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November 30, 2006
San Franchico, CA
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| Early on in this blog I would do a little
research and throw it up on the web to see if anyone found it interesting.
But in the last few months I've really been tracking what appears to be
a massive CONSPIRACY involving elected and appointed officials. I'm now spending at least 10 minutes per day trying to uncover what may be the most far reaching social experiment in Chico history. A dark and faceless organization is trying to turn Chico into San Francisco. The image of the new band shell in the downtown plaza, next to the band shell in SF's Golden Gate Park is just one obvious example of the effort underway to change our community. More evidence follows. |
| In close proximity to the SF band shell are the DeYoung
Museum, Steinhart Aquarium, and Japanese Tea Garden. There has been an
effort to mirror these placements in Chico. Some of you may recall the
attempt
to move a museum into the old municipal building
across
the street from the new band shell (placement nearly identical to the SF
band shell-DeYoung Museum). The "Dancing Trout" fountain is certainly our North State version of an aquarium (see comparison photo below). And might I add that sushi and trinkets from the orient can be found downtown, just like fish and plastic Buddhas are located in the Japanese Tea Garden across the street from the SF band shell. |
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| I've been wondering why there was such bad
traffic, and a large number of bread manufacturers in Chico. The preponderance
of coffee shops also left me scratching my head. Where was all of this
coming from? When posed with such a question the simplest answer is usually
the correct one... secret societies are responsible! This conspiracy extends beyond the downtown area. Are the photos below from the Doe Mill development? No... they were taken in SF just last week!!!! And worse, these homes were built in the 1960s. That gives you an idea just how long the conspiracy has been active. Finally, I found an old Chico protest sign that on the front read "No Way San Jose", but on the back was scribbled "Let's Go Frisco". |
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Posted by Lon at 08:51 AM | Comments (2)
November 28, 2006
Where are they going?
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| For some reason my thoughts seem to be stuck
on traffic. Which is better than being stuck "in" traffic.
It's probably residue
of my trip to the Bay Area, although I have to say we avoided any serious
traffic during the trip (we traveled only at midnight... in hot air
balloons). Anyway, while googling a wiring diagram for my failing 1980's home thermostat I ran across an interesting pdf file at the city web site. That should tell you a lot about either my internet research skills, or my ability to focus. Either way the pdf file was at least moderately interesting so I thought I'd provide a link to it. The pdf shows traffic counts (I assume trips-per-day) for many of the major streets in Chico (image above is from file). The data comes from a variety of sources including the City of Chico traffic engineering folks and BCAG. There are some interesting numbers, like the fact that the highway 99-Skyway intersection has ~37,000 cars east of 99, and ~26,000 west of 99. Highway 99 at that point carries 27,000 cars. I think all of the additional traffic east of 99 is probably headed to McDonalds for a happy meal. At least that's what I got from the information. They couldn't be headed to Walmart, everybody hates that place. The file is located on this web page. Here's a couple of pointers. First, save it to your hard drive, when I opened it from the web site the traffic data didn't show up. Second, you have to zoom in really close to see the data. On a side note I was watching an old episode of Cosmos, where Carl Sagan described a Googol (10^100 power, or 10 followed by 100 zeros). Based on the size of the internet and the size of Google, maybe they should change the spelling of their name. |
Posted by Lon at 09:48 PM
November 27, 2006
Evil Commode - My 100th Norcal Blogs Entry
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| I spent most of last week in San Francisco, and the rest in Marin County. There are times when I miss living in the Bay Area. We went to a lot of places where I had been taken as a kid so the trip was nostalgic. Actually, what I miss is living with my parents who did all the work while I enjoyed the locale. When I left my parents house at 18 I left the Bay Area as well. When I got back to Chico it was less about reliving a childhood, and more about getting in touch with my "inner adult". A toilet had begun leaking just before we left, and whenever flushed would cause puddles on the bathroom floor. The cost for a plumber was about $250, and I had never replaced the floor gasket of a commode before. But hey, I'm an electronic engineer, so with oscilloscope and digital multimeter in hand I began disconnecting my toilet from the floor. |
| The mounting bolts weren't corroded, and besides some interesting smells and a lot of old congealed wax, the porcelain throne came off and cleaned up pretty quick. In short order it was reassembled with a new wax and rubber gasket. After giving a silicon bead around the base time to dry I turned the water on. It was perfect! There was no leak from the bottom of the "bowl". I tried to ignore the fancy hydraulic display reminiscent of our new plaza emanating from the "tank". I thought "perhaps with some new backlighting my wife would think I did this on purpose". Realizing that I'd have to return to the hardware store for the lighting, I opted instead to repair the gaskets and mounting screws between the tank and bowl that failed when I laid the toilet down in the bathtub to remove the old bottom wax gasket. Of course, one of the mounting screws was corroded, and had to be cut in half with a Dremel tool (a simple 20 minute job with grinder, flashlight, and a good view of the bottom of the potty). I reassembled the tank to the bowl, cleaned up the smoke and soot stains from the Dremel escapade, reconnected the water line, and turned that puppy on! Hmmmm, I didn't recall water spraying out of the water line before. But then I realized that this plumbing connection (installed in the 70's) was probably designed to fail if disconnected more than twice. Back in the 70's "Big Plumbing" and the Plumbers Union were in cahoots to ensure a constant need for their parts and service (by the way, this occurred when the auto companies stepped on the 100 mile-per-gallon carburetor). I made my third trip to the hardware store, and this time returned with a water valve and hose manufactured in China. The Chinese are always looking out for American consumers. In the end I fixed the leak (fingers still crossed), and replaced 90% of the stuff in my toilet. I even learned the names for many of those strange rube goldberg-ish apparatuses in the "tank". I did this for less than the cost of the plumber, with an additional expense of about 5 hours of my life and accelerating my kid's understanding of profanity to a 2nd grade level. In addition to the accomplishment above I realized how many toilets my parents probably fixed, and how hard they worked while still finding time to take me places like the Exploratorium, Steinhart Aquarium, and Japanese Tea Garden when I was young. My mom passed away a while ago, and I have said thanks before, but I should probably send my dad a thank-you card. One with a toilet on it. And the next time a toilet leaks in my house, I'll be installing one of these. |
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Posted by Lon at 12:55 PM | Comments (3)
November 20, 2006
Rules of the Road
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| I think we can all agree that Chico has
some significant traffic problems. We're also running out of money to make
really large road improvements. Our European friends may have come upon just the answer for Chico. They've got a "newish" idea that reduces traffic management costs, allows cars-cyclists-pedestrians to use the same infrastructure, and improves safety. What's this groundbreaking new traffic management technique? It's pretty simple, just remove all of the rules, traffic signs, white/yellow stripes etc. You basically just do what you want. It's been tried in a number of locales with some success. The concept is that basically that people drive safer when the driving environment is less safe, because they inherently pay more attention. It also forces people to be responsible for themselves because all of the "thinking" is put back in driving. On the cost front there's the savings of millions of dollars worth of street signs and traffic lights, street painting, you name it (side note: a traffic light now costs about $300,000). Here are a few articles related to the subject. www.dw-world.de www.techdirt.com www.spiegel.de/international I know, I know, we're all too stupid to live without traffic rules. I would just rather live in a community where we've got less rules than one where we have hundreds that are ignored. Maybe it's time to stop with the rules (no couches on porches, parks closed at night, no nuclear weapons allowed downtown, etc) and focus on a little personal responsibility. Maybe the Europeans have something here worth looking into. |
Posted by Lon at 08:11 PM | Comments (6)
November 18, 2006
Look Up!
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| The Kiwanis
Chico Community Observatory opened its new outdoor
amphitheater (dubbed the Shoemaker Open Sky Planetarium) yesterday with the help of dignitary Carolyn
Spellman Shoemaker(shown above untying the ribbon to
the new planetarium, with observatory operator Kris Koenig in the brown coat).
Along with her late husband Gene, Carolyn is a world renowned astronomer
and comet hunter. About 150 people were in attendance including Maureen
Kirk, Andy Holcombe, and Dennis Beardsley. Kris Koenig and Anita Berkow, with the help of many others, have taken a tiny patch of land adjacent to Horseshoe Lake in upper Bidwell Park, and turned it into a cultural and science center for our community. The observatory drew in 50,000 visitors last year, and exposed many Chicoans to the stars that hang overhead. The observatory has sponsored a number of lectures, my favorite being one about whether or not aliens we're real. The new planetarium is designed for people to sit in a reclined position viewing the stars while observatory personnel can point out constellations using laser pointers. I experienced this lesson at an observatory halloween costume party in '05 and it was super cool. Anthony Watts also helped the observatory connect one of its telescopes to a TV transmitter. Now people sitting in the amphitheater can watch objects pointed to by the telescope on a hand-held display. This allows 40-50 people to look through the telescope at the same time. A local doctor donated the money to purchase the tiny viewing sets. Additional donations to enhance the observatory are encouraged. |
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Posted by Lon at 10:14 AM
November 16, 2006
A Stroll Through the Plaza
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| The fences around the City Plaza came
down this morning. I swung by there around 1PM and ran into Dennis Beardsley
who was taking a stroll through the new addition to our downtown. He seemed
happy to have the project in a more finished state. It looks very nice
from the inside, and the Taco-Bellish bathroom isn't so imposing from that
perspective. All-in-all it was an expensive remodel, but I think people
will really enjoy it as time goes by. It was nice to see a lot of people wandering through the plaza, and a young boy even took the time to view the fountains from within the "water zone". Some things to look for... the art that composes the fountain is polished glass and forms an image of the Earth. There is pointer pointing to Chico on the image. This is pretty large, and so will be hard to make out from a pedestrian perspective unless you're looking for it. Also, look for the Heads-Tails pennies embedded in the cement near the stage. Those were added by Land Image. |
| For people concerned that the
plaza would become just another downtown haven for the homeless, the evidence
is leaning towards you being correct. The first
person I saw was a homeless guy camped out under the band shell. I don't want to make too much of this. This is a downtown problem not caused by the plaza remodel, and it's not going to be solved with a camp-ground, or my complaints. But if 1 homeless person loitering in the area turns into 10 , the plaza will not be useful to the general public. The Chico police should have officers swing by there regularly for the next few months, and do so again in the spring. Maybe some of our local homeless advocates can stop by and help these folks out as well. Homeless advocates are preparing to do a census to ensure they get $350,000 of taxpayer money to address homelessness in the North State. The plaza might be a good place to start the count. Because as of the opening day the number of homeless is "1". |
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Posted by Lon at 01:40 PM | Comments (3)
November 15, 2006
Bored of Boards? Try a Commission.
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| With a deadline only two days away, a staggering 10 people have applied to the City of Chico boards and commissions. The application deadline is 11/17/06, and here is the application form and requirements. The boards and commissions have become incredibly political in the last few years, and you'll often see Commissioners on the political contributor lists for candidates, or lambasting the opposition in letters-to-the-editor. Board and Commission members are appointed by the City Council through a peculiar but effective voting process. The city staff (and citizens) need even-keeled people to get involved and help move city policy forward. When those people fail to take part in local issues it seems like city staff ends up making decisions that might be best left to the "people". Anyway, if any of you are bold souls with extra time on your hands you might consider applying for one of the boards or commissions. Ex-city staff told me that applicants should avoid Parking Place and Human Resources commissions, as they're doomed to oblivion and have very little to do. |
Posted by Lon at 02:57 PM | Comments (1)
November 14, 2006
Little Apples, Big Dollars
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| Manzanita is derived from the
Spanish word for apple, and so means literally "little apple", which are
what the berries on the plant look like. There are a number of Manzanita corridor improvements in the works, including 3 roundabouts, 2 bridge expansions, and realignment of the entrance to upper park. Chico has unique traffic problems because lower Bidwell Park makes a dramatic cut across the town limiting throughput in the North- South direction on the east side of town (the university has a similar effect in the center of town). The 2 city streets crossing the park (Cypress-Pine and Manzanita) need to have traffic capacity maximized to provide for expected growth in population. The roundabouts help with traffic flow and are also designed to confuse teenagers and provide additional practice for "World of Outlaws" sprint car racers. I like roundabouts, I know a lot of people disagree with me. |
| At the Manzanita-Vallombrosa roundabout a pedestrian/bike/equestrian
bridge crossing Big Chico Creek is planned 75' west of the existing bridge.
Non-vehicular traffic will still be able to use the existing bridge. The
red area on the graphic below shows the supports for the new pedestrain
bridge. There is also a proposal to improve the existing path under the Manzanita bridge. In order to make the path equestrian "friendly" it needs 10' of headroom. To do that the path needs to be about 2' below the creek water level. This requirement means that the path will need a cement retaining wall between the creek and path, a sump pump, and regular pressure washing by city employees. It would still be closed when seasonal water levels are high. The path is shown in green below. A similar underpass is required at Cypress-Pine to create a continuous bike path from downtown through the park. This is an interesting project to watch as it may be replicated on a larger scale closer to town. Price tag for the underpass? $400,000, plus $10,000 annually to maintain it. It would be interesting to see what the cost would be if horse riders were required to dismount or precluded from using this route. The lower cost option presented is for park goers to cross Manzanita at the roundabout (cost = $0, because of the roundabout only one lane need be crossed at a time). If the higher cost option is chosen I think the city should place drive through coffee shops on the roundabouts to generate income and pay for the improvements. I'm sure Starbucks is up for the challenge. |
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Posted by Lon at 09:08 PM | Comments (5)
November 13, 2006
Legal Eagles
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| The Saturday headline in the
ER was "Fogarty
suit may top $44 million". When
I read that, all I could think was "that's more than I make in a week!". There
are apparently 2 federal lawsuits pending over delays in the City cleanup
of the burn dump (one Fogarty, one Borge Development Inc.). The $44 million is a big figure and is unrelated to the still pending multi-million state lawsuit over an alleged illegal "take" of property by the City Council. The state lawsuit alleges that the City Council acted illegally when it removed 80 homes from a planning design. These three lawsuits didn't just happen overnight, and their origins are tied up with the history of the burn dump, the county-city relations, and the redevelopment agency(RDA). Early invitations, even if informal, were extended to develop around the burn dump. This "relationship" turned hostile and now threatens the economic health of the entire community. I suspect that the two Fogarty lawsuits are overvalued. The numbers seem so high as to be designed to force the city to cut its losses by settling. But even a best case scenario would end up costing Chico a nice set of bingo and backgammon tables, I mean a couple of hundred thousand dollars. When you add to this the fact that some people at the county are openly discussing a lawsuit against the Chico RDA, you begin to wonder if we'll be enjoying an ongoing episode of Ally McBeal in the coming years. If we do it's likely to be pay-per-view. |
Posted by Lon at 07:05 PM | Comments (1)
November 09, 2006
Mr. Beardsley, Tear Down This Wall!
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| At the last Park Commission meeting the General Services Director, Dennis Beardsley, stated that the fences around the Downtown Plaza would be removed on or before November 27th. I think that's pretty cool. I've seen the fountains running a few times, and I'm looking forward to starting the "polar bear sprinkler frolic" club that runs naked through the fountain on new-years day. I thought he said there would be an opening ceremony on the 29th, but that's a Wednesday so maybe I misheard. The official park opening/ribbon cutting will be next summer, and there are some interesting uses in mind for the park (I think they want us to call it a plaza). There has already been one request to hold a wedding at the band-shell, which I think is a fun idea. CARD is also discussing with the Park Dept. the idea of holding regular "Movies In The Park" next summer where a screen will be draped across the band-shell stage structure. CARD held three movies at Sycamore Field, near Caper Acres this summer, and all were relatively successful. I think holding them in a more visible location would generate a lot of interest in the idea. Another CARD concept in the works is holding a formal dance under the stars (a ball). I think that would be a really great way to use the Plaza. I've always wished the city would take some time and money and fix the amphitheater in Children's Park. But maybe the new Downtown Plaza will fill that gap. On a side note, I saw a car parked "nose-in" at one of the diagonal back-in spaces around the park. I wish I could have watched that guy parking. |
Posted by Lon at 11:07 AM | Comments (4)
November 08, 2006
Sweeps Week
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| The liberal candidates
Mary Flynn, Scott Gruendl, Tom Nickell, and Maureen Kirk deserve congratulations
for achieving a popular victory last night. Recognizing that Mark Sorensen and Tom Nickell could still swap spots, and that Maureen Kirk could still lose to Steve Bertagna, doesn't significantly diminish the need to give credit where credit is due. The citizen's of Chico have definitively selected liberal leadership for the next two years. I would like to wish those elected to office success as they handle some rather difficult issues in the near future. I'm sure I'll disagree with many of the new council's decisions as the days tick by. But all of those that ran for office are qualified and dedicated Chicoans, and I'm sure they'll select a course for our town that benefits all of us. Losing is not fun, but Michael Dailey, Dan Herbert, Mark Sorensen, and Steve Bertagna (keeping in mind the last two could still win) have nothing to be ashamed of. They should be commended for the effort they put in on Chico's behalf. |
Posted by Lon at 09:41 AM | Comments (0)
November 05, 2006
Sustainable Sustainability
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| Topics such as global climate
change and the new trend in sustainability issues should capture the imagination
of many Californians. Here in Chico the University is concentrating on
such issues. But nationally these issues often fail to gain the attention
of a broad-political spectrum. Locally, the environmental movement has made inroads mainly into the political left. That signifcantly reduces the resources available to their efforts. Environmental leaders should listen closely to the editorial statement written in the ER a few days back. The article itself is very positive, but leaves the reader with this warning. "Some of the sessions are only for true believers. Don't expect to hear both sides of the discussion in lectures on "managing" Bidwell Park, "preserving" vernal pools, "sustaining" the lower Tuscan aquifer and "restoring" Sierra Nevada forests. In almost all cases, the speakers' answers boil down to "keep people out." The panels are stacked with preservationists, which means there's no room for healthy debate." This is a real problem if the environmental movement in Chico expects to be more than just a piece of the political left. It should strive to be more. The rest of the political spectrum should be welcome as well. But there are many of us that don't buy the preservationist doctrine, and many of us that have been stung by their operating methods. Positive environmental leaders should begin looking for inroads with people concerned about conservation. We are willing to listen, and willing to help. |
Posted by Lon at 03:48 PM | Comments (10)
November 04, 2006
Scott's Sad Suggestion
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| This photo is as anti-gay as the Scott Grundle,
Grundel, Gruendl signs are anti-dyslexic. True "progressiveness" would be inclusive and not seek to identify people by symbols, race, or gender. Scott Gruendl's accusations that this photo is somehow anti-gay are a paranoid stretch. No reasonable person can link that photo with homophobic fears of Scott Gruendl's candidacy. This is California in 2006, those fears don't exist in reasonable people. Many people don't know that the gay community has adopted ownership of the rainbow symbol. And of course there was no intentional linkage made in that mailer. We'll see what has a greater impact, the boy locked out of public lands, or the color of his kite. On the lighter side of life, here's a rainbow that will always belong to all of us. |
Posted by Lon at 08:32 AM | Comments (11)
November 03, 2006
The Season of Disc-content
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| In 1994
Chico purchased 40 acres of BLM land adjacent to Bidwell Park and HWY32.
Disc golf was being played on
this property at the time of its purchase. Disc golfers tried to relocate but the city was unable to find a spot. In the late 90's the Park Commission and City Council unanimously approved the BLM site for a 45 hole disc golf course. The EIR, course design, and archeological study were completed at a cost of about $25,000. $209,000 was allotted by the Council to improve parking and add components of a municiple disc golf course (see this document for more on disc golf in Chico). The Friends of Bidwell Park threatened legal action if the course was built. The city transferred all money into the Master Plan update. And now years and $500,000 later little has changed. Disc golfers embraced a reduced 36 hole course design that was more environmentally friendly during the Master Plan update, and of course more people than ever play disc golf. From my perspective the issue is a bell-weather for recreation in Chico. The question of whether Bidwell Park is a "preserved-park" or just a "preserve" is very much answered with the removal or preservation of disc golf. When I interviewed council candidates for the Hooker Oak Alliance, I slid in a question on disc golf (Would you vote to remove disc golf from Bidwell Park).When the Enterprise Record interviewed the council candidates they asked 4 of 6 candidates their opinion as well. Here are the responses to my question followed by the ER audio. Dan Herbert - I've only played once and it was fun. I don't have any problem with it and would not want to see it removed. Every inch of the park doesn't have to be preserved. ER did not ask question Michael Dailey - Parks should be available for use by the people that own them. Disc Golf is a great opportunity for low-cost fun for our young people, it should stay. ER did not ask question Mary Flynn - I don't know where else we would put it. There's a lot of damage up there from disc golf. If it stays then disc golfers should have to pay to use it or improve it. ER Mary Flynn Audio Tom Nickell - Disc golf should be relocated. ER Tom Nickell Audio Mark Sorensen - No. Disc golf should not be removed from Bidwell Park. ER Mark Sorensen Audio Scott Gruendl - If the EIR comes back with problems then disc golf will have to be removed. If the EIR is fine then it can stay. ER Scott Gruendl Audio Note: In this audio Scott Gruendl makes reference to a conversation he had with with me and another person named Scotty about RDA funds and disc golf. I don't know what he's talking about, but the conversation wasn't with me. I would like to know when and where the conversation happened and who was a witness. Pretty weird. |
Posted by Lon at 01:01 AM | Comments (6)
November 02, 2006
Contrasting Styles Part 2
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| I recall a couple of months back Mary Flynn published some private information in the CNR in an effort to head off "political attacks" during the campaign. It's clear that she didn't have to release the information. Nobody has attacked her. On the other hand the "progressives" in Chico have been continually going negative in this campaign. This started early on with Scott Gruendl's fundraising letter, and has continued through direct mail and accusations of candidates being in someone's pocket. Any non-"progressive" PAC that exists is automatically the new "developer PAC". Any candidate that's not "progressive" is automatically a developer pawn. It's become a tiresome mantra. The major print news have both refuted this tactic. First the ER said that there was no "developer slate", and now the Chico News and Review has chimed in in agreement. "Chico elections are always littered with misleading hyperbole, and it comes from liberals as well as conservatives. When liberals talk of a "developers' slate," they want voters to think builders and their cohorts have certain candidates in their pockets. It's just not so." Chico News And Review 11-2-06 A good example of differences between the two camps are the emails cajoling supporters to get out and and vote. On the next page is a recent email from the Democratic Action Club of Chico. It think it was written by James Carville...when he was in junior high. And there seems to be a particular dislike of males at the end. More gender bias from the liberals? There's even an attack saying Michael Dailey is unqualified to run a corner store. That's kind-of mean. He does run a bank branch, so it's also incorrect. Below that is a recent email from the Hooker Oak Alliance. Judge for yourself which one strikes a more reasonable tone. |
Email From The Democratic Action Club of Chico
Our city is under a full scale assault by a few candidates known as the "Developer Slate." So much money has been poured into the local campaigns just so that these few men can do the bidding of their niche interests. If you need proof of such a narrow focus you need only look to the candidates' endorsements and funding for evidence. These candidates are supported almost exclusively (and by large financial contributions) by mammoth developers with specific projects earmarked for the next four years. While development is not the enemy, their specific interest in this election and the candidates they have endorsed have little regard for anything other than these developers. One of their "slate" is far too inexperienced to run a corner store much less a corporation such as the City of Chico. His past experience as student body president at CSU, Chico is tarnished by an ethics scandal that even today the candidate cannot recognize. It only brings to mind the slate's specific intentions. These candidates have said little about their experience and ability to handle the job and are depending on you not voting this election cycle to win and change the face of Chico's communities forever. Another candidate has sought to imply official recognition by the County and consistently misrepresents his support by farming organizations. We need straight talk and honesty in our representation not the same old rhetoric from the candidates. Chico needs your help now! As the officially recognized local club for the Democratic Party, the Democratic Action Club of Chico (D.A.C.C.) has endorsed the following candidates for office in the November election. We ask you to join us in ensuring Chico"s vibrant future and protecting our community from these few (and exclusively male) insiders. |
| Email From The Hooker Oak Alliance We have endorsed Michael Dailey, Dan Herbert, Mark Sorensen, for Chico City Council. These are candidates who work and are raising their families in Chico. Individually they have shown great community involvement and leadership. Together they have expressed a desire to focus Chico's government on core responsibilities and not on special interest policies. Please vote for Dailey, Herbert, and Sorensen on November 7th. Existing spending patterns by the City Council have resulted in the City Manager projecting a $40 million deficit over the next 10 years. During our interview process the candidates we endorsed spoke specifically to reigning in spending and focusing city efforts on traffic, safety, and neighborhoods. More "feel good" bureaucracy is not the right path for Chico. We need local government to focus on local problems. In our estimation Dailey, Herbert, and Sorensen will do a better job of spending our tax money wisely. |
Posted by Lon at 07:52 PM | Comments (3)
Those Crazier Conservation Voters
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| From the published comments of some of the
"progressives" I felt they thought it was bad to be pro "working family".
Dan (next door) is concerned about the "procreate slate". But I think he can rest easily now that the Chico Conservation Voters - South Chico Neighborhood Association has deemed Dailey, Herbert, Sorensen, and Bertagna as anti-family. Or is that pro-individual? Mary Flynn's latest radio spot says she supports "working families". Watch it Mary! That's the kind of language that gets you on a CCV flyer, and not in a good way. There is one point in the CCV flyer that I can agree with. It seems very rude that Bertagna, Herbert, Sorensen, and Dailey have not supported the endorsement of Mary Flynn and Maureen Kirk. I mean, I know they're opponents and all, but where's the chivalry? I guess the CCV believes that in government gender trumps all other candidate qualities. They're so darned traditional. Flynn, Gruendl, Kirk, and Nickell must be proud. |
Posted by Lon at 10:41 AM
November 01, 2006
Candidates answer tough questions! (well, some of them do)
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| A smallish (judging from the graphics) north
state business web site www.norcalbiz.net sent
a rather detailed questionnaire to all of the Chico City Council members
and candidates. Not everybody bothered to answer. I give Wahl, Holcombe, and Schwab a pass for not answering. Since they're not up for election, they don't need to jump through the hoops the other folks do. Only Steve Bertagna, Mark Sorensen, Scott Gruendl, Michael Dailey, and Dan Herbert took the time to answer the questions. Questions covered a wide variety of growth, economic, and housing related topics.(<- link to questions and answers) Here are some samples of the questions. Q: The Chico area has been identified in several recent and reputable studies as having “extremely over-valued” housing. Do you believe that is a true assessment? Q. Chico has formally adopted a “Smart Growth” or controlled growth policy as a part of its General Plan. In addition, the city has operated under that policy informally for several years prior to the adoption of the General Plan in 1994 (Revised 1999). Do you believe this policy has had any appreciable affect on housing prices in Chico? Why or why not? I particularly like Michael Dailey's response to the question above... "While, I am not altogether opposed to the idea of “smart growth” I do question the validity of its affect on changing people’s lifestyles. It seems that “smart growth has equated to mean increased density, with the idea that everyone that lives in the neighborhood can walk to work. I don’t see living in a neighborhood like this is going to change your transportation habits. Smart growth policies tend to restrict development and create policies that demand increased density. I’m just not sure how we equate quality of life with the ability to brush your neighbors’ teeth through your window because your houses are so close together." Both the editor of the web site (Grant Branson), and the candidates that answered the questions deserve some credit for giving us answers to difficult questions. The candidates that didn't answer the questions had a little more "free-time" but missed an opportunity to talk to the voters. |
Posted by Lon at 08:19 PM | Comments (4)