Glog - Grimes Gabs

Dear Reader,

Hey, remember that crazy Takoma Park election back in . . . when was that . . . last Tuesdayt?

Wow, a whole week ago. Does anyone stll care?

A few people have asked Granolapark to keep going as an observer of city politicis. We’ll give it a try, but, the postings will not be as frequent.

As former candidate Seth Grimes observed in the comments-section, the format of this blog site is frustrating for those posting comments. One gets the feeling they are not seen. We agree. The format is frustrating for us as well. We don’t like the everything-on-one-big-page aspect of the homepage, and the reverse order is a problem. The introduction is the last post, for example. What can we say? It’s a free site.

The last post posed many questions, and you readers gave some cracking good answers. They are too good to be lost in the comments sections. So, they are featured as “glogs” - guest blogs.

If YOU, dear reader, have a glog, send it to granolapark@yahoo.com!


The glog below is from Seth.

- Gilbert


------------Seth Grimes writes--------------

I'll eventually write a ward-by-ward voting analysis.

For now, regarding the original blog item -- Dan Robinson and the people who started the write-in campaign didn't tell me about it before announcing. I spoke to Dan after and told him that it complicated life for me and that I didn't have the resources to help him.

From my point of view, it rendered a valuable advocate (Dan) unusable in my campaign since he'd now be focusing on his own, it would be unlikely to bring any new voters to me, and it made it likely that Bruce Williams would work even harder.

OK, I'll give a short taste of why I lost ward 3 so badly and why I didn't win ward 1 and why I did better than some expected in ward 2:

I did zero personal canvassing in wards 1 & 3 and I canvassed heavily in ward 2. There are other factors. I'll elaborate later.

- Seth

Glog - Seamens Sums

Here is a guest blog from Ward 4. The first entry is purportedly from a Ward 4 resident. The second entry is from city councilmember Terry Seamens. Both are responding to my question below.

- Gilbert


Specifically, to what do you attribute
Seth's winning vote in Ward 4?

------------Anonymous writes--------------

What happen on Maple avenue. We tired to be ignored. We want new mayor who listen. People not safe on street. Not safe at homes. Drug everywhere and police nothing. Mayor group fight hospital. We need hosptial. Rich house owners fight hospital out of Takoma Park to protect money. Takoma Park. Nobody care us. We work much jobs and not afford anything. Tell Kieth not talk for poor. He mayor win but he know nothing about poor. Go look mirror and talk self. Go count you money. I talk for me.

- Anonymous

------------Terry Seamens writes--------------


I see two possibilities:

First, I openly supported Seth while campaigning in Ward 4. Seth's promised new approach sounds like an improvement. I based my decision on what the candidates said about themselves and their plans, rather than what the candidates or their supporters said about the opposition.

Second, the City government has done little to address the top priorities of Ward 4, such as traffic and drug law enforcement. There's a perception of preferential treatment of other Wards. Some attribute it to racism. Some to other reasons. Most see a gross disparity.

I was elated to see the strong voter turnout in Ward 4, and will work to double it for 2007. I promise Ward 4 residents that participation in the system will produce results. It's a hard sell, but I believe we're making progress.

Those who say they wish Takoma Park had stronger participation from a broader cross-section of residents can help by supporting some of the Ward 4 requests. I realize that may be hard to understand the views of people who live very different lives than our own. Still, I think if we prime the pump with a little support, some of the skeptics will start to believe a little more in the system, and take the time to participate more. I will strive to do better this term in bringing the necessary changes to the Ward.

Just to illustrate how some of my constituents' lives' are different from most people I see coming to the Council meetings, here's an example. Today, a constituent asked me for help, because their landlord raised the price for the use of washers and dryers by 25 cents. That sure wouldn't be a noticeable impact on my budget, but some residents in the building say they will have to wash some of their cloths in their bathtub, because of the increase. They asked one resident to approach me for help.

<1>
Generally, does the council form into
pro-and anti-Porter factions? What
will be the effect, do you think, of
having Seth's ally Colleen Clay on
the council?


Obviously, any new person on the Council adds a new dynamic. I expect Colleen to be a fully engaged Council member, well informed about the subjects, prepared for the meetings, willing to consider other's viewpoints, and strong enough to stand for her beliefs, even when she stands alone. I think the Council will continue to fully discuss issues, and disagree on occasion. I expect the disagreements to be issue-based, rather than personality-based. I also expect Mayor Porter will learn from this election and do an even better job over the coming two years.

- Terry Seamens

Glog - Gagliardo Gasses

-------------Tom Gagliardo Writes------------


Some additional considerations:

1. Personality counts in all campaigns. While many of us deride glad-handing politicians, friendly, engaging candidates get votes -- even from people who may not totally embrace their philosophy, politics or program. Like all human beings, Seth has his strengths and weaknesses -- warm and fuzzy isn't one of his strengths. Kathy is in a lower percentile in the warm and fuzzy category, as well, but no one would think of describing anything she does as "agressive", let alone "overly aggressive" as one anonymous poster has said about Grimes.

My guess is that Seth didn't win over many people based on his persona and Porter didn't lose many because of hers. Quick, somebody do a study to determine if Takoma Park voters are humans (who consider personality) or wonks (who don't).

2. In campaigns which are low on voters' radar screens (e.g.,state legistlator, city council) voters can be swayed more by personal endorsements. Kathy had Bruce Williams in high-turnout Ward 3 and Marc Elrich in low-turnout Ward 5 openly and vigorously advocating for her. Seth didn't have any councilmembers -- maybe Semans in low-turnout Ward 4, but I don't know one way or the other -- doing the same for him.

As the incumbent mayor, former Ward 2 councilmember and past president of South of Sligo, Kathy had a formidible network to count on for votes in her home ward.

In Ward 1, I think, as Gilbert observed before the election, development was the hot button issue. I think people bought the Kathy-has-contacts line -- even though she hasn't demonstrated that she has pull in D.C. or the federal Transit Administration where the Metro development decisions have been and will continue to be made. Seth missed the "hearing" at which EYA and WMATA made presentations in Takoma Park only two weeks before the election (he had someone read an uninspiring letter for him) and his call for a city zoning or planning commission was far from what was needed. I also suspect that Heather Meizur stumped for her and that Kathy will back her for state delegate.

So Seth couldn't beat Kathy on her home turf, she had at least two incumbent councilmembers -- one from a ward that generates more votes than three others combined -- stumping for her, and he couldn't connect on the issue that may have been most important to voters in his ward.

So Kathy remains in office.

More important than who is mayor is the fact that, as Gilbert notes, there are some very large issues confronting this community. We need competent leadership (elected or not) to step up to the plate.

- Tom Gagliardo