Don Iveson was elected as our new Mayor. He was so high in the elections compared to everyone else. He was very nice he didn't put down the other candidates.
I think he will be a good mayor because he's intelligent, nice and can solve problems.
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Don Iveson our New Mayor!
Don Iveson was elected as our new Mayor. He was so high in the elections compared to everyone else. He was very nice he didn't put down the other candidates.
I think he will be a good mayor because he's intelligent, nice and can solve problems.
Friday, October 11, 2013
The Top Three Mayoral Candidates
Don Iveson
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KICKSTARTING THE INNOVATIVE CITY
Karen Leibovici
Kerry Diotte
Thousands of Edmontonians I’ve heard from over the last several months feel very strongly that it’s time for new leadership and new direction at City Hall.
What are your thoughts on the three candidates?
It is hard to choose a candidate because they all seem to say the same things. I watched all three top candidates on CTV News and I think Don Iverson is very nice to other candidates because Karen L and Kerry D were a little mean to other competitors. I think I would vote for Don Iverson.
-KICKSTARTING THE INNOVATIVE CITY
Policy in Brief
There is a reason why Edmonton is a city of 10,000 head offices, the best place to take an idea to reality. It’s all driven by innovation: in energy, in agriculture, in engineering and construction. We can help expand this spirit into new realms, new strengths, by making this the best place to incubate and expand a technology company, a social venture, a creative business.
What we’ll do in the short term
Build on the success of TEC Edmonton and Startup Edmonton to create more early-stage and mid-stage incubators: one focused on unlocking innovation and entrepreneurship in First Nations and immigrant communities and another to incubate social enterprises.
Where we need to be a generation from now
Edmonton has to outperform every other regional economy no matter the value of a barrel of oil. The mayor is the city’s chief recruiter and chief sales officer, and I want to encourage our tech sector to grow exponentially. Ideas are plentiful in this city. What we do with those ideas is what will transform Edmonton. Finding the capital and expertise to build viable companies is where the City of Edmonton and EEDC can help.
More thoughts from Don:
A BALANCED APPROACH TO INFILL HOUSING
Policy in brief
Without pitting new neighbourhoods against old, it is time for Edmonton to make adjustments so that it can meet the growing demand for infill housing. Building a more compact and more efficient city means high-rises in a few areas — like downtown and around LRT stations like Century Park and Strathearn — but in other areas, it means narrow-lot houses, semi-detached homes and brownstones for families of all shapes and sizes, as well as more seniors’ housing. This kind of density is critical in making the cost of land more affordable, increasing the efficiency of the infrastructure already in place, and supporting community schools and niche businesses in mature areas.
What we’ll do in the short term
Revise the zoning bylaw so that infill is easier for everyone — from one-off private projects to boutique builders — to build. Meanwhile, the permitting process needs to be reformed to reduce the hassle and cost that turns so many people off building infill projects.
Communities where infill is likely need to be engaged in meaningful discussions about what it will look like, including how and when infill will occur. The city can rally support by providing infrastructure and amenities to push development and help those communities adjust with the effects of taking on more families.
Where we need to be a generation from now
The infill market will have matured and different housing options should be more common in mature areas of the city. No citizen should be forced to leave one area for another because the type of housing they need is not available.
More thoughts from Don
BUILDING OUR LRT NETWORK
Policy in brief
LRT expansion is a major priority for Edmontonians. Council must continue to drive significant development of the full network, but it needs to be paced well and engineered in a way that allows for traffic to continue to flow. By 2017, we will have secured funding and begun construction on the Southeast to West line, bringing LRT to new areas of the city.
What we’ll do in the short term
Begin to plan for a full build-out of the network by 2030, focusing next on the SE line to Mill Woods line. Edmonton should not be paying more than 1/3 of the costs of our network, given how economically important it is for not only us, but the province and federal government as well. When building the line, we must think carefully about where we can put underpasses and overpasses to ensure we do not adversely interrupt the flow of vehicle traffic. Where possible, we should examine development of air rights to help offset the costs of those overpasses and underpasses. To ensure we have sustained funding to build our LRT, we will coordinate our approach to the province with our regional neighbours and Calgary to make the case for sustained LRT infrastructure investment.
Where we need to be a generation from now
LRT network is fully built out and we’ve got a high-speed rail to the airport. It will reduce traffic congestion for drivers, and help catalyze transit-oriented residential and commercial development in the city.
More thoughts from Don
PROSPERITY FOR THE CAPITAL REGION
Policy in brief
Edmonton is not an island. The municipalities comprising our region play an important part in the economic and social prosperity we all value. As mayor, one of my key priorities will be to lead consensus building to craft stronger regional cooperation that maximizes our shared opportunity while ensuring orderly and balanced growth, including ensuring that the burdens and the benefits of growth in our region are not unfairly borne by Edmonton.
What we’ll do in the short term
As mayor I will rally the region around a shared vision and strategy for economic development, pursue a diplomatically negotiated end to our annexation bid and changes to the regional growth plan so Edmonton doesn’t bear a disproportionate number of costs. As mayor, my approach will be to come to the table in good faith, acting as an honest broker to bridge differences, leading with a continued emphasis on cooperation, mutual benefit and fairness.
Where we need to be a generation from now
My vision is that within a generation, we will have a rationally-planned, balanced regional growth that is driven by strategic job growth rather than raw population growth, growth driven by logical infrastructure prioritization rather than politics, and growth planning that protects key agricultural lands in the region.
Karen Leibovici
Kerry Diotte
Thousands of Edmontonians I’ve heard from over the last several months feel very strongly that it’s time for new leadership and new direction at City Hall.
We are all proud Edmontonians who want our city to be the very best it can be.
But as much as we love this town, we believe we can do better.
We need to do a better job of listening to Edmontonians and caring about the things that matter most to them.
A better job – after this spring’s pothole nightmare – of maintaining our streets.
A better job of snow clearing in winter.
A better job of making common sense choices between what some special interests in our city want, and what we as Edmontonians really need.
And a better job – after the massive tax and debt increases of the last decade – of keeping municipal spending and borrowing under control. At the end of this year our civic debt will be $2.9 billion. It was only about $400 million about 10 years ago.
That’s more than $3,000 for every man, woman and child in this city. And that’s before we borrow more than $500 million for a downtown arena.
We don’t want to leave our children with a legacy of debt.
We’ve got to do a better job. This is what I’ve been hearing from the voters of Ward 11 who elected me in 2010.
And for many years before that I heard it from readers in my job as a journalist covering City Hall.
For nearly three decades I have been fighting for a better Edmonton as a citizen, taxpayer, journalist and elected councillor.
It has been an uphill battle against an entrenched political elite and bureaucracy who don’t listen very well to Edmontonians and their local community leaders.
Every step of the way, I have been encouraged to keep up the fight by an ever-growing army of supporters.
In recent months, especially, people have been urging me to consider taking on a larger leadership role for our City.
And after extensive consultations with family, friends and supporters, I am resolved to take my fight for a better Edmonton to the next level.
Ladies and gentlemen, friends and fellow Edmontonians, I am very pleased to announce that I am running for Mayor of Edmonton in the October 21st civic election.
This means, of course, that I will be giving up my seat after that date as Councillor for Ward 11, and I urge my former constituents to elect a new councillor who shares our common sense ideas for making Edmonton better.
My announcement today also means, obviously, that I am not waiting for the incumbent mayor to make up his mind about his own political future.
But it’s clear many Edmontonians – an overwhelming majority according to the latest poll – think the arena funding framework is a rotten deal for taxpayers.
That’s why in all good conscience I could not support the funding deal even though I believe in a new downtown arena.
My commitment to Edmontonians is to make life better for all citizens by first taking care of core services. Our roads, drainage, recreational facilities and other key infrastructure.
We, from this day forward must make Edmonton better by using precious infrastructure money to fix roads, not subsidize billionaires.
We must stop the waste of tax money and get more bang for the buck.
We must make Edmonton better by ensuring that our dream and our destiny to become a truly great city is built on solid, sensible, affordable foundations.
What are your thoughts on the three candidates?
It is hard to choose a candidate because they all seem to say the same things. I watched all three top candidates on CTV News and I think Don Iverson is very nice to other candidates because Karen L and Kerry D were a little mean to other competitors. I think I would vote for Don Iverson.
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Nita Jalkanen
My platform.
It is time for change. Your vote is needed to make that change. When our own elected officials no longer respect and represent the majority voice of their taxpayers,something has gone terribly wrong.
My position is simple.
Number one, I am personally committed to re-engaging voters in the decision-making process. Elected representatives are supposed to represent their taxpayers’ voices and interests; that is their job. Each taxpayer – hardworking folks, students, retirees, business owners – each of us are important, each voice must be heard. Your voice must be heard. I believe that certain civic decisions should never be made without the proper consultation, consent, and – most importantly – the majority support of taxpayers. We all need to be pulling together.
Number two, I believe it is time to get back to the basics. I believe our municipal government’s primary role is to manage and ensure basic infrastructure and municipal services; we must also be socially conscious, considerate, and thoughtful about quality of life not just for ourselves, but for our neighbours and our greater community. We need a solid foundation upon which our neighbourhoods, communities, and businesses can thrive and grow. While these priorities may not sound “iconic,” a solid foundation is a must. Our priorities must also be grounded in reality. We need to be careful managers to ensure vibrant sustainability.
Number three, we must have prudent financial management. By the end of this year, the City of Edmonton will have $2.9 billion in debt; by 2017 our debt is forecasted to be $3.5 billion. We must return to the responsible management and respectful spending of taxpayers’ very hard-earned dollars.
Number four, we must build on the vibrant business community we already have. Edmonton seems to have many “best kept secrets” – the start-ups and homegrown businesses that have gained national and international stature; the numerous independent business owners of whom we should be proud and better supporting; the world-leading technologies of which we are the pioneers. I do not believe in supporting one business or industry to the exclusion of others; all of our tremendous business community needs our nurturing and support. Each business, just like each person's vote, is equally important to what makes Edmonton the City that it is; we must have balance.
The choice is ours.
My thoughts on Nita are that she is focused on not getting any more debt.
Mustafa Ali
1. Building Stronger and Safer Communities
a. Pushing for better Community Policing
b. Reinvest in after-school programming and make sure the provincial government steps up too
c. Better funded accreditation programs and rethinking immigrant centers for smarter communities and more revenue
a. Pushing for better Community Policing
b. Reinvest in after-school programming and make sure the provincial government steps up too
c. Better funded accreditation programs and rethinking immigrant centers for smarter communities and more revenue
2. Better Infrastructure for a Smarter City
a. LRT expansion to the northwest
b. Building community infrastructure for more livable communities – from community league ice-rinks to basketball courts
c. Work towards healthier roads – less potholes and timely snow removal – for a better functioning and connected city
a. LRT expansion to the northwest
b. Building community infrastructure for more livable communities – from community league ice-rinks to basketball courts
c. Work towards healthier roads – less potholes and timely snow removal – for a better functioning and connected city
3. Sustainable Budgets
a. Cap property taxes for seniors and low-income individuals
b. Control city debt with revenue generation from airport redevelopment and make sure Ward 2 get's its fair share
c. Get the provincial government to return Edmonton a fairer share of industrial taxes
The the thing I like about Mustafa is that he is interested in fixing roads.
a. Cap property taxes for seniors and low-income individuals
b. Control city debt with revenue generation from airport redevelopment and make sure Ward 2 get's its fair share
c. Get the provincial government to return Edmonton a fairer share of industrial taxes
The the thing I like about Mustafa is that he is interested in fixing roads.
Shelley Tupper
Infrastructure – As we welcome more people to our city, more demands are placed on our infrastructure and is felt in the way of traffic congestion. This has a direct impact on our quality of life when we spend more time in traffic we are spending less time with our families, it wastes fuel (which indirectly is money). Also, as we idle in traffic, the quality of air we breathe is diminished. We need to continue to maintain and upgrade our roadway network, find ways to expand our LRT system, and make our existing transit system more user-friendly.
Safe Communities – I believe that one place to start is by encouraging people to be active and take pride in their neighbourhoods. Programs like Neighbourhood Watch, Community Patrols, Neighbourhood Empowerment Teams, Capital City Clean Up and Front Yards in Bloom all contribute to making a community clean and respected. I also believe that the Community Liaison Officers from the Edmonton Police Service, are a powerful resource for communities as well. In 2011, council approved funds for the construction of the Northwest Campus, which will house a new Arrest Processing Facility, and the Alex Decoteau Training Centre, in conjunction with a new Northwest Division Station. The training centre will include the provision of a back up police dispatch/911 centre and an incident command centre for major investigations and/or events. The training centre will also be available for other City and outside agency training needs. Once on council, I plan to push for this important facility.
Strengthening the relationships with Capital Region Board - I have always believed that cooperation is an important principle – it’s how you get things done at the community level and how to get things done throughout the Capital Region especially when it comes to transit issues. I think that vitally important to continue to work with our neighbours to improve services and work toward long term goals such as extending the LRT out to St. Albert, the International Airport, Strathcona County and Stony Plain. These issues will need cooperation, not only amongst neighbours but also with all levels of government. I am used to fostering cooperation through my community and I plan to take the same spirit to City Hall.
With regards to all of the above three priorities, the big challenge is to meet those objectives within our means. Fiscal accountability and transparency must be the cornerstone of all civic policies. There is only one taxpayer to pay for three levels of government and citizens must know that they are getting value for their hard earned tax dollar. I plan to lead by example and I commit to making all of my expenses incurred on council business available to the public – with receipts and statements posted online. I plan to work toward making more information available to the public in a user-friendly format through the OpenGov initiative.
What makes Ward 2 unique?
Ward 2 is the home of the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), the Royal Alexandra Hospital, Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, RCMP K Division Headquarters, the Alberta Aviation Museum, the Via Rail station, Telus World of Science, Kingsway Mall, Westmount Mall, and the Edmonton Humane Society.
The Yellowhead Corridor runs through the Ward.
The Canadian National Railway’s main line runs throughout the Ward. The Walker Yard has also formed an important part of our transportation infrastructure for decades.
The ward also has two of ETS’s six maintenance garages.
The Northwest LRT line is currently under construction between Downtown and NAIT.
The Kingsway Business District is well established.
We have Ross Sheppard High School and the Edmonton Islamic Academy.
Senior Citizen Recreation Centres of Central Lions, Operation Friendship, Native Seniors and Calder Seniors where the members have been working hard at fundraising and applying for grants to renovate and expand their well utilized facility.
The Grand Trunk and Peter Hemmingway Leisure Centres offer pools and amenities, fitness centres, outdoor tennis courts, indoor ice arenas and surrounding parkland.
The former site of CFB Griesbach is being transformed into a beautiful residential community, and the Blatchford project will evolve over time as well. In addition there is substantial Industrial, commercial and residential land available for development.
Ward 2 is also the home of Fruits of Sherbrooke that turns rescued and donated local fruit into jams, jellies and chutneys. A local gardening group got thinking about fruit that was being wasted in their neighbourhood from apples to raspberries and rhubarb. Fruit rescue is about minimizing waste, building community and teaching the basics of food production. The group also provides volunteer opportunities to adults with the Winnifred Stewart Association help pick and clean the fruit. In recognition of their efforts I nominated the group in 2012 for a Good Neighbour Award in the city wide Achievement category and in May of 2012 they proudly accepted their award at City Hall.
What are two criticisms and two compliments that you have for Kim Krushell in her job as Ward 2 councillor?
I don’t feel it’s appropriate for me to criticize someone on their way out when they can’t defend themselves on the campaign trail.
I will say that she spearheaded the establishment of the Universal Bus Pass system for Post Secondary Institutions, which has been a great benefit to thousands of students.
Also, at the recent Edmonton in Bloom Awards, city staff commended her for challenging them each year to improve both locally and nationally. The results speak for themselves, as our city looks great! Green and clean!
Why would you vote for Shelley?
When I read about Shelley's goals they seem like they sound like she is trying to make them sound good for me but I think she's copying most councillors to win the election.
Why would you vote for Shelley?
When I read about Shelley's goals they seem like they sound like she is trying to make them sound good for me but I think she's copying most councillors to win the election.
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