I've consumed a lot of campaign content recently that I need to get off my chest. Here's portions of a Ward 10 forum that have touched my heart.
Chris Parsons: "I will admit I like to bike." If you've ever attended a public meeting, you'll recognize Parsons as the guy who likes to bike, but is also brave enough to acknowledge it's cold here.
From my perspective as someone who walks/buses/bikes, Chris Parsons is the worst candidate on transportation.
Alicia Gibson is also wrong on a lot. Gibson and Parsons are basically sharing the old Tuthill constituency.
But it's hard to illustrate how bad Alicia Gibson is because she's incapable of expressing a concrete idea. Maddening to listen to, but probably to her benefit. You might think she knows what she's talking about - unless you know something about what she's talking about.
Gibson: open to the idea of rent control but landlords will sue, so better we spend money on affordable housing than defending the policy in court.
Gibson's analysis is weak. While it's true landlords will sue (they sue over everything), multiple paths to enacting rent control are contained in Q3. Extremely likely that one of them — council putting a policy on a future ballot as described in state law — will be defensible.
Parsons' analysis of question 1 (mayoral power): "That's how the government runs in St. Paul. I see it as an efficient way to do it."
Parsons, on Bryant Avenue reconstruction. He plays the public engagement truther: "People were not heard on that. People didn't even know who was attending the meetings. They didn't know what questions were asked except the ones that were cherrypicked."
Hate to say it, but David Wheeler distinguishes himself among the conservatives on transportation. He has consistently acknowledged the need for less driving and more alternatives. He doesn't pander.
Gibson complains about process on Hennepin Ave. Very little of what she supports, other than electric cars. One vision of the Hennepin Ave of the future: just as wide, fast and deadly, but sidewalks cluttered with car chargers.
Parsons hasn't talked to anyone who thinks Hennepin Ave reconstruction options are a good idea. Chris Parsons has maybe never met a transit rider, because I've talked to them about the 24/7 bus lanes, which makes them pretty happy.
Sorry, this thread is heavy on the candidates I'm unhappy with. A real dark vision of the future.
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