I guess this guy is on the SF city council now.
Yesterday’s city council meeting (FF: 8:50) turned into a McCarthy like hearing once Kermit Staggers asked the rest of the council if he could attend a conference in October. It is customary for a city councilor to ask permission from the rest of the council to go on a conference trip. The city council budgets for such trips each year, and councilors and staff go on quite a few. It is also customary for the staff or councilor in attendance to prepare a full report for the city on their findings at the conference.
Yesterday Staggers asked if he could go to the americandreamcoalition.org conference in DC. Rolfing & Erpenbach had a hissy over it. Michelle said she was ‘skeptical’ of the group and wanted to know ‘who they were!’ She even asked if the city was a ‘member’ to which Staggers replied, ‘No’ and we save the see money by NOT paying a membership fee.
Rolfing was skeptical about the topic of the conference. Traffic gridlock.
Actually if you read about the conference on their website you will see the conference is about transportation mobility and it’s relationship to your lifestyle and city budgets. Of course, you may read into it that this is a bunch of ‘free market’ whackos trying to save municipalities and the federal government money. Who do these people think they are anyway?
Staggers also invited other councilors and staff to join him. Erp wasn’t haven’t it, she wants a full report from Staggers before she will approve the trip.
Just admit it Michelle and Rex, you want to deny Staggers taking this trip, because, it’s Staggers. Michelle, who died and made you boss of the council anyway? Joe McCarthy?
The move by the City of Los Angeles to turn their public transportation system (TROLLEYS, SUBWAYS, TRAMS, TRAINS AND BUSES) over to a private enterprise in the early 1950’s, just prior to the explosive growth of So Cal. resultedin the loss of a very efficient system, replaced by what eventually became one of the least user friendly transit systems in the world. The city of LA is now paying a HEAVY PRICE to essentially recreate a modern version of what they had in the 1940’s, which was at that time one of the BEST public transit systems in the world. It only took 30 years for the private sector to bring about that destruction of a public service and it has been more than 80 years to try to restore it.
And what the F? Aren’t you always railing against the city giving “special treatment” to certain large private “developers”, vs. providing the city services it ought to be doing with your tax dollars? Oh, that’s right – it’s just because your “pro-Staggers” man-crush precludes you from setting personalities aside and simply looking at this issue from your usual perspective.
My, my Scott, you did a great job on that pix of aging Ted Cruz!
Judging by what huether and his band of rubber stampers have in store for us in the public transportation area, maybe they should all go to this conference.
Poly, that is my thots.
Ruf – I support any and all councilors and staff members to attend as many conferences as they budgeted for. Just because you attend a conference doesn’t mean you have to embrace the conference’s ideals. I mean just look at the CVB, they went to a big conference recently and literally brought no business back, but they did bring back a lot of excuses.
BTW, I believe the council spends about $18,000 a year on conferences for their staff and councilors (That at least was the figure from a few years ago) compare that to buying a $64,000 projector for a private non-profit that has ZERO benefit to the public’s common good.
I think this explains the interrogation:
http://www.keloland.com/newsdetail.cfm/staggers-travels-under-question/?id=99339
poly – go look at the organization’s web site (link provided by Scott above). It is all ANTI-public transportation and ANTI-urbanism and pro-automobile and pro-sprawl. Seriously.
much, if not all of the sources of the congestion in LA (for example) have been the historical GUTTING of public transportation and the SPRAWLING – endless miles of “suburban-style” separated single-family residences – each with a two or three car garage – each located MILES away from employment or commercial shopping centers. Result – 10’s of millions of single occupant automobiles on thousands of miles of PACKED 16-lane wide “freeways”.
The American Dream Coalition” vociferously advocates building more wider cheaper streets and highways and eliminating public transportation funding. The Thoreau Institute lists them as part of the the “The Anti-planner” organization. “Dedicated to the sunset of government planning.”
Last year they had total revenues of $220K and expenses of $139k. They have one fulltime and one part time employee.
It’s one thing to go to a conference to learn something useful but we citizens can be involved to limit our representatives from going to a conference to bolster their anti-citizen cred.
The American Dream Coalition is a right wing fake libertarian operation. Just like we need to spend more money on right wing talking points. We need constructive education for our problem solving. Sorry Kermit, this is a conference not even closely suited to the needs and problems of Sioux Falls.
You hit the “Recent News” link on the ADC link and it is from 2011. Why would one think this is even a viable organization that one can learn from? There has to be a better conference for Kermy to go to if he wants to learn something on this subject.
Ok, Detroit bad.
Hey Kermy, looking into mass transit ideas is a good idea. Especially in light of what you said at a council meeting concerning paratransit. I’m paraphrasing, but as I recall, if the demand is there, just raise the rates. There are two highly successful cities in the mass transit arena. By all means, take a rod trip to these places.
http://city.milwaukee.gov/Jul.18.07NewsFromTheMayor.htm
The CVB can’t book anything for the convention center on Saturdays as it will cut into their wedding reception business.
I’m all for council exploring different viewpoints, but what’s the point of Staggers going to listen to a bunch of anti-public transit wackos celebrate the virtues of sprawl? Our public transit system is practically nonexistent in Sioux Falls and I can’t see that changing anytime soon. The American Dream Coalition would *love* Sioux Falls.
If he wants to go to some truther convention to learn about how the federal government might be planning to blow up our city hall, should we authorize that as well in the name of pluralism? Shouldn’t there be some modicum of credibility involved in the use of taxpayer dollars?
Well, there could be one benefit of him going to the conference, he could learn about all the things we SHOULD not do. I will admit that our public transportation is a joke, we are also a very unfriendly bike town. As I was riding my bike to JF Friday night some yahoo on a Harley decided to scream at me even though I was riding about a foot away from the curb and was clearly on the shoulder. I caught up to him at the stoplight and read him the riot act. I also said some other things, that I probably should not have, but I am of the philosophy if someone threatens bike, I let them know how I feel about it. Bicyclists in this town are treated like crap, that culture needs to be fixed. The media’s approach is to talk about how we all need to be courteous to motorists. Guess what, not working.
LC – The famous ‘junket’ story that Lil’ Darrin Smith leaked to KELO, which resulted in Darrin getting a position in city hall. What a phoney. This guy quits the council in the middle of his term because he was embarrassed of losing mayor. Then comes running back when his buddy o’ pal Mikey becomes mayor. Smith has cost the taxpayers millions in property tax revenue.
If the next mayor isn’t MMM, the first thing they need to do is hand Mr. Smith a pink slip, and for extra measure hold a press conference about it.
Seems to have turned into a Kermit bash. Nothing personal. I just don’t agree with everything any one official does. I supported Kermit in his run for mayor and basically still support the man. As for darron smith. Never did support the guy and never will.
Well, this certainly isn’t the worst idea Kermit has ever had . . . cough . . . Gordon Howie . . . cough.
I agree with most of what was said above – Sioux Falls is already pretty much a poster child for this American Dream coalition. If you think through their positions to their logical ends, you see that they just make no sense. “Free us from government oppression by… demanding free government funded roads as far as the eye can see?” It ironic that in the pre-planning age (roughly before WW2), public transportation was much more widespread and efficient than it is today. It’s funny how a massive, 100% government subsidized transportation alternative (interstates and highways) could have driven a profitable private transportation industry into the ground… (See the history of the Twin City Rapid Transit company for an interesting case study.)
ADC: “We want to expand your mobility ‘freedom’ by eliminating all your mobility CHOICES but one–driving (the most heavily subsidized form of transportation in the US).”
Sounds downright communist, not free market. Basically, ADC supports a form of urbanity that is financially unsustainable, relying upon federal and state subsidies. How could Staggers not realize this?
I have to admit after looking at the website, this group of people looks a little hokey – which may match Kermit and his personality just fine, but I don’t want to pay for it. I think Kermit needs to find something maybe a little more reputable if he wants to spend tax payer dollars. Unfortunately, you may be correct in the fact that no matter what Kermit brings to the council, Erpie baby will probably find a negative no matter what. She loses my vote more and more every time she opens her mouth.
I will say this, while Kermit probably shouldn’t be going to this conference, I do think the way Michelle talks down to him is uncalled for, that was my bigger point of this post. We get Michelle, you don’t like Kermit, call a Whaabulance already and get over it.
And let’s look at Michelle’s record as a councilor while we are at it.
Censoring Public and Council testimony.
Spearheading the termination of one of the best employees the city ever had, City Clerk, Debra Owen. Which resulted in an open meetings violation and replacing her with 3 full-time employees. Yeah, that’s how much Debra sucked.
Ignoring council wishes and putting a $64,000 expenditure for a film projector on the council expense wish list.
Oh, I could go on all day.
The way Councilor Erpenbach talks down to Councilor Staggers is UNCALLED FOR! And, she speaks to her colleague, Staggers, in this way on a regular basis.
Whatever happened to that humble community gardener with NO government experience?!!
Dr. Staggers has more academic credentials and government experience than you will ever have in a lifetime, Michelle.
You have every right to disagree with him, but do it with some respect!!
Voters in the Central District are watching.
Wouldn’t the truest course of libertarian action Councilor Staggers could take is simply pay his own way to the conference? Why the wasteful spending Mr. Staggers? ( I kid…kind of. If any these people want to attend this type of thing, they should pay out of pocket).
DL’s point about the projector is well taken and a good reminder that as it goes, there are probably bigger fish to fry than Kermit attending this conference.
Maybe if he wanted to go to the ALEC conference the mayor would pay for that. ALEC meets in Chicago Aug. 7-9. There is time to ask for funding. Wonder how many legislators are going with funding from the governor?
http://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/ALEC_Exposed
Actually, Kermit has paid his way to the conference in the past, and it wouldn’t surprise me if the council turns him down, he would pay his way again. BUT, after closer investigation, this is the FIRST time the council has decided (Erpenbach) to vote on letting a councilor go to a conference. Rolfing and Karsky have both attended conferences in the past, NO VOTE, just a consensus at a meeting. Also, the council budgets for these trips. While we could go on and on about how weird this conference may be, it is the way Erpenbach is treating Kermit on this issue.
We get it Michelle, you don’t like Kermit or his politics, why not just hold a press conference announcing it to the world, or better yet GET OVER IT!
So now you don’t want the council to exercise some scrutiny and discretion when it comes to paying for boondoggles?
You would be well-served to get off your trend lately of making everything you blog about into a personality issue. This place seems more and more every day like a high school girls’ “clique” – ranking the rival girls. “Catty” is I believe the general impression.
Ignore the personalities and look at the issues. For example, if this was your man-crush Kermie criticizing Entenman from wanting to attend Sturgis to “study” how to do crowd control……….
Yes I want them to scrutinize, but why all of a sudden a vote? Why not just a consensus? When the $64,000 projector got on the council agenda for an expenditure, there was NO vote OR consensus in the working session, Michelle just told Bixler to put it on there. Michelle THINKS she runs the council, but she is sadly mistaken. If Entenman knew anything about Robert’s Rules, he should have known to tell Michelle they were not going to vote on it.
As for Michelle’s ‘personality’ I could care less, it is her demeanor and lack of professionalism towards her peers that I am concerned about. I really don’t care what Michelle acts like outside of the council chambers, none of my business, but within the confines of Carnegie, she needs to drop the attitude.