Wanna be Mayor? Better know your frolf!

Nice... (4.00 / 1)

I was standing right next to Mr. McCullough, he was so casual, I really had no idea his notes got this detailed.. they're totally accurate, well done sir!

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by: Ivan Jacobs @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 01:11:48 AM CST

Supporting Dan (0.00 / 0)

I went to the debate as well and thought it was great. Bob actually gave a much better performance than past debates. He did a great job but I am supporting Dan Smith. Dan has really impressed me with his knowledge of the issues and his keen business savvy. So Jack, I wouldn't say he's a Republican. He is a candidate who can balance economic development, sustainability and the protecting the environment. Remember, Dan works for a green industrial think tank, the Greater Burlington Industrial Corp.

Even more impressive, Dan has broad support across the political spectrum from young progressives to centrist Democrats and business minded Republicans. Tony Klein, the Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, supports his campaign. Senator Hinda Miller is also supporting him.

Frankly, with all the bickering and all the other nonsense that happens down at City Hall, Dan stands out because he isn't the incumbent mayor, he isn't a 15 year veteran of the council and he certainly isn't the Council president.

He offers a fresh perspective that, based on my years of dealing with the council and the mayor on student issues at UVM, is desperately needed.

So, don't write off Dan or because he supports some development, call him a Republican. He's not only strong, steady, smart and sensible -- but he also understands the big picture. Bob isn't a bad guy but I just think that Dan is exactly what Burlington needs. New leadership and new perspective on the economy. It's the partisanship that we have to get past and Dan represents the change we (I can't believe I am writing this) need.

All in all, thank you GMD, Maggie, DFA and College Dems for putting together a great forum. It was great to see so many familar faces and watching three great candidates talk up the issues.

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by: Scott_C @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 09:18:58 AM CST

[ Parent ]

GBIC (4.00 / 1)

is hardly a "green industrial think tank"

it has routinely supported wasteful tax "incentives", opposed anything related to livable wages, believes Act 250 is an impediment, and so on (as far as I know, it supports relicensing VT Yankee too)

likewise, his support from Hinda Miller does not mean he is a progressive minded guy; Hinda too supports all the policies advanced by the Chamber & GBIC

I would be very interested to know exactly what Dan's "new perspective on the econmoy" is; do you know?

his message about getting past partisanship sounds really soft & nice (intentionally); but what would he do?

in my view, he is a Republican; moreover, while you deride people with experience, he has none; running a $100 million business requires experience

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by: Doug Hoffer @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 09:53:45 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Here are some examples: (0.00 / 0)

Directly from Dan's website:

Economic Development

+Recruitment and expansion of value-adding environmental enterprises, high-tech companies, value-added services and creative businesses in Burlington's commercial zones.

+Continued support of the City's institutions and existing industries.

+Create a Revitalization Task Force to focus on underutilized properties and locations in the city in order to bring those properties into effective use, grow the grand list and ease our property tax burden.

+Examine a local property tax exemption for installation of domestic renewable energy projects, such as residential and group net-metered solar capacity.

+City partnership and support for a regional strategy around event promotion and marketing.

+Mayor's Mentoring Initiative: Expand and foster adult to youth mentoring, after school programs and career mentoring partnerships between service agencies, schools, colleges and local employers.

+Partner with local entrepreneurs and leaders on sustainability to develop an annual forum in Burlington focused on leadership in thought and simple acts of sustainability.

It should also be noted that many students at UVM are supporting Dan. These same students who supported Obama and Kesha Ram in '08 are supporting his campaign.

If you want more specifics, you can go to Dan's website:

wwww.dansmithformayor.com

Regardless, the campaign is over tomorrow night. Wish I had come back sooner to respond but I've been working and trying to pay back my student loans :)

It should also be noted that DFA is sitting this race out. I know a few DFA folks that are supporting Dan. If he wasn't progressive enough on social issues, they would have had an easier time picking. But they didn't.

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by: Scott_C @ Mon Mar 02, 2009 at 11:58:52 AM CST

[ Parent ]

sorry (2.00 / 1)

first, it's mostly fluff; and second, it's not about the goals but rather the means

fluff:
1.  Continued support of the City's institutions and existing industries -- what mayor would do otherwise? it does say "continued" support after all
2.  Create a Revitalization Task Force to focus on underutilized properties and locations in the city in order to bring those properties into effective use, grow the grand list and ease our property tax burden -- do you really think the mayor has not focused on growing the grand list?
3.  City partnership and support for a regional strategy around event promotion and marketing -- can't say I view event promotion as a top priority; and why would surrounding towns want partner with their competitors?
4.  Partner with local entrepreneurs and leaders on sustainability to develop an annual forum in Burlington focused on leadership in thought and simple acts of sustainability -- say what? are annual forums better than actually doing something? and what exactly is "leadership in thought"?

the means
1.  recruitment = tax breaks
2.  domestic renewable energy projects = tax breaks

as I said, there's nothing new here and there's nothing very specific (except for more tax breaks; and BTW - who do you think has the money to invest in solar in Burlington? right, the very same people who don't need property tax exemptions)  

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by: Doug Hoffer @ Mon Mar 02, 2009 at 14:43:18 PM CST

[ Parent ]

eh (0.00 / 0)

He offers a fresh perspective... I just think that Dan is exactly what Burlington needs. New leadership and new perspective on the economy

While Republicans and Democrats have led the country's environment and economy literally into the toilet, Burlington- under Progressive leadership- is fairing much, much better.  How exactly would electing a Dem over the current Prog be "new" leadership or "fresh" perspective... we've seen what it's done nationally, and Burlington is lucky to be weathering the effects of their "vision" a lot better than most.

And what Doug said about the GBIC and Hinda Miller.

-In America the people fear their government; in France, it is the government that fears the people

www.integralpsychosis.com

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by: wdh3 @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 11:38:30 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Smith is an R running as an I not a D n/t (0.00 / 0)

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by: Ivan Jacobs @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 18:09:39 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Dan Smith and partisanship (4.00 / 1)

We should all give him credit for running a very good grassroots campaign that's forced the other candidates to step-up their efforts. That said, his independent message lacks details. You can't blame folks for being suspicious given his record (or lack thereof), attitude towards the waterfront and support from so many developers.

Burlington has done very, very well under Progressive leadership. The change we need is in how that party operates... You and Mr. Smith are right that entrenchment exists in City Hall and it's dangerous. The thing is Bob also recognizes this and has already done more than Clavelle ever did to bring more citizens into the process of City Government in order to encourage the 'common cause' or 'post-partisanship' that Mr. Smith talks so much about.

We don't need a new mayor to move forward.

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by: Ivan Jacobs @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 18:30:16 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Independent vs. Republican (4.00 / 1)

I will admit upfront, as an observer of this race with absolutely no stake in its outcome, I have been quite impressed with Dan Smith's campaign. Dan came into this race with some seriously long odds and has made a go of it. I hadn't heard his name mentioned around Burlington for many years until Haik Bedrosian posted a horrible picture and a blog about Dan a few months ago telling readers about his candidacy.

Read Haik's interview of all of Burlington's mayoral candidates at www.burlingtonpol.com

As a skeptic of the political label "Independent", I've been watching for signs of Peter Smith's Republicanism. I don't see it.

Leaving behind the political spectrum of Left vs. Right, there is a quality about Dan that I am inspired by. His youthful energy is contagious. He's been a tireless campaigner. During the past two months, on my very infrequent visits to Burlington, I've seen his presence on every occasion. The way Dan's run his campaign suggests that the way he would manage Burlington is quite different than Mayor Kiss. The call for political change swept its way through the November elections, and appears likely to sweep through Burlington next week.

With a real Republican, a Democrat, and a Progressive candidate in this race, I think Dan is uniquely positioned to do well next Tuesday with IRV. Even if his bid to lead city hall were to come up short next week, I'd bet this won't be the last time that we see his name in Vermont politics.  

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by: farjas @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 08:55:56 AM CST

Dan Smith needs to provide less slogans and more honesty (3.00 / 2)

What's being brushed under the rug by Dan Smith are the obvious examples of conservative (hey, why not call them Republican?) values on his tiny tiny record. He worked for Jim Douglas! He coached Martha Rainville in her run against Peter Welch - in 2006 - that wasn't that long ago, folks - I think anyone who would support Rainville vs. Welch would be hard-pressed to call himself an environmentalist! He lobbied against stricter pollution controls for runoff into Lake Champlain! & I haven't even done any independent research - this is all information reported in Seven Days or The Free Press. He uses a lot of vague inspirational phrases and sells his youth and inexperience as an asset - he is explicitly trying to ride in on Obama's coattails but he does not share all of Obama's values. His approach underestimates the intelligence of Burlington voters. We value actions & values, not slogans. Don't get fooled by this Fauxbama.

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by: kdeluca @ Sat Feb 28, 2009 at 10:12:24 AM CST

Hardly (2.00 / 2)

I hardly think that Dan is not an environmentalist. I mean, it wasn't his Public Works Department that has been one of the bigges polluters in the state with that sewage main break that spewed tons of sewage into the Winooski River and Lake Champlain. That was Bob's administration.

That being said, I think that he represents a less partisan approach to government. You can look at his supporter list: He has young Progressives to moderate Democrats and business minded Republicans. All the other candidates represent party ideology. Wasn't it under Bernie, the Independent, that Burlington thrived with the waterfront and Church Street?

I represents a departure from politics as usual. He won't be divisive towards the City Council and he represents a new way of doing this.

In terms of expanding and diversifying the economy, Dan has already said that he is going to appoint a Revitalization Task Force to re-evaluate and offer alternatives to underutilized properties. He wants to improve the IT infrastructure and repair our roads and sidewalks, improve technology and efficiency in city government to save money and invest in after-school and youth mentoring programs. He wants to examine the local property tax exemption so we can invest in domestic renewable energy projects and partner with local businesses and young entrepreneurs for an annual forum to focus on how Burlington can bring jobs to our town.

Also, I want to point out that he did vote for Obama and he supported Hinda Miller in 2006. Also, just because his father is a Republican does not make him a Republican. My father is a Republican and I'm a Democrat. Doesn't make me a bad person nor does it make Dan a bad person that his dad happens to be our former Congressman.

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by: Scott_C @ Mon Mar 02, 2009 at 11:53:40 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Dude, (0.00 / 0)

Nobody called Dan Smith a bad person.

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by: Ivan Jacobs @ Mon Mar 02, 2009 at 12:24:36 PM CST

[ Parent ]