker, I can't see myself voting for him (or any of the other ten councillors who voted against having a plebiscite).

To me Mandel = LRT extension. Smith did dick all for 9 years, and Mandel's finally got the ball rolling on that and other issues. I think they bungled it badly, as they cancelled almost all cross-river bus routes and now there are serious delays every single day as commuters and university students have to cram onto 3- and 4-car trains because the stations they just built (Health Sci and Mckernan Belgravia) can't take 5 car trains, nor can the northern wiring, all of which now has to be fixed. But at least we now have the infrastructure. I get the distinct impression Dorward would have been just like Smith. I don't see any of the other candidates being contenders. I just think Dorward would be a massive step backwards.

I agree that Mandel has put the LRT on the fast track, and that's a good thing, but without funding in place to pay for it, who cares if he's announced this line or that line? It's like the federal government announcing the same defence projects (like JSS) over and over without ever getting them started.

His promises would mean a lot more if he made sure funding was in place before he made them.

BTW, I bet the Millwoods/west end line gets built long before the one to Castledowns does...