Promises, promises, promises....
So here's the
Emeryville City Council Incumbent Accountability Moment
Essay
Come election time, people expect a lot of political hyperbole from candidates for political office however here in Emeryville, especially with its high number of transient voters, the hyperbole seems to be more effective and political advantage always is enjoyed by incumbents. Another way to look at this formula is that incumbents have an actual record, not always a very good one, and information dissemination can change that formula. Looking at it this way, the two challengers, Jacqueline Asher and Michael Webber, may become more attractive to voters.
There's always plenty of overheated talk at election time of empowering the citizens and fighting for their interests and other such clap trap. People expect politicians to accentuate their positives and avoid their negatives however in this election cycle in Emeryville there seems to be an expectation of total naivete on the part of the voters by the incumbents.
Indeed, if one goes by the campaign literature, it's hard for those not paying attention otherwise to see substantive difference between the candidates; it's virtually wall to wall pro-family, pro-schools, pro-transparency with a smattering of pro-bike and pro-park sentiments.
Nora Davis comes right out and says we should judge her on her past performance, not on campaign promises. Where Ms Davis may see advantage in the fact that most residents are not paying attention as she makes such proclamations, we hereby accept her challenge.
So at council member Davis' request, here's some of the incumbent city council campaign promises and proclamations made in their new campaign literature, versus their actual some might say inconvenient records:
Ruth Atkin Says:
Ruth Atkin's campaign literature is all abuzz with her good deeds for Emeryville's schools. She promises to build lots of family friendly housing to support the schools. She says shopping mall development creates a bankrupt consumer culture and she stresses the necessity of building real community. Ruth says she's all about livability for Emeryville residents and transparency at City Hall. She calls herself an advocate for Emeryville's children.
Ruth Atkin's Record:
- Voted to kill the infant program at the Child Development Center in 2005, saying we can "no longer afford it"
- Voted numerous times to grant the Bay Street mall developer free exclusive rights to expand the mall, refusing to allow other developers to make alternate, more resident friendly proposals
- Ruth, having sat on the council for 12 years, has rubber stamped countless one bedroom loft and condo projects, failing to deliver family friendly housing making Emeryville notorious for what the Goldman Public Policy School calls its "exceedingly low" stock of family friendly housing
- Ruth has used her council position to encourage developers to deliver new "drive-in drive-out" lofts and condos, with guaranteed free parking, encouraging driving and clogging our streets with traffic
Ken Bukowski Says:
Ken has remade himself this election cycle claiming he's an outsider. Ken says he's going to empower Emeryville residents with a new program of citizen inclusion. He says he's going to root out corruption at City Hall and he says the Chamber of Commerce is a tool for the largest corporations.
Ken Bukowski's Record:
- Voted numerous times to grant the Bay Street mall developer free exclusive rights to expand the mall, refusing to allow other developers to make alternate, more resident friendly proposals
- Accepted the Chamber of Commerce's endorsement many election cycles and Ken has been a reliable pro-chamber vote on the council
- Worked against Measure C, the 'living wage for hotel workers' ordinance
- Voted to overturn the brand new General Plan at the last minute and against the resident's wishes after countless hours of volunteer citizen involvement and millions of dollars spent in its development all to give one developer, John Nady, rights to build any development proposal he may wish to 'unlimited hight'
- Ken has used his council position to encourage developers to deliver new "drive-in drive-out" lofts and condos, with guaranteed free parking, encouraging driving and clogging our streets with traffic
Nora Davis Says:
Nora says she's interested in improving the quality of life for families and she wants to provide family friendly housing. She says she wants to keep the city's revenue flow "strong". Nora says she will uphold her commitment to education. Nora calls herself a green candidate, stressing her anti-global warming bone fides. She likes people to think she supports bicycle improvements.
Nora Davis' Record:
- Nora twice voted to overturn the Bike Committee's recommendation to limit cars on the Horton Street Bike Boulevard, the last viable quiet north/south route in the city
- Nora, having sat on the council for 24 years, has rubber stamped countless one bedroom loft and condo projects, failing to deliver family friendly housing making Emeryville notorious for what the Goldman Public Policy School calls its "exceedingly low" stock of family friendly housing
- She stopped a citizen drive to eliminate the regressive business tax cap for Emeryville's largest corporations, granting them a much lower rate than our small businesses and locked out much needed revenue for the city
- Voted numerous times to grant the Bay Street mall developer free exclusive rights to expand the mall, refusing to allow other developers to make alternate, more resident friendly proposals
- Worked against Measure C, the 'living wage for hotel workers' ordinance
- Voted to overturn the brand new General Plan at the last minute and against resident's wishes after countless hours of volunteer citizen involvement and millions of dollars spent in its development all to give one developer, John Nady, rights to build any development proposal he may wish to 'unlimited hight'
- Nora has used her council position to encourage developers to deliver new "drive-in drive-out" lofts and condos, with guaranteed free parking, encouraging driving and clogging our streets with traffic
- Voted to kill the infant program at the Child Development Center, saying we can "no longer afford it"
There are alternatives. Some candidates are addressing real community issues and concerns. The best place to find out what candidates think, is on the Emeryville City website, under "News", click on video replay of the League of Womens Voters Candidates Forum, or here is the direct link to the video:
ReplyDeletehttp://emeryville.org/MediaCenter.aspx?CID=Candidates-Forum-2
This is raw, unedited footage of all 5 candidates, not massaged by their campaign consultants.
You can make up your own mind, if you are willing to invest a short amount of time watching the video.
I'm glad Emeryville voters have always been able to look at all sides of a voting record and not just a narrow view such as the one presented here.
ReplyDeleteThe point of the piece is that voters (in the aggregate) are not looking at all sides of the council's voting record...they're not looking at any side of the voting record.
ReplyDeleteYou really think the voters are stupid, don't you? Most of my friends are actually quite well informed, they just happen to disagree with you.
ReplyDeleteThere's a world of difference between stupid and uninformed. The problem in Emeryville is voters are ill informed about the candidates records. I'm glad you and your friends are better informed than most...it helps that you read the Tattler.
ReplyDeleteKEN BUKOWSKI RESPONSE.
ReplyDelete* I votef to extend the Exclusive Right to Negotiate "ERN" for Madion-Marquette because it was the right thing to do. They would have developed that site long ago, but the City Council is saying the must build a hotel. The Hotel workers have threatend to pickit if they build a hotel, so the project was in limbo. The point is the developer is responding to the wishes council, as they are supposed to. .
I disagree with your representation "more resident friendly" You make the assumption, the views of the small group you participate in is the voice of the "Residents". I don't agree. The solution is exactly why Residents need an annual meeting. Then, we can find out what residents think.
I will also the CBay Street area is not meant for stores to serve residents. It is a high end commercial center, to make money for the city. In fact we forced the developer to add residemtial units. However, since Madison-Marquetter has not kept their word to keep residents informed.
I'm sure they read your interview, where I said,
I would NOT renew their ERN. It seems they have helped finance a hit piece along with Wareham to oppose me and Michael Webber.
No developer should ever send a hit piece out on a city council candidate, no matter who it is.
For future elections we can set up a citizen committee to create a comprehensive candidate questionairre for each election. The candidates can have a live TV interview and respond to questions. People could call in their questions.
The deveopers can save the expensive campaign mailers, used in every election, to influence the Emeryville voters.
Yes, I have accepted the Chamber endorsement in past years, but this time I said NO to Nora Davis, and then became the enemy.
I also crossed the line when I created the City Attorney measure to uncver gross misuse of money in the City Attorney's Office. I am the only council member who examined the legal invoices. I have called for an outside audit of that Department. Please vote YES on Measure F..
On the general plan amendment, it was a reasonable decision, and the sane statement as above, the few people who objected does mean other residents objected. The committee receomedation was split.
Also I agree to drop the parking requirements, but if the rest of the council does not agree, it's not a reason to oppose every project. Also, the Planning Commission approves almost all of the projects. We don't see them unless they are appealed.
Your comments tend to paint a broad brush for all incumbents. What about standing up for the rights of employees, and for Residents to be notified.
I also never agreed with the Chamber on the busiuness license tax, or outsourcing Child Development. and I voted to stop funding the "Emeryville Connection" and other issues.
I also didn't agree with Wareham when they built defective units at the Terraces. I asked Rich Robbins to give the buyers their noney back, and he refused.
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Finally, I'm thankful to the Tattler for putting these issues on the table. Please call me if you would like further clarification. at 510-305-0000