Daily Endorses Briere
The Daily goes off the deep end and endorses Sabra Briere, who they say “stands out as the [1st Ward] candidate most likely to catch up with the flow of City Council right away.” Isn’t it better in some cases to have a candidate that will be hopelessly behind the flow of City Council?
“She understands that making Ann Arbor affordable is important to maintaining the diversity of the city,” the editorial claims. Really? Briere’s husband and fellow local activist David Cahill has said on this blog that “She has not been discussing affordable housing.” The Daily also makes the inexplicable claim that “She also believes that the people of Ann Arbor are not just homeowners and taxpayers; students make up an important part of the city too, and they must count.” Unless this is a reference to the grade-school aged “future voters” featured on Briere’s website, since when? Perhaps the Daily felt that they had to split their picks between the challengers and the “establishment” candidates; it’s hard to imagine why else a student paper would make this endorsement.
“Isn’t it better in some cases to have a candidate that will be hopelessly behind the flow of City Council?”
…So, I guess timeliness and responsiveness are overrated. . . . .
posted by David Boyle on August 6th, 2007 at 12:21 pmNewspapers, even student newspapers, love to make common-sense choices when they endorse candidates. It’s hardly ever a mistake, politically or commercially, for a newspaper to endorse an incumbent for re-election.
Absent an incumbent, or a clear-cut issue, it’s hard for a paper to overlook a candidate who is head-and-shoulders more qualified than the competition, and a clear winner. Sabra Briere is such a candidate. She runs circles around Roberts and Wickboldt, and she is going to flatten them tomorrow.
The Ann Arbor News, by contrast, has what it sees as a clear-cut issue: Briere, Anglin, and Bullington are “left-wing extremists” (or something to that effect), whereas the incumbents and Roberts are “moderates”. Hence, the News endorsed the incumbents and Roberts.
The Daily editors don’t have that kind of simplifying yardstick for candidates, so of course they endorsed the incumbents and Briere.
posted by Larry Kestenbaum on August 6th, 2007 at 5:50 pmWell, in Ms. Briere’s defense, if you set aside her views on development and its effects on affordability, she may prove to be a pro-student Councilperson. As you point out, AAIO, it’s kind of hard to tell.
Obviously, I butt heads with her stance on development and the Greenway, but that doesn’t mean that she won’t work on other things that I believe in. I’d love to hear how she feels about, as an example, granny-flats.
posted by todd on August 6th, 2007 at 6:10 pmThe Daily editors should have as their clear-cut issue who’s best for students.
I would too, but the real question is, would she be willing to approve granny flats over neighborhood objections?
posted by ann arbor is overrated on August 6th, 2007 at 6:21 pmThe real question is, is there enough left of the alternative political parties (Republicans, Greens, etc.) to provide a credible challenge (under whatever banner) in the fall?
posted by Dale on August 6th, 2007 at 6:26 pmI suppose this would leave me pissing and moaning if I was still in the first— Cahill’s anti-development bullshit was so thick there, and so antithetical to what I (or, in my humble, any reasonable young person) would want, that I was forever apoplectic over anything that he was putting forth re: City Council.
Aside from that, I understand that he bikes and is a nice guy (though I feel here that I might rightly be accused of handling Briere like she was Hillary Clinton).
posted by js on August 6th, 2007 at 8:42 pmWhat about this local business owner….Make this a topic about “How Local Business Owners Think they are above the Law” and “How Arbor Brewing Hates to follow Laws just because Hanicapped people need the sidewalk to roll on”.
http://www.mlive.com/news/annarbornews/index.ssf?/base/news-23/118641131134630.xml&coll=2
I think it is silly,'’ said Rene Greff, owner of the Arbor Brewing Company. “You should be able to park it at a bike loop. It is not the size of a car. It is the size of a bike.'’
This is a better topic than the stupid students or a person running for mayor.
Damn you Arbor Brewing!
posted by ArborBrewingSUXS! on August 6th, 2007 at 8:56 pmWe must remember that the Daily staff are just students learning the ways of life.
Hello and Good Day. Richard Wickboldt here. August 7th is voting for the City Council in our ward. While it is a primary, this is the vote that counts since only one party has candidates running.
This race is very important! Ann Arbor is at a cross roads to the future. We have immense challenges before us with the state economy in a slump and now Ann Arbor is no longer an island of vibrant economic activity. This is evident with Pfizer leaving us. We are only beginning to feel the impact. Our real estate values are declining and some neighborhoods have seen 40 – 50 % loss in value. Many local businesses in our Ward will see less economic activity. The city will see less tax receipts. Our city budget will be challenged!
We need city council members who can provide the over sight to the government, hold the City Administrator accountable, know how to spend tax dollars wisely, have a depth of knowledge so they can question the votes put to them. Most importantly experience in building and reading a budget that must provide us with basic city government services in public safety, infrastructure (transportation and water), public health and social services. Additionally knowledge in the operations of these types of services to insure the City Administrator is properly managing them.
We don’t need city council members who have specific agendas, clear ties and endorsements from special interest groups who wish to spend our tax dollars for their dreams and social agenda, no knowledge of city government operations in providing services, who feel that the world will be saved by our city government and it’s resolutions and our tax dollars.
We have candidates in our Ward 1 race who have very specific ties and endorsements by organizations who do not have our best interest in mind and no respect for the role of city government. These same candidates have no professional knowledge or experience in the basic and important services we expect from a city government. They have no experience, responsibility and involvement with a budget of tens of millions of dollars. They have no experience how to properly allocate and spend money in operations of services. There only experience is in political and social activism. City council is no place for political and social activism.
I have been asked to run for city council by many members of our community because they know I have the following experience we need to manage an effective city government:
· 23 years experience in public services and utilities,
· I have proven experience and track record as a steward of public tax dollar expenditures,
· 23 plus years in management and decision making within the public sector,
· Real world experience and track record of improving and championing the environment,
· 15 years experience in emergency management,
· No ties to any public or commercial interest group,
· Extensive project management in areas of master and strategic planning, construction, engineering, environmental, utilities services and regulatory compliance.
Neither of my opponents have any experience which will make them an effective city council member.
I urge you to vote August 7th because our future of effective government is in jeopardy. Recently it has been announced that the Mayor maybe leaving his office to be on the Michigan Public Service Commission. A present City Council Member will be the acting mayor and the council seat filled by appointment.
Finally I also urge you to pass this messagel onto your friends and neighbors and ask them to get out and vote tomorrow. Many of the primary voters who turn out are political activist who use the low turn out to get heir agenda and candidates on the council. By a larger turnout we can reverse this trend.
Richard Wickboldt – Ward 1 City Council Candidate
posted by Richard Wickboldt on August 7th, 2007 at 12:49 amBut Sabra was my lunch lady at CHS in the 80’s, she seemed nice.
posted by Stella on August 7th, 2007 at 8:29 amSabra is a very nice person. However she does not have the expereince to be an effective council person.
posted by Richard Wickboldt on August 7th, 2007 at 8:59 amSabra will be getting my vote!
posted by ron on August 7th, 2007 at 9:29 amGood luck Sabra
City Council is no place for political activism???????
Mr Wickboldt sez:
“We need city council members who can provide the over sight to the government, hold the City Administrator accountable, know how to spend tax dollars wisely, have a depth of knowledge so they can question the votes put to them. Most importantly experience in building and reading a budget that must provide us with basic city government services in public safety, infrastructure (transportation and water), public health and social services. Additionally knowledge in the operations of these types of services to insure the City Administrator is properly managing them.”
My question:
How does one oversee the City Administrator without being politically active?
Methinks you contradict yourself Mr Wickboldt.
posted by fuzzbollah on August 7th, 2007 at 10:03 amOh by the way, I’ve been forced to start a new blog.
It seems political activism has no place at the City Market Commission either, so truthtelling must now happen off-camera.
May I introduce you to: http://www.arbormarketwatch.blogspot.com
????????????????
posted by fuzzbollah on August 7th, 2007 at 10:07 am30 years of being active in neighborhood and city issues.
President of the Washtenaw County ACLU.
Chair of the Ann Arbor Democratic Party.
Appointed to city committees.
Volunteering for numerous organizations.
Modest background, worked her way through college. Doesn’t pat herself on the back all the time.
So, she’s a liberal.
Looks to me like she’s quite experienced. Probably even outspoken.
posted by lurker on August 7th, 2007 at 10:14 amBut wasn’t she just a stalking horse for David Cahill? She seems to simply mirror his position on issues.
posted by John Dory on July 21st, 2008 at 6:07 pm