Now I'll admit--some of the above responses talking about ongoing cocaine use are downright borderline libelous (but Shadid's a public figure, so rock out with your sock out as long as you're not doing it with malice). Now you say Shadid has a "holistic" view. I'm having trouble seeing it. If he has such a view, his communication abilities are piss-poor. So far, I've just seen a bunch of articles about how he was against the rail portion of MAPS 3 (but now he's for it after losing a vote at the horseshoe) and now how he's against a hotel.
If he has a vision, he's not communicating it. Vision is knowing where you're going. From what I've seen, Shadid is selectively against MAPS projects, something we all feared would happen with MAPS 3 (i.e., the city council changing the projects we voted for).
I'm not seeing a vision, just selective opposition to things we thought were a done deal. Is there evidence to the contrary?
His "holistic view" as far as I can tell is "I decide the (w)hole thing and you all do what I want". Whatever that is. I'd still like to know how he thinks he'll get the voters to approve anything if he kills MAPS projects. The only way I see the voters approving an expanded (expensive) bus service is if it is part of a comprehensive transit system that approves rail. He talks about streetcar O&M. It is a minuscule amount compared to bus O&M. Actually, I think his biggest problem is that he knows a little and has an ego telling him he's an expert. He can't see the big picture, which includes education, compromise and patience. He's managed to alienate half the people who would ordinarily be supportive of some of his ideas and actually might have the expertise to come up with concrete plans for implementation.
Um, we care. You just said Mick Cornett has no plans for the next four years much less the next twenty. If he has no plans, I would like to know Ed's plans. He said he wants to build public safety. Great! How and where is the money coming from? He said he wants to increase diversity. Great! How? This IS the future of the city. You can't say we have been whipping a horse when we ask questions which never seem to get answered.
My thoughts as well when other people did that. Good on you for mentioning it.
Did not say he had a vision or view. I quoted the word he used and agree with the concept we, more particularly the leadership, should consider the city in a holistic manner if and when they actually want to address where we are going. They aren't and they aren't.Now you say Shadid has a "holistic" view. I'm having trouble seeing it. If he has such a view, his communication abilities are piss-poor. So far, I've just seen a bunch of articles about how he was against the rail portion of MAPS 3 (but now he's for it after losing a vote at the horseshoe) and now how he's against a hotel.
If he has a vision, he's not communicating it. Vision is knowing where you're going. From what I've seen, Shadid is selectively against MAPS projects, something we all feared would happen with MAPS 3 (i.e., the city council changing the projects we voted for).
I'm not seeing a vision, just selective opposition to things we thought were a done deal. Is there evidence to the contrary?
I'd like to clarify my position on drug testing.
I'm strongly against drug testing welfare recipients, but I'd sure cotton up to the idea of testing ANYBODY who receives government assistance or even a tax credit.
I think the very concept of welfare recipients being a lower class of citizens who are more likely to use illegal drugs and should be tested is repugnant, but I'd change my tune 180 degrees if you had a welfare mom in line to give her sample right next to an oil company president in line to give his sample!
How is Ed irrelevant? He is running against a Mayor who has been in that position for 10 years once the vote comes up. Mick is going to continue what he has been doing the past ten years. He has a track record, he is going to push to get the MAPS3 projects done on time and as promised. This has been what he wanted to do since he started the campaign for it five years ago. He is going to continue to build stronger neighborhoods through city investments in infrastructure and police oficers. He is the face of the city and will continue to promote OKC to the rest of the country. Oh and all of this is not thought up by me. It's on his facebook page. The only thing Ed has on his facebook page regarding his accomplishments is this:
"Over the last two years, Dr. Shadid has focused on transparency, accountability and unprecedented levels of public collaboration. Dr. Shadid has held town hall meetings focusing on sprawl, public health, the OKC Boulevard development and public transportation which have drawn from 300-700 concerned citizens. His focus on social media represents a paradigm shift in the way the citizens of OKC interact which their elected representative and city government."
So, he has held meetings to talk to people. Mick got us an NBA team...
Okay. Talk only about Ed until after the election. Then we'll talk about Mick's lack of plan, our future and the issues. Right now we'll put all that on hold. Flame away on Ed. Post yesterday's news in big font a few hundred more times. Do not look behind the curtain. Do not ask about the emperor's lack of clothes.
We'll have years to come to do that. It can wait.
Shall we look at how Oklahoma City has changed during Mick's tenure? Actually, simply bringing an NBA team to OKC (which was in no way simple) has made more of an impact on Oklahoma City than anything. MAPS 1 compares, but that's about it. Mick is willing to listen. You can bring ideas to him and he understands how to implement them. He doesn't have high flown plans that aren't workable. He understands how the weak mayor system works and builds bridges with the council to get things carried out.
Is Oklahoma City perfect? No. It is and will always be a work in progress. But I like how this city has progressed during Mick's tenure. I understand that he and the city are working with Norman, Edmond and Midwest City to improve transit. It's not flashy like holding a public meeting, but if you pay attention, you see significant progress in that direction. The city is changing because of work Mick and previous mayors have done. It's growing younger and more progressive. If those young, progressive people work within the system, they can accomplish great things. But we need thoughtful, stable leadership during a time of change and I don't see Ed providing either of those.
I'm going to put a plug in for "Big League City" for people who are interested in how the Thunder got to OKC. I was paying a lot of attention and it's incredibly accurate and had some things in it I didn't know. We have become more of a big league city, and Mick Cornett was a key player in that happening.
I just want him to mention the words poverty... The only reason Ed's relevant is that people ride our broken bus system and live in neighborhoods that aren't gentrifying or getting better.
And Ed's plans are flimsy and he doesn't know how to play nice so they won't ever get done, but that doesn't excuse Mick from having a plan or platform. Is he asking for an award or 4 more years. I know what he's done and 75% of it is very laudable, but I think we've done enough corporate welfare. It's time to put money towards a real transit system (light rail/streetcars, bus, and commuter rail), help the impoverished areas of the city, develop form based code and an urban growth boundary, and fix OKCPS.
I can't find it right now, but I remember the streetcar being the tip of the iceberg for a multi-modal city-wide transit system which includes bus and commuter rail. I am not sure what a Mayor can do about impoverished areas of the city or fixing OKCPS. That seems like more of a state issue as it comes down to funding of those items. Am I wrong? What can he do that is not already doing?
Yeah, he's seeking his redemption by fighting like crazy to have the past legally buried so those he would be delighted to have as his supporters and voters conveniently be prevented from knowing he's a crackhead.
You really need to stop drinking the kool-aid (or is that Kool-ed?). Or perhaps you're just a really creative troll - I can't possibly fathom someone legitimately supporting this fraud for any elected office now.
$280 of Convention center money could have built a lot of commuter rail miles and BRT lanes. I hate hearing "traffics not bad enough to warrant a lot of mass transit"; put another way there's not a tornado in the sky so I don't need a shelter or a plan. I'm glad we're working in it, but not nearly quick enough.
Mayors can do quite a bit for poverty, especially with a legislature bent on morality issues. That's a whole theme nationally. Low-in com families can spend 30-50% on transportation see above. They can also use their position to lobby the legislature. Partnering with OKCPS is essential for poverty and economic reasons (it's ends the cycle and makes the core more attractive to young families). Also the city can partner with non profits and colleges for anti-poverty programs that same way we've subsidized for profit companies. OKC has an almost invisible housing authority that could be doing infill mixed income development.
Another user commented why is a neighborhood's gentrification a government concern, glad we didn't ask him about Bricktown. Helping support development in neighborhoods increases the tax base and helps to make the city more live able and attractive to the new talent companies are bringing in. Organizing the city into neighborhoods into limited powers of self government who could set some zoning rules and apply for development grants from the city. These grants could help with mixed used development, parks, and mixed income housing.
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