Since the Missoulian is only writing puff pieces about their liberal-progressive buddies on the city council, the Scoop thinks it’s important that all Ward 2 voters know that Dave Huerta, a candidate in the primary that opposed incumbent Don Nicholson, has endorsed Nicholson over liberal-progressive jewelry artisan, Pam Walzer.Dave Huerta, a city resident and local leader in the Pleasant View neighborhood, has the following to say about Nicholson.
Liberal-progressive activists are working hard to take-out Nicholson since he asks for too much transparency into city management…like how our city spending grows at 5-10% a year while our population is only growing at 1%. He actually has the gall to suggest that the city spend money to fill pot holes and build and maintain infrastructure.“Going into the campaign season, I had only known of Don Nicholson from afar. After sitting with him at speaking engagements I learned to know the man who represents myself and fellow citizens of Ward 2.
What I learned was Don Nicholson is a man of honor, integrity and a hard worker. He understands the business of city inner workings and how to get things done- for the citizens of the city of Missoula and Ward 2 – in a fiscally sound manner. He truly understands that city dollars are scare and spending should be soundly justified.
For this hard work, caring and understanding by Don Nicholson I am putting my full support behind his campaign. I strongly encourage my supporters and fellow Ward 2 voters to VOTE FOR DON NICHOLSON FOR WARD 2 CITY COUNCILMAN.”
It is important that mainstream Missoula votes, and that each of us inform our centrist friends that don't necessarily pay attention to politics. Nicholson may lose if the silent majority does not speak.
If you support balanced growth, transportation and housing policies, vote for Nicholson and other mainstream candidates.
If you like our council spending six months debating the issue of chickens* and the Iraq war, vote for Walzer and other liberal-progressives. I’m sure they already have more liberal cause-celebs to roll out if they win.
They are probably working on a list via e-mail right now.
*chickens are a necessary part of communal living.
5 comments:
"liberal-progressive jewelry artisan"
Now THAT was a low blow, Scoop!
I have no problem with Walzer being a jewelry artisan, as I have a lot of respect for small business owners. I didn’t intend this as a low blow. My apologies to anyone I offended.
I only mention it because I think the Missoulian went overboard in attempting to puff up Walzer's credentials in comparison to Nicholson’s life-long record of business and civic leadership.
For whatever reason, it seems the Missoulian cherishes any experience over the experience of having actually served, or having served well.
The Missoulian actually wrote this about Walzer:
"While Walzer isn’t the incumbent, some have told her she may as well be. Walzer served as a member of the Local Government Study Commission and learned about how city government works during that term."
Later in the article, they seemed to buy into this incumbency idea themselves, writing “as Walzer is somewhat of an incumbent, she, too, has a record to defend.”
What the hell is “somewhat of an incumbent”?
I’m not sure how serving on a citizen council (for a year) that is not directly engaged in city business is a replacement for having served a full-term on the council. I think this is especially true when Walzer’s commission totally failed at their mission.
Walzer’s big accomplishment was sitting on a close-minded, politically stacked commission that recommended a highly partisan restructuring of Missoula city government that was widely rejected by political parties, the press and voters.
Now I can see why progressive-liberals think she would make a fine addition to the current city council.
She would fit right in.
"Walzer’s big accomplishment was sitting on a close-minded, politically stacked commission"
Politically stacked, huh? Last I checked it was voted in by the electorate, and then presented its recommendations back to the voters.
Just because a commission is elected doesn't mean it can't have a bias.
Walzer was elected with a group of people who went into the government review process with a pre-built agenda, one they hid from the public during the election process, and one that represented a minority of views.
(I believe had voters known this group intended to institute these highly partisan recommendations, the public would have not elected these people).
The study commission did not listen to people who testified in front of the committee, and they were rebuked by the voters for doing so.
And how is any of this good for Walzer?
In her first public service outing, she was a massive failure, and it does not appear that she learned anything from the experience.
All that she is missing is a city issued laptop from behind which she can ignore and disrespect the public.
Ward 2 folks would be foolish to pick Walzer, and her partisan agenda, over someone as experienced and accomplished as Nicholson.
I agree with Scoop in that the Study Commission was politically stacked with 5 of the 7 elected Commissioners coming from one zip code - 59802. Funny that's the one Walzer is from. Hardly representative of the city at large. As I remember from watching the meetings on MCAT, Walzer showed obvious disrespect toward other commissioners she disagreed with - tossing her head and interrupting. Nicholson is always respectful and civil toward other Council members and the public, a trait sorely needed by the current City Council.
Interesting that during the Study Commission, Walzer said everything is working fine in City Hall. The researcher who conducted the citizen survey for the Commission said in a Missoulian article that the disconnect in Missoula between the citizens and its local government was "the stuff of revolution." After conducting citizen surveys for over 40 years around the country, he said he had never seen a city with such a disconnect.
Missoula needs council people like Nicholson who understand the looming financial, infrastructure, traffic, economic development and crime problems that citizens identified in the survey, and will offer constructive solutions.
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