[Vision2020] The Recall

Art Deco deco at moscow.com
Thu Jan 6 16:01:28 PST 2005


Janice,

I am not a resident of Moscow, although events happening in the city greatly 
affect me sometimes.  I am not a member of MCA, in part from my desire not 
to embarrass them with my controversial style. and opinions

As a student, I lived in Moscow from the fall of 1958 to the spring of 1962 
and again from the fall of 1966 to the winter of 1969.  We have lived 6.5 
miles north of Moscow for almost 15 years now.

Even in the naive state about city government I was in 45 years ago, I was 
appalled at many things -- new subdivisions without paved streets and side 
walks, for example.  Having been a planner, I now know that such events are 
most realistically called corruption -- officials accommodating those 
development and real estate interests who put their economic gain above the 
public health, safety, and welfare and which officials are receiving various 
kinds of favors, meeds, and support in return.  When residents in such 
under-infrastructured subdivisions do put in pavement and sidewalks through 
a taxing district, the cost to them is usually 3 - 5 times of what it would 
have cost the developer in the first place (not to mention the 
inconvenience).

I know from first hand experience in my graduate school days what a good old 
boy/girl organization the MPD was.  For example, I lived near the Elks, 
Eagles, and Moose clubs.  Despite numerous, continuing complaints by many 
neighbors, the extremely boisterous, late night-early morning, wild driving 
drunks were never bothered although lesser privileged persons were singled 
out for DUI enforcement, for example, those then living on lower Spotswood.

I have written here and elsewhere about significant problems with the MPD. 
I have witnessed and have been told about what appears to inappropriate 
favors being done at city expense for developers and certain realtors.

Moscow certainly needs council people who want to change the way the city 
does business.  I applaud the courage and moral leadership of Pall, Chaney, 
and Dickinson and of their demonstrated willingness to listen and to try to 
find solutions.

However, if I lived in the city my complaint about them would be that they 
have not gone far enough, fast enough.  For example, Moscow (and Pullman) 
are about the most pedestrian unfriendly towns that I have ever experienced. 
Part of this is due to MPD priorities and MPD leadership ineptitude.  Part 
of the problem is that the council seems unwilling to address this issue 
directly and with careful thought and energy.

That a recall is claimed but has yet to come to fruition is not surprising. 
In reality, what is being said by Weitz in his unintentional, 
Freudian-Slipish way is that Pall, Chaney, and Dickinson are squeezing too 
tightly the tiny balls of the greedy and corrupt.

On one hand, it is hard to take the recall effort too seriously.  Why would 
a group of astute businessmen pick the second biggest laughingstock on the 
Palouse to be their vanguard?  It is almost like Weitz has been tricked 
again by his detractors into making a serious ass of himself!  Why would the 
Daily News print a lead, front page news/comment story about an unbirthed, 
ill-conceived recall attempt by a well-known buffoon, if not in part, for 
its humor value?

If there really are "businessmen" [sic, not "businesspersons", thus showing 
another of Weitz's prejudices] seeking to foment a recall or to slanderously 
traduce the efforts of skilled, well-intended council members, then their 
method shows these business persons to be unbelievably cowardly and 
incredibly maladroit.

In the meantime, stay off the streets and highways when Weitz is adrive!


Art Deco (Wayne A. Fox)
deco at moscow.com



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Janice Willard" <jwillard at turbonet.com>
To: <vision2020 at moscow.com>
Sent: Thursday, January 06, 2005 2:42 PM
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] The Recall


> Hi,
>
> I agree with John that this discussion would be better if it took place 
> with
> a minimum of name calling, impolite language and sarcasm.  I also feel 
> that
> people should realize that some people are more effusive than others and
> have a colorful writing style that is more a reflection of their own
> communication style then an attempt to put others down.  (Constantly 
> looking
> for reasons to take offence is, honestly, just as annoying as someone who 
> is
> constantly tripping over their tongue and being offensive- neither is
> conducive to communication and understanding).
>
> However, I do feel that the so called recall does bear examination, even 
> if
> it doesn't come to fruition.  I remember when these council members were
> campaigning and it was clear that they presented a message of change from
> "business as usual."  The voters responded to that message and voted for
> these candidates--expressing their preference for a change from "business 
> as
> usual."
>
> Now we have a set of "un-named businessmen" who are backing a recall of
> these council members, even through these council members are representing
> the interests of the voters who elected them to office.  Even if they 
> don't
> succeed, the threat is obvious: they are telling the three named council
> members "toe the line or we will come after you."  The greatest likelihood
> is that they are the people most threatened by a change from "business as
> usual."  For that reason alone, we should know who they are.  We should 
> know
> if they are disgruntled council-candidate also-rans, if they are receiving
> money from the city budget, if they sit on influential committees.  What
> "business as usual" do these people represent? Should we trust these 
> people
> in other walks of civic responsibility? What is it they have to hide?
>
> Curious that Dr. Weitz, who is rarely lacking for something to say, is now
> so mum about his allies.
>
> JW
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Bruce and Jean Livingston" <jeanlivingston at turbonet.com>
> To: "Carl Westberg" <carlwestberg846 at hotmail.com>; <vision2020 at moscow.com>
> Sent: Thursday, January 06, 2005 9:52 AM
> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] The Recall
>
>
>> This whole recall thing seems like a tempest in a teapot.  Given Dr.
> Weitz's
>> acknowledged errors of fact and emotional overstatements in the quotes in
>> the Daily News article, why concern ourselves with tentative, speculative
>> possibilities?  Let the supporters of a recall (if any) file a petition
> with
>> the City Clerk if they get enough signatures. Then we'll know who's
>> supporting a recall.  Until then, it's not worth further discussion, in 
>> my
>> book.
>>
>> By the way, I am an MCA member, speaking for myself, and I oppose an
>> expensive recall election, as I expect the MCA itself and the vast
> majority
>> of the community does.  There is an election in less than a year for 
>> mayor
>> and four of the six Council positions (if I am correct in my belief that
>> appointed Council members must stand for election at the next general
>> election).  The normal political process (a general election, fancy 
>> that!)
>> is the way to effect change on the City Council if one is unhappy with 
>> the
>> current situation, not an expensive and extraordinary recall election.
>>
>> Bruce Livingston
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Carl Westberg" <carlwestberg846 at hotmail.com>
>> To: <vision2020 at moscow.com>
>> Sent: Thursday, January 06, 2005 8:02 AM
>> Subject: RE: [Vision2020] The Recall
>>
>>
>> > Putting my toe, with some trepidation, into these waters, I think John
> has
>> > a valid point.  I don't think inflammatory language serves any good
>> > purpose in Moscow's latest controversy.  For the record, I support the
>> > three council members being targeted by Mr. Weitz, and I am not a 
>> > member
>> > of MCA.  I'm an independent liberal reprobate.  The single overriding
>> > question I have is: who are these anonymous people behind the petition?
> I
>> > don't know anyone who has a clue who, other than Mr. Weitz, is
> responsible
>> > for this effort, or how many there may be.  Perhaps, if they would come
>> > into the sunshine, identify themselves and their reasons for the recall
>> > petition, we'd get somewhere beyond suspicion and harmful rhetoric.
>> > Carl Westberg Jr.
>> >
>> >>From: "John Danahy" <jdanahy at turbonet.com>
>> >>To: "Vision2020" <vision2020 at moscow.com>
>> >>Subject: [Vision2020] The Recall
>> >>Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2005 17:59:54 -0800
>> >>
>> >>All;
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>      I am generally opposed to the St Mary's gym because I do not 
>> >> think
>> >>there is a valid solution to the parking problem in the surrounding
>> >>neighborhood.  That said:
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>I find it shocking to my poor progressive sensibilities that this issue
>> >>should incite such vitriolic language.  Hear we have an individual,
>> >>disagreeing with a council decision, seeking to recall some council
>> >>members.
>> >>This individual, sometimes known for excessivieness, does not live in
> the
>> >>city, and therefore cannot vote.  But he does own businesses in the 
>> >>city
>> >>and
>> >>therefore pays city taxes.  Taxation without representation this was
> once
>> >>called.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>Now this recall is certainly an issue that should be discussed here
> But
>> >>instead of discussing the issue, the pros and cons, the reasons good 
>> >>and
>> >>bad, we see another side of our community.  We see words like sleazy,
>> >>snakeoil, sinister, irrational, little boy and GET REAL.  These words 
>> >>do
>> >>not
>> >>pretend to relate to the issues at hand but are referenced to
> individuals.
>> >>How truly sad.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>I would expect that Bill London and Lois Blackburn, founding members of
>> >>the
>> >>MCA, would wish to defend and support the council members the
> organization
>> >>endorsed.  This is not the way.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>John
>> >>
>> >>_____________________________________________________
>> >>  List services made available by First Step Internet,
>> >>  serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
>> >>                http://www.fsr.net
>> >>           mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
>> >>¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
>> >
>> >
>> > _____________________________________________________
>> > List services made available by First Step Internet, serving the
>> > communities of the Palouse since 1994.   http://www.fsr.net
>> > mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
>> > ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
>>
>> _____________________________________________________
>>  List services made available by First Step Internet,
>>  serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
>>                http://www.fsr.net
>>           mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
>> ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
>
> _____________________________________________________
> List services made available by First Step Internet,
> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
>               http://www.fsr.net
>          mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
> ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
>
> 



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