Municipal Politics

[TAS]

I think this column is a fair assessment of the mayor's race so far

Keith Gerein: Edmonton's election is one of the most intriguing in decades, and it deserves our attention

Don’t look now, but there are only five weeks left until Edmonton chooses its next mayor, city councillors and school trustees.

www.google.com

"In terms of policy, three of the four are relatively aligned on many of the priority issues. Krushell, Oshry and Watson tend to see eye to eye on avoiding tax hikes, cutting city costs, reducing burdens on business, investing locally, building up the tech sector, focusing on small-scale infrastructure, bringing more events downtown, improving provincial-municipal relations and getting the city out of land development.

As for Sohi, his platform isn’t outrageously different, but he is definitely the outlier of the quartet.

Like the others, he has advocated for a more cost-efficient and business-friendly city hall. However, he has not proposed any specifics on taxes or spending reductions, and has resisted the idea of cutting the municipal payroll. Compared with the other three, he also sees a more activist role for the city in guiding economic growth".

The column talks about some back and forth between oshry and sohi.

"In a Wednesday afternoon debate, for example, Sohi responded with an out-of-character, ill-advised quip about Oshry owing much of his success to family privilege, which is not true."

Some of the Oshry Sohi jabs...
"has produced a handful of moments on stage uncomfortable enough to leave the two women candidates looking like the only real grownups."

 

[Edmonchuk]

Avoiding tax hikes, small-scale infrastructure = no investment in infrastructure and public transit? Or I don't understand something?

 

[TAS]

The way to city build is not just by adding more infrastructure and paying for it by tax increases. In terms of good money management, it's not just what you earn or collect through taxes that matters, it's also how much you spend.

In terms of the city, Ward Metis candidate Ashley Salvador summed it up nicely here:

The city has also invested hugely in LRT and that commitment for the next 6 years is set and not changing. No one is advocating to stop what is currently planned. (Or maybe Nickel I'm not sure). But in terms of Edmonton's entire transit network, even though we are spending hugely on lrt, it has suffered as many riders are losing service in their areas. Others have to go longer distances to access services. I think many candidates are calling for the city to revisit the current bus transit network as some routes may need to return that have been cut.

Also keep in mind the city's goal of 15 minute communities - one key part of that idea is that we then require less expensive infrastructure because people can access more in their own nodes by walking or biking.

 

[kcantor]

for a somewhat less parochial view of good investment dollars, the south and west valley line extensions alone will cost the city of edmonton approximately c$4.5 billion dollars.

sudan's quest to resurrect the third largest railroad network in africa at about 4,000 km to a functioning railroad system is estimated to require less than 18% of that (us$640 million).

http://epaper.edmontonjournal.com/article/281895891364418

this isn't meant to be anti-lrt or anti-15 minute communities per se but if we are serious about what we think those things will accomplish, surely we need to be a bit more global in how our limited collective financial resources get spent.

 

[TAS]

The future of downtown mayoral forum presented by the Downtown Business Association featuring the top 6 candidates live at Roger's Place on Sept 23.

Wow - Mike Nickel may be coming downtown despite his travel advisory.

Edmonton Downtown on Instagram: "You're invited to join us at Ford Hall on September 23, 2021 from 4-6pm for our Downtown Mayoral Forum. This downtown-focused forum is an opportunity for residents and businesses to hear from Mayoral candidates abou

62 likes, 0 comments - edmontondtwn on August 19, 2021: "You're invited to join us at Ford Hall on September 23, 2021 from 4-6pm for our Downtown Mayoral ..."

www.instagram.com

 

[RH van der Rohe]

The way to city build is not just by adding more infrastructure and paying for it by tax increases. In terms of good money management, it's not just what you earn or collect through taxes that matters, it's also how much you spend.

In terms of the city, Ward Metis candidate Ashley Salvador summed it up nicely here:

View attachment 348165

The city has also invested hugely in LRT and that commitment for the next 6 years is set and not changing. No one is advocating to stop what is currently planned. (Or maybe Nickel I'm not sure). But in terms of Edmonton's entire transit network, even though we are spending hugely on lrt, it has suffered as many riders are losing service in their areas. Others have to go longer distances to access services. I think many candidates are calling for the city to revisit the current bus transit network as some routes may need to return that have been cut.

Also keep in mind the city's goal of 15 minute communities - one key part of that idea is that we then require less expensive infrastructure because people can access more in their own nodes by walking or biking.

Ashley's views are right but not very popular. Building within the limits will ultimately move from larger to smaller properties which is not what the majority wants. The resulting property price increases will need to be balanced with more affordable housing initiatives. Not a simple thing to solve.

 

[IanO]

 

[TAS]

Thanks for sharing the forum link above. I listened to it on my walk at lunch.

Sohi is clearly the front runner and most likely to win but you would never know it from the forums I've seen - he is the weakest of the four and I say that because he really likes to answer questions by outlining what the problem is and then just keeps very general like - I will bring people together to come up with solutions. Watch the final minute of the forum as just another example of him outlining some big issues and guess how we are going to tackle them? Together! Edmontonians will tackle these together!
Sohi has been called out on his lack of specifics by Keith Gerein who is covering this election for the Edmonton Journal and it was really noticeable in this forum again.
I do believe Sohi is respected by those he has worked with and that's important and he will be an inclusive mayor who will continue to build on the relationships that Mandel and Iveson have forged with Indigenous groups and that's also critical. He's been recognized for his human rights advocacy and that is also significant and perhaps his biggest strength and maybe what the city really needs now.
I don't know. I think I was just hoping for a bit more overall from our next leader.

Sohi has union and NDP ties from when he joined transit services (he's never had a private sector job in his life except a short stint as a taxi driver) and that is unique from all the other candidates - Edmonton NDP MLAs are definitely advocating for him which is a big factor in his leading position. From the applause after his responses from these business leaders at the forum, however, I don't think there is the same love.

 

[Gronk!]

^ Sohi was a transit bus driver, not a taxi driver.

 

[TAS]

Before he was a transit bus driver, he was a taxi driver. When he was with transit, that's when he got active with the union.

 

[ChazYEG]

^ Sohi was a transit bus driver, not a taxi driver.

He was both. His first job here was as a taxi driver on someone else's car. Then he became a transit bus driver (and stayed as such for a long time).

Sohi has union and NDP ties (he's never had a private sector job in his life except a short stint as a taxi driver) and that is unique from all the other candidates - so he is in an enviable and winning position and the Edmonton NDP MLAs are definitely advocating for him.

He also has obvious Liberal ties, even more so than NDP ties, and the recent vote turnout for both parties is a very good sign for him.
I believe his Liberal roots and his recent ties with the NDP can pay off very high dividends, especially if we oust the UCP in 2023 and put Notley back, considering that it would probably make for a smoother, friendlier conversation between all three levels of government, especially having a Liberal MP from Edmonton, possibly a cabinet minister, and a few NDP MLAs in the city (including, hopefully, the next premier) well aligned with the city.

Regardless of who wins the mayor seat, though, we need to elect a workable council, more than anything. Having 7+ progressive councilors would be the best of the best situations.

 

[TAS]

The term 'progressive' is still a bit confusing to me.
Not including Nickel, I would say our 4 main mayoralty candidates are all progressive, no?
That said, they would take the city in different directions.
Some candidates are advocating to hold the line on city taxes - is that then not progressive? Sohi apparently is advocating for a 2% wage increase for city workers and therefore a property tax increase - is that considered progressive?
Some candidates don't think the city should be involved in the land development business and focus on more core city responsibilities - is that not considered progressive? If you do advocate for the city to act as a land developer on certain projects, is that considered more progressive?
If you advocate for the city to turn over operations of some recreation facilities to privately run, is that considered not progressive versus supporting the status quo?
Does anyone not consider any of the 4 main mayoralty candidates progressive? And if not, why?

 

[occidentalcapital]

Honestly, at the City council level, there is less scope to be "progressive". You just don't have much jurisdiction over social issues. Under the Municipal Gov't Act, cities focus mostly on nuts and bolts things. Where you might have a little more room to be creative is in economic development and leadership. You do have room to push transit projects forward.

It would be interesting to see a civic politician try to push the envelope of their authorities under the MGA. I wonder what would happen if a city tried to introduce a local sales tax, for example? Take a run at the wording in the Municipal Government Act and push the boundaries a bit. I don't think anyone has really tried that yet from a progressive angle in Alberta.

 

[EdmTrekker]

Honestly, at the City council level, there is less scope to be "progressive". You just don't have much jurisdiction over social issues. Under the Municipal Gov't Act, cities focus mostly on nuts and bolts things. Where you might have a little more room to be creative is in economic development and leadership. You do have room to push transit projects forward.

It would be interesting to see a civic politician try to push the envelope of their authorities under the MGA. I wonder what would happen if a city tried to introduce a local sales tax, for example? Take a run at the wording in the Municipal Government Act and push the boundaries a bit. I don't think anyone has really tried that yet from a progressive angle in Alberta.

UCP Kenney threw Edmonton and Calgary City Charters under the bus. I am gritting my teeth waiting for the next election when the Province shuts down the UCP for good.

 

[thommyjo]

Cheryl continues to do the best in all the forums I believe. Im not sure where she stands on transit though and I fear not having sohi's connections could be a miss.

Breezy was a tough listen on today's forum. My gosh. Not sure how a guy like that is even allowed. Nickel was absent... surprise. Oshry was decent and snarky. Sohi was general and soft. Krushnell was decent, but scattered like usual.

I really don't know who to vote for still... but I think the main 4 are all decent.

How's everyone else feeling on candidates?