All right, I know we haven't even elected the Toledo City Council members from the districts yet this year. Heck, that election is still 4 months off into the future from this posting.
None-the-less, there is considerable interest (is that the right word?) about our present Mayor who is up for re-election in 2009. I'm going to assume the current recall effort will fall flat and never really happen.
Several people here in SwampBubbleLand are dissatisfied with the current political faces and want change. Some have said the heck with the political parties. Some clamor for an independent. Whatever.
The reality is if you truly want something different in the 2009 election for Toledo City Council At-large and for Mayor, it is necessary to start now in order to offset the advantage of incumbency and political party affiliation.
That long-winded introductory statement is the lead in to a question. Here is the question:
Who do you suggest run for Mayor of Toledo in 2009?
Toledo Mayor in 2009
By Roland Hansen - Posted on July 6th, 2007
...I think Terry Shankland still has the white uniform, the shovel, broom and cart from the last time he ran on a clean up government platform.
Seems like the perfect time and place for a massive cleanup is NOW.
I'd run, but I just passed my last mental health checkup, darn ;-)
But, what kind of Mayor would I make, what with reading and following the charter and all of that nonsense.
Besides, I'm anti shiny/glittery things that move and are lit by pretty lights and definitely anti bike path in times of fiscal uncertainty.
Nope, I couldn't qualify, sorry ;-)
Hooda Thunkit
could we get ron paul to move to toledo?
I think Mike Bell would be a good candidate.
...excellent suggestions!
Hooda Thunkit
Whoever gets the job will get the blame because this area isn't attractive to capital. If we could just get over the idea that we need a "nice" environment. When we turn down things like "junkyards" because they aren't pretty, that is a symptom of how things have changed. We need to be able to do like they do down in Appalachia: accept what comes because it provides employment.
When the mayor of Oregon turns down a coke plant because it might raise the risk to that population incrementally that shows other investors that this area is not a good place to invest in. We need to be willing to accept all the "dirty" industries if we are to attract capital (and the jobs it creates) in this area. After all, the kids we raise here can always move away, but at least we'll have the income to raise them. Then any one who gets the job of mayor will be a "hero". Till then whoever gets it is a "skunk" because he asks for taxes from a shrinking pool.
Old South End Broadway
Given our environmental concerns would a glass plant be able to open shop in Toledo today?
Old South End Broadway
After all, the kids we raise here can always move away, but at least we'll have the income to raise them
Some how that seems like a rather short sighted way of looking at it. The Toledo area already seems to be suffering from a brain drain as it were so I hardly see why its good business to make it more appealing for them to leave.
Who is going to spend four years in college to come out and work in a junk yard?
What large company white collar company wants to have as it's neighbor a junk yard or coking plant?
I'm sure they could find another less front door place for that junk yard.
But for me to be Mayor?? Well, I'd need a lot less staff, a lot less "OBC" and a lot more citizen involvement. For me to be willing to go into the fray, I'd need to un-spool the entire establishment and even then we'd have these problems:
I'm anti Union manipulation, I'm anti "party" minipulation and I'm anti free for all spending. I advocate total disclousure, total commitment, and total re-organization. I advocate state of the art, fire, police and rescue. I advocate privitizing trash collection, the selling off of entertainment venues and empty lots. I advocate holding leadership accountable for "Everything" they do during their tenure, re-vamping the city charter to allow for swift removal of idiots.
I advocate publishing the contract negotiations for all citizens to see and comment on before they are enacted. I stand for priorty #1 of re-building infrastructure, even if it means reducing some services that are non-essential. I advocate monthly broadcasts of the "State of the City" to maintain citizen involvement throughout the year(s). I advocate truthful and simplified publishing of city financies, thruthful and accurate disclosure of issues and the pro's/ con's of them all.
So with all of this, I'm sure I'm not even in the running :-)
Maybe, the people who are interested in this topic might work together to try to recruit potential Toledo Mayoral candidates for the next election. Heck, we don't even have to agree on a single person. Rather, we can focus on finding women and men with good qualifications.
A project for the DIRT Club perhaps????
How about it GZ, would you be willing to work on this with me? Maggie? Lisa Renee? Anyone else?
At this point I really don't care who runs for mayor next. I'll cross that bridge when I get there.
However right now I am trying to find a member of the Skeldon family who doesn't want to be in politics. The search isn't going well.
MikeyA
MikeyA
Maybe we need to officially be a suburb of Detroit.
But seriously tho - if anyone ever came out for real with that platform?...
I'm anti Union manipulation, I'm anti "party" minipulation
This partial sentence alone would get you shot down - and in this town? That just might come literally!
Now, that shows some deep thinking!
Read Roland's Ramblings
http://www.theglitch.ws/roland/
I bought kevlar(sp) some time back... Besides...I've figured out the perfect job for those that I would displace...bodyguards:-)
The time is getting closer with each passing day. Does anyone have any new thoughts regarding potential candidates for Mayor of Toledo, Ohio in the next election?
for the last three elections that Ive been living in this burg neither of the major parties nor any independent group has come up with anyone worth a shit, and all other factors remain the same, so Im betting the next election will have the same dearth of choices as the last ones have had.
We'll end up with a union-owned puppet who if his strings were cut he'd be the living embodiment of Mongo from Blazing Saddles. Same as we always get.
Toledo Ohio - union owned and operated since 1869