www.uaprogressiveaction.com

The UA City Council election is tomorrow, Tuesday, November 3rd!

If you're not sure where to vote: Find your polling location. Don't forget to bring your Ohio Drivers License or other form of ID to verify your address.

We need you! (And a friend)

Remember: In the last election only 30 votes -- less than 1 for each of Upper Arlington’s 36 precincts -- made the difference among City Council hopefuls. We need only two more progressive voters to go to the polls in each Upper Arlington precinct on Tuesday, Nov. 3, to make a difference!

This election comes down to two words:

If you vote for candidates Mike Schadek and Debbie Johnson, you can help make sure that we retain a moderate majority on City Council with a progressive vision for UA's future. This is the only hope we have for ensuring that UA retains its prominence, high quality of life and economic strength.

After meeting individually with 5 of the 7 Council candidates, we urge you to support Schadek and Johnson because they:

• Are pragmatic moderates who understand the need to balance market needs with those of our community
• Support services that allow UA to compete with neighboring suburbs
• Value First Amendment rights, respect for the law and tolerance
• Will explore environmental initiatives to make UA green, safe and walkable

FOR MIKE SCHADEK

FOR DEBBIE JOHNSON

So be sure to vote on Tuesday for Mike Schadek and Debbie Johnson. And please, take one more person with you to the polls. Or forward this email to your progressive neighbors and friends now and urge them to vote on November 3.

• Who deserves credit for Kingsdale?
• Steen, Ciotola oppose UA Sidewalk Policy
• 2009 Upper Arlington City Council Race Analysis

www.uaprogressiveaction.com

The UA City Council election is tomorrow, Tuesday, November 3rd!

If you're not sure where to vote: Find your polling location. Don't forget to bring your Ohio Drivers License or other form of ID to verify your address.

We need you! (And a friend)

Remember: In the last election only 30 votes -- less than 1 for each of Upper Arlington’s 36 precincts -- made the difference among City Council hopefuls. We need only two more progressive voters to go to the polls in each Upper Arlington precinct on Tuesday, Nov. 3, to make a difference!

This election comes down to two words:

If you vote for candidates Mike Schadek and Debbie Johnson, you can help make sure that we retain a moderate majority on City Council with a progressive vision for UA's future. This is the only hope we have for ensuring that UA retains its prominence, high quality of life and economic strength.

After meeting individually with 5 of the 7 Council candidates, we urge you to support Schadek and Johnson because they:

• Are pragmatic moderates who understand the need to balance market needs with those of our community
• Support services that allow UA to compete with neighboring suburbs
• Value First Amendment rights, respect for the law and tolerance
• Will explore environmental initiatives to make UA green, safe and walkable

FOR MIKE SCHADEK

FOR DEBBIE JOHNSON

So be sure to vote on Tuesday for Mike Schadek and Debbie Johnson. And please, take one more person with you to the polls. Or forward this email to your progressive neighbors and friends now and urge them to vote on November 3.

• Who deserves credit for Kingsdale?
• Steen, Ciotola oppose UA Sidewalk Policy
• 2009 Upper Arlington City Council Race Analysis

www.uaprogressiveaction.com

November 1, 2009

Who deserves credit for Kingsdale?

City Council incumbent candidates Frank Ciotola's and Wade Steen's campaign flyers are proclaiming how they got Kingsdale done.

But who really negotiated on behalf of Upper Arlington constituents for the best deal with developers? Who had the backbone to stand up and get the best deal for Upper Arlington?

As it turns out, Ciotola and Steen are two of the least deserving of all the praise they are heaping on themselves.

The market idealogues vs. the pragmatists

We heard it 100 times during the Kingsdale debate from Council's right-wing block --- "let the market dictate what goes in at Kingsdale". In this Columbus Dispatch story entitled 'Big-box approach OK'd for Kingsdale', Ciotola thought that UA was negotiating too aggressively on Regency's big box Target store proposal:

"I think municipalities are getting overzealous in dictating what the mix of development is instead of letting the market dictate," he said.

If UA had solely relied on market forces, as Ciotola suggests, Jacksonville, Fla.-based Regency would have "dictated" our future and we'd likely have a big box Target store or something like it at Kingsdale today.

A view of the Continental's proposed Kingsdale site from Tremont Road. Many of us breathed a sign of relief when Regency failed in their bid to build a big box Target store at Kingsdale. If Ciotola had been in charge of the negotiation, the market would have "dictated" the outcome and UA would likely have a Target store at Kingsdale!

And thanks to Council's moderate, pragmatic majority we will have something much better than Steen or Ciotola were willing to settle for.

The audacity of negotiation

Instead of the passive role of government that Ciotola recommended, the city staff and other Council members embraced their responsibility to the community to get the best deal for UA.

By effectively tempering market forces with the needs of the community as described in the Master Plan they brokered a Kingsdale compromise has been well received throughout our community.

The role of government

At the heart of the Kingsdale debate was how active and engaged City government should be in making economic development decisions.

As early as 2005 the right wing block of UA City Council, Frank Ciotola, Tim Rankin and Wade Steen, was saying that negotiating at all with Regency, then owners of Kingsdale, would be "overstepping". Here's Ciotola quoted in This Week story from February 9, 2006 entitled "Redevelopment at Kingsdale tops agenda at council retreat":

Council member Frank Ciotola expressed concern that the city may be overstepping its bounds by discussing plans for Kingsdale, since the property is privately owned.

"Should we be telling Regency what it can and can't do with its property?" Ciotola asked.

But that's exactly what zoning laws do -- limit the uses of private property for the betterment of the community. And negotiating with Kingsdale developers for anything less than the best deal possible would be an abdication of UA City government's responsibility to its citizens.

Story continues here.

Get out the vote for Mike Schadek

It's time to get out the progressive vote in Arlington! Mike Schadek has run a true grassroots campaign, knocked on countless doors and talked with residents about the future of our great community. You can help Mike win by joining him for the last three days of the race to turn out the progressive vote. Even one vote per precinct makes a difference, so please sign up for a GOTV shift and help Arlington continue to move forward:

• Sunday, November 1st, there are 2 shifts: 12:00 PM and 4:00 PM
• Monday, November 2nd, there are 3 shifts: 10:00 AM, 1:00 PM, and 4:00 PM
• Tuesday, November 3rd, there are 4 shifts: 7:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 1:00 PM, and 4:00 PM

Send an email to DeDe Rhodes at dederhodes@gmail.com or contact DeDe at 614-537-1636.

Location: Vote Schadek Headquarters, 1537 Guilford Road, UA 43221

www.uaprogressiveaction.com

October 30, 2009

Steen, Ciotola oppose UA Sidewalk Policy

"Upper Arlington has neighborhood schools and does not bus children to school. The result of neighborhood schools and parents unwilling to let their children walk to school has led to traffic issues on streets adjacent to schools in both morning and afternoon hours...

In reality, very few children should need to be driven to school since the majority live within a 10-minute walk or a short bike ride (if facilities existed) of their neighborhood school."

--- UA Transportation Plan

Upper Arlington currently has sidewalks along approximately only 20 percent of its roadway. This poses a significant safety risk for everybody that travels by foot, by bicycle, by car or public transportation. We need complete streets in UA with curbs, gutters and sidewalks.

In UA we inherited a city with no plan for sidewalks, and until recently there never has been a consistent plan to address this issue.

Now UA has a modest and reasonable Sidewalk Policy on the books to build sidewalks along UA's busiest streets:

When rebuilding an arterial or collector street, the City will look at the feasibility of adding a sidewalk on at least one side of the street.

But conservatives Ciotola and Steen have have fought this common sense and generally well-received approach. In 2007 Frank Ciotola, Tim Rankin and Wade Steen tried to remove the money to build sidewalks along Kenny Road. Their amendment failed:

• Voting to kill the sidewalk funding: Ciotola, Rankin, Steen
• Voting to preserve the sidewalk funding: Krauss, Leach, Mauger, Seidel

And again this year, Ciotola and Steen opposed the Sidewalk Policy, but decided not to offer an amendment to remove sidewalks from the Kenny Road rehab project.

"...However, I don't think I would getting support on that, knowing the past voting history of Council, so I will not offer up an amendment [to remove sidewalks from the Ordinance]."

--- Frank Ciotola, July 13, 2009, UA City Council Meeting Minutes

One of several photos submitted to City Council showing children playing on streets with no sidewalks with on-coming traffic. From the April 23, 2007 UA City Council minutes.

Besides offering a safer, walkable community, sidewalks make economic sense, too. The residents on Glenn Avenue have even created their own website promoting sidewalks in their neighborhood near Barrington school. Here's one of many interesting tidbits gleaned from their site:

People are willing to pay more to live in walkable communities. The Urban Land Institute compared four new urban communities (those built within existing urban settings) with their surrounding competitors and found that people spent an average of $20,189 more to live in pedestrian-friendly new urban communities. (Valuing the New Urbanism, 1999). More recent studies show similar results.

www.uaprogressiveaction.com

October 29, 2009

With only two moderates running for City Council, the balance between moderate and conservative voices on Council hangs on the results of this election. UAPA believes UA City government needs:

1. a moderate City Council
2. a capable, experienced, moderate mayor --- Mary Ann Krauss

The only way this can happen is if both Mike Schadek and Debbie Johnson are elected to City Council. Here's the situation:

City Council Race Overview

• This year 4 seats are open and 7 candidates are running for these seats.
• Each voter will get to vote for 4 candidates.
• City Council terms are for 4 years.
• Only if Schadek and Johnson replace moderates Leach and Mauger can Council moderate majority be maintained.

The progressive vote is key

The progressive vote had a race-determining impact in the 2007 City Council election --- only one vote per precinct separated the candidates in 2nd and 3rd place and the candidates in 3rd and 4th place.

Why is this year's UA City Council race so important?

The last couple years of City Council has been free of the divisive right-wing social agenda we saw in years past, and, as a result, Council has been considerably more productive. A moderate majority on Council works!

With two of Tim Rankin's most supportive Council members, Wade Steen and Frank Ciotola, running for re-election and Morrison, DeCapua, and Milillo being courted by Glenn Beck's local 9/12 group, the return of a narrow right-wing agenda is a very real possibility.

UA's mayor is the leader of City Council

• In UA's form of government, the mayor is elected by Council.
• Prediction: If both Debbie Johnson and Mike Schadek are elected, the next mayor will be a moderate. (70% probability).
• Prediction: If either Johnson or Schadek are not re-elected, the new mayor will be far-right (80% probability)
• The mayor appoints the Library Board

Use your votes carefully

The way the math works in UA's City Council 'approval voting system' can sometimes seem counterintuitive. If you use any of your votes toward candidates you aren't sure about, you could end up helping that candidate to beat one of the candidates you really do want to be elected. Our recommendation: vote for only those candidates you know you want in office, even if it means not using all four of your votes. Wikipedia has a good explanation of this in the section called 'Sincere voting'.

www.uaprogressiveaction.com

October 22, 2009

We know the Upper Arlington City Council race is non-partisan. But we feel it's important to inform our UA Progressive Action supporters about progressive and moderate candidates so you can take that into account as you vote.

We want to ensure a moderate majority on City Council and a moderate mayor.

We're excited because a true blue progressive is running. Mike Schadek has been a life-long Democrat, and has the memorabilia to prove it. Ask him to show you his vintage bumper stickers! His web site has the full scoop.

We'll have more about Mike and other candidates as the election approaches.

The elephant in Democratic clothing

DINO (Democrat In Name Only): Life-long GOP supporter and UA City Council candidate Vern Morrison told a local 9/12 group that he switched parties in 2008 to vote for Hillary Clinton, while at the same time telling progressive and moderate voters he's a "Democrat".

We also feel it's important to point to a UA City Council candidate who claims to be a Democrat, but whose background and recent public statements belie that claim.

Vern Morrison is telling progressive voters he is a "registered Democrat." However, UAPA has learned from several sources that he is telling GOP faithful that he switched parties in 2008 to vote for Hillary Clinton in the Ohio primary. It is reported that Morrison revealed his "Limbaugh vote" at a local 9-12 Republicans' meeting on September 24th for folks who support Glenn Beck's right wing radical agenda. (Beck is with Fox News.)

Voting records confirm that Morrison has been a life-long GOP supporter.

You'll recall that during the Democratic primary Rush Limbaugh was encouraging Republicans to register as Democrats and vote for Hillary Clinton:

Why We Want to Keep Hillary Alive
March 3rd, 2008

RUSH: The strategy is to continue the chaos in this [Democratic] party. Look, there's a reason for this. Our side isn't going to do this. Obama needs to be bloodied up. Look, half the country already hates Hillary. That's good. But nobody hates Obama yet. Hillary is going to be the one to have to bloody him up politically because our side isn't going to do it. Mark my words. It's about winning, folks!

The important race for municipal judge

In the non-partisan campaign for Municipal Court Judge, we are lucky to have Mark Hummer. He's an Upper Arlington resident AND a progressive. And most importantly he has 18 years of experience as a magistrate in the Franklin County Municipal Court. His opponent has a familiar name -- Brown -- but not a moment of judicial experience.

He has the support of numerous Democratic and GOP organizations and folks. Not to mention an endorsement from the Columbus Dispatch, "Magistrate Hummer would bring nearly 20 years of experience to the bench" (Oct. 13).

Mark is campaigning really hard, but needs some help. He would appreciate having permission to put yard signs on Mountview between Fishinger and McCoy, and on Fishinger between Reed and Kenny. Help him find homeowners! Contact Laura Kuykendall, LGKuykendall@vorys.com, to get signs.

Tonight: A chance to meet the candidates

Leadership UA is having a free evening with the City Council and Municipal Court candidates on Thursday, October 22, at the UA Municipal Center, 3600 Tremont Road. As a nonpartisan organization, Leadership UA hosts this evening to encourage and facilitate dialogue within our community.

• At 6:30 p.m. candidates will meet the public in the lobby.
• From 7-8:30 p.m. in the Council Chamber, they will present and debate their positions on significant local issues.

What we're hearing about Issue 2

This November, Issue 2 will be on the statewide ballot, and Ohio voters who care about animals need to know this is a dangerous and harmful amendment. With Issue 2, agribusiness interests are attempting to thwart Humane Society of the United States' and others efforts to stop the most inhumane and unacceptable confinement practices on factory farms in Ohio.

Issue 2 would set up the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board, and write it into the Ohio Constitution. According to a statement sent to the Secretary of State office, this is supposed "to ensure livestock well-being, maintain our food safety, assure our locally grown and raised food supply and protect Ohio farms and families."

Food & Water Watch takes a different view, "While masquerading as an attempt to improve food safety and animal welfare, Issue 2 would give a board of political appointees unchecked power to decide any and all regulations related to animal agriculture."

The broad coalition of organizations opposing Issue 2 includes the Ohio Farmer's Union, the Ohio Environmental Stewardship Alliance, the Ohio Sierra Club, the Ohio League of Women Voters, and The Humane Society of the United States.

Most of the major papers in Ohio oppose Issue 2:

Columbus Dispatch: Wrong Approach–Editorial:

“Don’t use state constitution to set livestock-care rules or other detailed policies.” Read More

Cleveland Plain Dealer: Herding Ohio leaders toward animal treatment laws that big agriculture likes –Editorial

“The General Assembly’s rush to add a “livestock standards” amendment to the Ohio Constitution is as unseemly as it is questionable. Someone at the Statehouse needs to be an adult.” Read More

Akron Beacon Journal: Hurry to Harvest–Editorial

“Amending the Ohio Constitution is serious business, changes made by a statewide vote achieving a permanency no enjoyed by statutes or regulations.”Read More

Dayton Daily News: Animal lovers, farmers both wrong–Editorial

“…nobody should be for settling food fights in the constitution.” Read More

Your assignment: Get out the vote!

www.uaprogressiveaction.com

Election 2008: Join us for our kickoff meeting!

Join UAPA as we officially kick off Election 2008 on Sunday, January 27, and begin the process of electing a new president. Come celebrate past successes, discover future plans and see how you can be a part of grassroots democracy at its best!

UAPA is sponsoring Doug Kelly, Executive Director of the Ohio Democratic Party, to present "Election 2008: The Perfect Storm" on Sunday, January 27, at 7:00 p.m. in the Little Theatre of Upper Arlington High School, 1650 Ridgeview Road.

Sign up to join us.

UAPA's endorsed candidates win re-election

After waiting well over a month for certified election results and taking a break for holiday merriment, we can finally announce that UAPA's best-outcome election scenario won the day in UA's City Council race! A belated thank you to the UA progressive community for realizing the importance of this City Council race and coming out to vote. Our endorsed candidates, Mary Ann Krauss and Ed Seidel, were re-elected in a race that was very close.

Check out our full election analysis.

ProgressiveTalk Radio is back in Columbus

In additon to NPR, progressives in Columbus now have an opportunity to tune into two new stations for in depth news and commentary not readily available on commercial radio or television.

Here's the full article.

What the mainstream media don't tell us about Iran/Iraq

Sunday, January 27th, 2008, 1:30-4:00 PM
Location: IBEW Hall, 23 West 2nd Ave., Columbus, Ohio
Free and open to the public, a free will donation will be requested (suggested donation, $10.00 per person).

Speakers: Nationally reknown experts Scott Ritter and Jeff Cohen.

Click here for more info.

May we suggest...

• Al Franken is running for Senate in Minnesota. His high-school teacher ad is fun to watch.
• Get the real MLK/LBJ story from a man who was in the LBJ administration: Bill Moyers
• Study finds left-wing brain, right-wing brain.
• The Library Of Congress has just put thousands of classic photos on Flickr.
• Canada has placed the U.S. on torture watch list --- along with Iran, China, Syria and others, due in no small part to our treatment of Canadians Maher Arar and Omar Khadr imprisoned in Guantanamo at the age of 15.
• A Science Debate In 2008: An idea whose time has almost come?
• Bill Moyers talks with Jon Stewart.
• The $1.53 Trillion Question: Fallows wonders how long China's support for the US economy will last.
• Huckabee quote: "I believe it's a lot easier to change the Constitution than it would be to change the word of the living God. And that's what we need to do, is to amend the Constitution so it's in God's standards rather than try to change God's standards."
• Interesting video with 3.2 million views the author calls 'The Most Terrifying Video You'll Ever See'.

Famous Last Words

From a 2004 Other Paper story about UAPA:

Tim Rankin, a city council member and president of the UA Republican Club, dismisses all of this as nonsense. The Kerry group, he said, "likes to wear a bunch of T-shirts and write a bunch of letters to the editor. That doesn't mean their support is growing."