Fischer Talks about Plan B: Causing Aneurysms

Mr. Fischer: There's something about only changing your position after a poll tells you that you are going to lose that makes me not really trust you, dude. What other information did you not have access to a year ago?

And WTF are you talking about more transparency and communication by the Bridges Authority? I've NEVER seen you or any of your campaign staff at ANY of the 7 previous Bridges Authority meetings, so how would you even know how communicative they've been?

Also, the website is kind of transparent, already. Check it out: http://www.bridgesauthority.com/
You can even download the agendas and minutes for meetings you never attend. Here's Thursday's below. However, there is an Executive Session at this one. I've yet to find anyone that's saying why, but this means if you plan to speak, it will probably be between 10:30 am - noon, but better get there by 9 am to register!

AGENDA – Bridges Authority September 2010 meeting 
 
WHO:    Louisville and Southern Indiana Bridge Authority 
WHAT:   Meeting No.8 
WHEN:   Thursday, September 2 @ 9:00 a.m. 
WHERE:  Kye’s Building II 
    500 Missouri Avenue 
    Jeffersonville, Indiana 47130 
 
1. Convening of Open Meeting (Kye’s Building II) 
 
2.  Welcoming Remarks 
 
3.  Call to Order/Roll Call 
 
4. Executive Session (Ballroom, Kye’s Building I) 
 
5. Reconvening of Open Meeting (Kye’s Building II) 
 
6. Approval of Minutes 
 
7. Unfinished Business 
 
A. TIGER II Application: Update 
B.Strategy Planning Framework: Adoption of Strategic Objectives 
 
8. New Business 
C.Adoption of Authority Committee Structure 
  D.All Electronic Tolling—Collection and Enforcement Issues 
 
9. Upcoming Meeting Dates 
   
10. Public Comment (4‐minute limit per speaker) 
 
11. Adjournment

Greg Fischer's inventing stuff AGAIN

"Greg will build two new bridges, starting with the East End bridge immediately as planned in the Record of Decision, which will create tens of thousands of construction and other jobs."- As provided to LEO Weekly by the Fischer Campaign

I am grateful that the Fischer campaign is FINALLY acknowledging that the Record of Decision requires construction to begin on the East End bridge first. Weird how he didn't realize that until the cnl2 poll came out, eh?

But, we have a problem, Houston. The first time Fischer talked publicly about the bridges he referred to 50,000 jobs the Bridges Project would create. I videotaped him -because I'm an ass like that. See the 3:12 mark:



In April 2010, Steve Magruder uncovered that the building of the ENTIRE Ohio River Bridges Project would create only 5,400 jobs. (Louisville History and Issues) According to Magruder, one could be enlightened just by turning to page 9, Exhibit 4 of the Bridges Coaltion's own study, where it says "only "5,400 would be directly associated with the construction activity..." (Economic Benefits Assessment of the Ohio River Bridges Project)

I believe in affirmations as much as the next guy. But chanting "Jobs, Jobs, Jobs" doesn't create jobs. Chanting "tens of thousands" of jobs doesn't create "tens of thousands" of jobs, either.

Guthrie Mayes PR FAIL Part 2

Me expresing myself to Freddy.
Photo by I. Jewell

As reported here yesterday, Guthrie Mayes Public Relations is representing the Kentucky Farm Bureau. This observation was made when they bragged about being the voice of the Bureau's mascot, Freddy Farmer. Interestingly enough, it appears that client is no longer listed as a client on their website, and that's enough piece of mind for a least one of their clients, the Arbor Day Foundation:

Guthrie Mayes has several clients that are tax-subsidized with Louisville tax dollars, including the Louisville Free Public Library, Louisville Regional Airport Authority, Greater Louisville, Inc., and Family and Childrens Place.

The Fairness Campaign has been quite effectively leading an awareness campaign to the evils of the Kentucky Farm Bureau. No word yet on whether Fairness will step up to the plate and call out Guthrie Mayes for being, well, the voice of hate.

Me being "who I am" at young age.

As an aside, Guthrie Mayes Public Relations has a really creepy mind-control slogan:

"To change behavior, change beliefs."

Well, here's some breaking news. Being gay is not just a behavior. It's part of who I am. Now that I have your attention, could you please answer my inquiry made via twitter yesterday? (Link) From your website, you claim to "help each client establish and build an effective and engaging social media presence." You might work on returning incoming tweets if you want to impress prospective clients. #imjustsayin

Guthrie Mayes PR FAIL

Why would Guthrie Mayes PR think it would be smart to brag about being the voice of Kentucky Farm Bureau just as the Fairness Campaign is doing an awareness campaign about their anti-fairness policies? Anti-fairness is putting it mildly. KFB has been known to drown gay puppies and throw grenades at rainbows.

6 Biggest Myths about the ORBP

In order to clear up some confusion in the community on the Ohio River Bridges Project, the Say NO to Tolls group released a list of the "6 Biggest Myths about the ORBP."  Say NO to Bridge Tolls is encouraging redefining this vital community initiative to a design that is both reasonable and affordable.

Shawn Reilly, co-founder of Say NO to Tolls said, "There's a lot of misinformation about the Ohio River Bridges Project and even elected officials, like Governor Mitch Daniels, don't understand what's going on. On tolling Ohio River bridges, Daniels said 'It's the only way to do it.' Not only is that fundamentally untrue, he's going against the will of Southern Indiana citizens, who see the building of a toll-free East End bridge as the most viable course." (See myth's 2 & 5 below)

"The New Albany, Indiana City Council passed their resolution against tolls last week because they recognized that Hoosiers can't afford an unprecedented tax increase right now, and Daniels just doesn't get it." Reilly said.

Myth 1 : East End Bridge will not significantly alleviate traffic congestion  

FACT: Building only the East End Bridge will provide MORE RIVER CROSSINGS (10,500 more per day) than any other alternative, according to the 2003 Bridge Environmental Impact Statement

Myth 2: Project cannot be built in phases  

FACT: The Record-of-Decision DOES ALLOW for  incremental implementation.  St. Louis is currently doing just this on its similar bridge project in order to avoid tolling. See newriverbridge.org.

Myth 3: Spaghetti Junction is dangerous and one of nation’s top congested bottlenecks  

FACT: There has only been one death in Spaghetti Junction in the past ten years and I-65’s ‘hospital curve’, which creates many serious accidents, will not be improved by this project.  While Spaghetti Junction does lack emergency pull-off lanes, this is NOT UNIQUE since all other regional cities (Cincinnati, St. Louis, etc.) have the same layout.  INRIX, which is a widely-recognized rating system for traffic issues, DOES NOT RATE Spaghetti Junction as one its 100 worst bottlenecks.

Myth 4:  Sprawl will be generated by the East End Bridge
FACT: Sprawl is actually increasing due to lack of East End Bridge because more people want to avoid the downtown congestion caused by few bridges.  TOLLS  WILL only ACCELERATE SPRAWL  on the Kentucky side since people will not want regularly to pay tolls.  Below: Satellite view of metro  Louis- ville, WITHOUT the Ohio River, which demonstrates amount of open land on Indiana side as opposed to Kentucky side.

Myth 5: Community input supports the Bridges project  

FACT: The community is very frustrated by the continu- ing misinformation as to the skyrocketing costs, schedule, and scope of this massive, inflated project. And, tolls have never been part of community input process. If community input was of value, then the East End Bridge would have already been built since the 3 public polls indicate an overwhelming support for this bridge. A recent public poll by cn2 finds that 85% of public does not support the ORBP 2- bridge proposal, but 50% do support building the East End Bridge. (17% support Downtown Bridge).

Myth 6:  56,000 jobs will be created (per Bridges Coalition)  

FACT: At most, 5,400 TEMPORARY JOBS may be created (per Bridge Coalition’s own ‘Economic Benefits Assessment’)   SUMMARY: The facts do not support the Ohio River Bridges Project as currently proposed.  “Say No to Bridge Tolls” encourages redefining this vital community initiative to a design that is reasonable and affordable. Above: cn2 Poll Results

Say NO to Bridge Tolls is a broad based community group representing tens of thousands of people across Indiana and Kentucky that are opposed to any tolls being placed on existing or new bridges, or the Spaghetti Junction, to pay for the Ohio River Bridges Project.
Link to Facebook Group

GLI Strategy Exposed!

The Pro-tolls Greater Louisville, Inc.,  put up this scary-ass tweet yesterday. (Greater Louisville, Inc. is one of the few members of the AstroTurf Bridges Coalition.) I asked @GLIChamber via twitter to explain what this means, but they ignored my tweet. That's how they roll. I have NO IDEA where they come up with this propaganda:

What are they talking about?

The link goes to the AstroTurf Bridges Authority's facebook page, which is in dire need of facebook fans. (More on Bridges Coalition)  As of this moment, they have like 177 facebook fans, but about 20 of those are toll-opponents that are watching their bullshit.
They put up this tweet last week:

Um, says who?

Not surprisingly, the strategy that they are using in conjunction with the Bridges Coalition is not new. It was originally laid out in 1962:

inclusive engagement: It's what's missing.

Screen shot from tyler4mayor.com

Let's talk about what's missing from Louisville, Ky government.
I first heard the term "inclusive engagement' in September 2009, in Jimmy Moore's living room. About a dozen people gathered one evening to launch a campaign for Tyler Allen as mayor of Louisville. We were crafting the mission and values for the campaign and we needed them FAST for the website. Tyler, who went to Northwestern and knows lots of fancy words, insisted the term be included. Although we didn't even know each other, I objected. Probably saying something like, "No, I think it's stupid and elitist." Tyler was flustered and insisted those two words stay. I yielded.

Over the next 6 months, I became pretty damn enlightened. When Tyler went out into the community, he didn't preach. He listened. And listened. And listened. Whether we were at St. James Art Fair, in Frankfort for the Fairness Lobby, or down Dixie Highway meeting with Brian Tucker, writer of The Valley Report. One night, Tyler introduced himself as a mayor candidate to a hipster at Mag Bar, who promptly revealed he was unemployed, homeless, and not registered to vote. And yet, for the next hour in a smoke-filled room, Tyler probed the kid for what he thought about stuff. It was absolutely exhausting, and yet it was also the most-exciting thing I've ever been a part of.

inclusive engagement

Why is Tyler passionate about inclusive engagement? Well, when he introduced a new idea, 8664, to Louisville, he found out just how disinterested the old guard power structure was in new ideas.

The reason I've been thinking alot about this term right now, is it's precisely what's missing in Louisville, Ky government right now. And I have examples:

1) A couple months ago, my friend Stu Noland was handcuffed and detained in downtown Louisville for writing about the Ohio River Bridges Project with chalk on sidewalks. (link) Ultimately, he took a deal and paid a fine in fact. My buddy at the ACLU assured me they were watching the situation. Well, what the hell were they watching for? They never stepped up to help him out, and his public defender finally told him to take the deal. Now there's a precedent that's kind of ridiculousness.


2) This morning I was looking over the facebook page for John Yarmuth, and I saw this inquiry to the right, which I think is pretty damn legitimate question. One that's been up without an answer for 14 days now. So I commented on the page, in disgust: "Why do you guys even fucking have facebook if you are going to ignore questions?"  It was no surprise, the comment was deleted, just as it is no surprise David's question is still unanswered. 

3) Yesterday the Greg Fischer campaign put up their first commercial with the comments disabled, only to later take the video down and put it back up after I complained. While I'm grateful they reacted to my rant, why the hell would I have to rant about this? If they want to inclusively engage the public, then it would make sense they would want them to comment, am I right? But do they?

4) It's no secret I have very little love for the AstroTurf Bridges Coalition. Today marks Day 23 that they took down a youtube video that had comments enabled so they could re-upload it with them disabled. (link). As an aside both to the Fischer campaign and the Bridges Coalition, you could just change your settings, you didn't have to take the videos down. (Learn how to use the internet.) The reason the Bridges Coalition doesn't want their videos commented on? It's because they don't wish to inclusively engage the community. Period.

5) And finally, the latest failure at inclusive engagement: Ed Clere, an Indiana State Representative, has apparently deleted dozens of comments, one of which was mine, asking him to explain his position supporting tolls for the Ohio River Bridges Project. (NA Confidential)

So now I've been blogging for a year and half, this is #287 in fact, I get 1-3 calls, emails a week from people suggesting that I take down this tweet, or this blog or this facebook status. When are you political insiders going to learn that social media is a two-way street? Yes, you can get your message out, but can't ignore or squelch feedback or questions from citizens. The practice is wrong, and it makes you looks stupid, disengaged and out of touch when you do it.

That's where inclusive engagement comes in. The days of controlling information and ignoring dissent, are over. For those of us that feared Noam Chomsky saw the end of the world with his discovery of manufacturing consent, we can breathe a sigh of relief and celebrate. Because it's not going to go down like that at all. If you're stuck in your 20th century paradigm of controlling information, it's time to accept that you have lost.

Sure you can wash away Stu's comments on Louisville sidewalks. You can even delete my comments on your facebook wall, or your youtube channel, but you can't delete the ideas themselves.
And you certainly can't delete them from my blog. Give it up.

coming along “just fine”

Okay, I know I said I wasn't going to bring him up again. But he's made an annoying commercial to woo South end voters that feel, correctly so, that their neighborhoods have been neglected. He feels our downtown is coming along “just fine”? Really?


First thing to notice about this youtube upload:

Fischer-siting at Ky State Fair

"Adding comments has been disabled for this video." 

Funny, that's the same kind of non-inclusive engagement we've seen with Abramson's Bridges Coalition video. Probably because Fischer plans to run things about the same way. Why are you scared of viewer comments, guys?

His perspective from his father’s 2-story, $3 million penthouse of Waterfront Park Place is quite different from what I see when I’m walking Boomer downtown. I see empty storefronts, a record amount of homeless hungry folks, a complete absence of REAL affordable start-up housing. A downtown is the heart of the city, and not only does this Abramson-clone want to ignore it’s decline, he wants to accelerate it by building a 23-lane spaghetti junction over Waterfront Park. Yes, neighborhoods are a priority, but the either/or simplification is short-sighted and sophomoric. Frankly, downtown is a neighborhood, too. And the sooner you old white guys realize that and make it livable for people, our potential will be unleashed.

8.25.2010 4:34 pm UPDATE

Bowing to pressure from who knows where, the Fischer campaign has taken down the initial video and put it back up with comments enabled. For your future reference guys, you could have just went in and changed the settings. Would have not only been more discrete, it would have allowed all the links to the 1st video to be live, like from the LEO Weekly. Yeah, you guys suck at the internet still. Here's the new upload:

Tour de Farms This Saturday

Just got this 411 from the Jackie Green for Mayor Campaign. Looks like a great way to spend a Saturday:

Tour de Farms: Support Our Local Food Economy Awareness Bike Ride to Farms in Floyds Fork         
             
SATURDAY, AUGUST 28th 8am-noon
                            
Whether you carpool or bike on your own, we will all be meeting at the Courier Bike Shop (2132 Frankfort Avenue) at 8:00am to leave together for the Nature Preserve.

IF YOU CARPOOL: You will need to have your own bike rack (or other bike transportation) to drive to the Nature Preserve to begin the tour.

Short Ride: 5 miles - Long Ride: 13 miles. Bring a helmet, water, and sack lunch! But most importantly, HAVE FUN! Official Tour Begins at Blackacre Nature Preserve at 9:00am, 3200 Tucker Station Road, Louisville, 40299. Email to sign up: tourdefarms502@gmail.com
                                                                                                                                                          

On Wilbur Smith Study

This has been bothering me every since Thursday. When the Wilber Smith folks were presenting their tolling study to the Bridges Authority, they bragged on how they'd interviewed all the members of the unelected Authority. They DID NOT explain why they did not interview a sample of "stake holders" in the project. Yeah, that really bothers me.

BTW- The term "stake holders" makes me sick on a fundamental level. I know it's cool, I even heard 6th District candidate David James use it on the radio today. But here's some reality: The term stake holders is just the fanciest way EVER to sound inclusive while not being inclusive of the poor. What's implicit in the term, is that investors have a "stake" in the outcome, and if you're not an investor, you don't have a "stake"- so you're not a "stake holder."

Shawn Reilly presenting to Bridges Authority

WHOA! New Albany City Council = Sweetness

If you haven't heard, the New Albany City Council last night passed a resolution against tolls, and endorsing the East End bridge.

Details will be in the Saturday edition of the News and Tribune, but I just wanted to get it up and tag the toll trolls, because this is going to suck for them, and I want it to show up in their google news alert email.

We can build an East End bridge without tolls. And that thing you pulled this week on State of Affairs Jerry where you answered my question with "I don't really have the figure but we don't have enough to build the East End bridge." Yep, right there. That's the reason your chosen successor has no chance of my endorsement.

Oh, and let me put on my troll wizard hat and predict the future. (Calling it 2 days out):

"Come Sunday, we'll find The Courier-Journal | courier-journal.com's Metro edition will have an Editorial that mysteriously won't be found in the Indiana edition. Yep- You guys are THAT PREDICTABLE."

Oh, get your 411 on the NA Confidential.

NO Bridge Tolls means NO Tolls on Spaghetti Junction Either

Shawn Reilly addressing the Prospect LASIBA meeting

I want to acknowledge Louisville mayoral candidate Jackie Green for attending the meeting and speaking during public comments, and also mayoral candidate Hal Heiner for sending Joe Burgan to represent him. Joe took furious notes, and later today we found out why: Heiner's response to the tolling Spaghetti Junction.

I also want to make fun of Larry Hausman. You'll remember he's the Republican  Congressional candidate that got fewer votes in the 2010 Primary than I got in the County Judge/Exec race. (The Ville Voice). He made the argument today that we need all the bridges we can get because of the growing population which is caused by immigration. And of course, he added, "some of whom are even legal immigrants."

My ears hurt. And yes, Larry, it was me that heckled you when you said the Ohio River Bridges Project will create 50,000 jobs. I heckled you because that's a lie. (LEO) It was picked up by the AstroTurf Bridges Coalition and now you're recycling it. Can you even picture 50,000 people working on a bridge? I think the number is closer to like 4,000.As for your assertion I was being disrespectful for heckling, you're really going to need to toughen up. If you can't control what comes out of your mouth, don't be surprised when it gets thrown back at you.

Okay, this is lazy, but I'm just going to post up the press release I made up for the Say NO to Bridge Tolls Group. Enjoy.

Media Release: NO Bridge Tolls means NO Tolls on Spaghetti Junction Either

Date:  Thursday, August 19 @ 4:15 pm

CONTACT:        
Curtis Morrison,
Communications Director
Say NO to Bridge Tolls
curt@curtmorrison.com 502.403.9498

During today's meeting of the Louisville Southern Indiana Bridges Authority in Prospect, Ky, Wilbur Smith and Associates presented detailed tolling scenarios including plans to toll Louisville's Spaghetti Junction with toll rates as high as $3. The plan Wilbur Smith presented would have local drivers paying a toll every time they drive through Spaghetti Junction. Say NO to Bridge Tolls co-founder Shawn Reilly said, "Tolling Spaghetti Junction would be just as epic a mistake as tolling existing Ohio River bridges. The benefits just don't outweigh the costs. Forcing the working people of our community to pay for this boondoggle is just insane."

When asked about the Wilbur Smith study as a reliable predictor of revenue, Reilly said "Tolling studies like this one are almost always wrong. The Denver Post has already uncovered that, yet here we are in Louisville being asked to rely on one and it just doesn't make any sense."

During a break in the meeting, Kerry Stemler, Co-Chairman of the Authority, told journalist that there's "no stone we shouldn't be looking under" to find funding options for the project. Yet when asked about opening up the record of decision, Stemler told reporters "We're focused strictly on the project at hand to finance the record of decision...the Authority is not looking at options."  Curtis Morrison, with Say NO to Bridge Tolls said "It's inconceivable the Authority can claim to be looking at all options while insisting they aren't looking at all options." "Obviously, the project could be divided into affordable phases that don't require tolls, so they can't have it both ways." Morrison said.

Say NO to Bridge Tolls is a broad based community group representing thousands of people across Indiana and Kentucky that are opposed to any tolls being placed on existing or new bridges, or the Spaghetti Junction, to pay for the Ohio River Bridges Project.

Link to Facebook Group

Link to Denver Post "Road to riches Paved with bad projections"

Link to cn|2 August Poll on Ohio River Bridges Project


.

TRUCKERS AGAINST TOLLING?

BUT, BUT, I THOUGHT THE BRIDGES COALITION SAID ALL TRUCKERS WERE PRO-TOLLING? OOPSIES.
CHECK THIS OUT: Owner-Operator Independent Driver's Association

BOZA 2B renamed BOZO

A credible source tells me that last Thursday, JBS/Swift's lawyer requested that the Louisville Board of Zoning Appeals grant a six-month extension of time for the company to exercise its modified conditional use permit (which was approved on August 31, 2009).  But OOPSIES, Kentucky Statute required it to have been filed at least thirty days before the expiration of permit (August 31, 2010). The company made its request about 2 weeks late —so it would have had to cease it's smelly operations on September 1, 2010, and comply not with 1890 standards for it's "campus" but um, 2010 standards. Something tells me that would suck for them.

Last Friday afternoon, the company’s request was put on the BOZA agenda for Monday morning — without any notice to the Butchertown Neighborhood Association. On Monday morning, you guess it, the Board granted the company’s request in business session, supposedly without any legal basis given.

In the midst of all this chaos, my source says BOZA Chair Leah Stewart has been relieved of her service, but there's no mention of this on the BOZA website. I've got a call into BOZA to see who they're replacing Stewart with. (Apparently the person that answers the BOZA phone wasn't authorized to give that information out.)

It's no secret that Mayor Jerry Abramson has been friendly to Swift in the past, but this might have crossed some lines. If the Butchertown Neighborhood Association appeals this extension, this may bring a lot of sunlight to Stewart's removal, which could be awkward for Abramson's future.

How many other boards and commissions does he plan to replace between now and the end of his term? And with Abramson as his running mate, does Steve Beshear really want that kind of legacy to follow them into next year's Kentucky Governor election? 

******* UPDATE: 8.18.2010, 3:51 pm******
Connie Ewing with Louisville Metro just returned my call with the following information: BOZA will set a date to elect a new chair AFTER the Louisville Metro Council appoints a new member to the Board.

Rand Paul News

Actually, I don't know Japanese, but I think that part of this is about Rand Paul and his Senate campaign.

The Plastic Bag Movie, AND tUESDAY eT aL...

2) Ken Herndon filed as a Write-In Candidate today for Louisville's 6th District Metro Council. (WFPL) I think this is amazing and awesome and just what the Democratic party should have expected. Failed mayoral candidate and Metro Councilman Jim King, and blogger Jake Payne believe otherwise. (The Ville Voice) Connect the dots on your own.

3) During my limited experience as a citizen crime tipster last week, I became aware that the Louisville Metro Police Department  has blocked it's employees on facebook. This is RIDICULOUS for 2 reasons. 1) It keeps them out of the loop on what's actually going on with breaking missing person investigations. 2) We could be using facebook to solve crimes like Police Departments in other cities. (Suffolk Law) Wassup, Chief White?

4) Was just on the Application Form for Louisville Metro Boards and Commissions and noticed that well, it's buggish. Just in case we have regime change, and Board and Commission members aren't chosen by Republic Bank, maybe you guys that got paid a gazillion dollars to put Jerry's latest picture all over the metro website should take a look at fixing it. Thanks!

I APOLOGIZE..

I APOLOGIZE...on behalf of the ridiculous behavior of the Greater Louisville Association of Realtors, of which I am a member. Yes, they plan to exclude Jackie Green from their upcoming interviews. And yes, the reason they gave is they were excluding Independent candidates. When I point out that this would also disqualify the incumbent 6th District Metro Councilmember Deonte Hollowell, they email me back to add the word "incumbent". In other words, they just aren't being inclusive of Jackie Green because they are assclowns. Yes, someone file some Realtor ethics complaint against me for calling the association leadership assclowns. I really don't care.

Pretty-Curious Sponsored Links

I'm not sure who is paying for this sponsored link, but it's pretty curious, wouldn't you say? Republicans are getting kind of clever with the internet web-tubes.

If I was running a campaign against Jerry Abramson...

Which I'm not. Technically. This is the image I would use for the campaign:

This is located on Jefferson Street across from Norton's Hospital. What it's about, if not a commentary on the non-inclusive Democratic party machine of Jerry Abramson and his anointed successor, I have no idea.

Jackie Green Calls out Heiner and other guy on Sustainability

.Got this press release from Jackie Green today:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Statement from Independent mayoral candidate Jackie Green.

Louisville– August 15, 2010:

Yesterday I attended the Soil Summit at the NIACenter.  The small irony in Soil Summit participants working to "createsoil by the pound" while Greg Fischer and  Hal Heiner work to "destroy soil by the farm" was painful.  The Fischer/Heiner platforms work against sustainable policies in land use and transportation.  As such, their platforms work against greater energy independence.  The impact of unsustainable policies in land use, transportation and energy will weaken our local economy.

Fischer and Heiner both profess support of public transit and passenger rail while promising progress on the Ohio River Bridges Project.  These are financially difficult times.  We must choose carefully our transportation investments. We cannot afford to have it all.

We are also facing difficult times in climate.  Record breaking weather events are becoming more common world wide.  While Heiner is on record as not believing in man-made climate change, Fischer's land use and transportation policies do nothing to address global warming.

Jackie Green's platform

Correcting the basics of our local economy
Developing a low energy, a clean energy, diverse, strong economy
Supporting existing neighborhoods rather than unsustainable development
Protecting our local food economy by protecting local farms and fields
Distributing affordable housing in every school district
Investing in the education of our children, not in a fleet of school buses
Making our streets safe enough to walk and bicycle
Giving school assignment preferences to students who will walk and/or bicycle to school
Reducing public infrastructure subsidies for unsustainable development
Investing in the livability of ourexisting neighborhoods
Developing a world class public transit system that serves all of Louisville's citizens before building any new Ohio River bridge that serves those who want to avoid Louisville
(Ohio River Bridges Project) (Tolls)
Linking Louisville to Indianapolis, Cincinnati, St. Louis and Nashville by passenger rail
Participating in the nation's high speed rail project
Reducing our local economy's huge fuel dependency (Cheap, plentiful fuel)
Improving quality, affordable housing within our neighborhoods
Improving energy efficiencies in architecture
Building and solar panels locally
Installing solar panels on a large scale locally
Jackie Green

Louisville's only sustainable platform

Also, Green's campaign manager, social justice activist Tyler Hess, is returning to Depauw for college today, which may be what's best for him, but a kinda a loss for Louisville. Hess is probably the only 18-year old ever to school not one, but two (within a month), Governor-appointed Authorities on how they're screwing up his city. We need more young people speaking up on what's wrong with misguided public works projects. If that describes you, get in touch with me. Thanks.

2 Funny 2 Title

Thanks to the Ville Voice for bringing this gem to our attention:




Announcement: Beginning now through the general election, I'm only covering Jackie Green and  Hal Heiner in this blog. I believe them to be the only two viable and responsible candidates to choose from. Sorry Nimbus! And here's some more kudos for Hal for his reasonable and sane speak on tolls to cn2:

USDOT Review Meeting Recap

Is that Reynolds wrap?

First, for all of you who thought I was the only one in the room recording video of this meeting, I have failed you. I didn't push the "capture" button on my mac. so I wasn't recording. Sean Rose with CJ gave the meeting pretty comprehensive coverage (link)  He made a point to bring up that Jackie Green was the only mayoral candidate in attendance. Interestingly, Jackie's also the only candidate that had supporters that spoke to the panel too.

I really have no idea why Greg Fischer is never within 10 miles of a meeting discussing anything about transportation, yet he had the AUDACITY to say he was a leader in the subject yesterday when Heiner made his press release. That's a stupid campaign strategy and I suspect it will be credited as what lost him the election. Actually, I think I'm going to start ignoring Fischer like he ignores transportation issues. Yes, excellent. It's Green vs. Heiner henceforth.

I wasn't the only one surprised Kathy Hinko wasn't quoted, though. She made the strongest arguments I had ever heard on why our transportation planning is segregationist.

I did a very gay dramatic stunt, too. Asked everyone in the audience who believe their perspective influenced the Record of Decision (ROD) to raise their hands: Zero hands raised. 

Then I asked who in the room supported using tolls to pay for the ORBP AS-IS: Only David Blank raised his hand. I think my question confused him though, because he's was quoted in CJ article wishing to revise the ROD.

Basically there were these 4 people required by law to listen to a room full of us over-educated know-it-alls tell them why our local transportation planning is not effective. Ironically, I believe few of us in the room actually understand how our local transportation planning works, so that's probably part of the failure as well. On the part of KIPDA for not educating us and on the part of us for not demanding it before.

Panel required to listen to us. They look pumped up eh?

Finally, if you want to check out my tweets that were live during the meeting, go see them. I don't feel like transcribing them. I know, lazy: http://twitter.com/LCourant. Oh, your lazy too: here they were:

1. #Hipster geographer speaking to the need for public transit http://ow.ly/i/38jE about 12 hours ago via HootSuite
   
   • Reply
   • Retweet
2. 
   
     
   "Do we rly believe building 2 new bridges will make us a world-class city?"- Last commenter is depressing EVERYONE! http://ow.ly/i/38jv about 13 hours ago via HootSuite
   
   • Reply
   • Retweet
3. 
   
     
   Stu Noland is SCREAMING about downtown part of #ORBP Literally. He's angry. Don't steal his chalk. about 13 hours ago via HootSuite
   
   • Reply
   • Retweet
4. 
   
     
   "I believe it's never too late to try turn around a runaway train"- Martina Kunnecke, President of NPP speaking about #ORBP about 13 hours ago via HootSuite
   
   • Reply
   • Retweet
5. 
   
     
   RT @smarkreilly: USDOT- dominated by a public against ORBP and Tolls about 13 hours ago via HootSuite
   
   • Reply
   • Retweet
6. 
   
     
   I asked audience 1) Raise hand if ROD was included ur input? 0 hands 2) Raise hand if u support tolls 2 pay 4 #ORBP? 1 hand #orbp #fail about 13 hours ago via HootSuite
   
   • Reply
   • Retweet
7. 
   
     
   Up now at USDOT-meeting, @smarkreilly w/ @NObridgeTOLLS, "I suggest dividing #ORBP into affordable phases" #orbp about 13 hours ago via HootSuite
   
   • Reply
   • Retweet
8. 
   
     
   Bill Wright, who is blind, speaking to USDOT panel- "KIPDA meetings are inaccessible". Also-recommends public transportation beyond TARC. about 13 hours ago via HootSuite
   
   • Reply
   • Retweet
9. 
   
     
   Steve Magruder w/ @LouisvilleHI just voiced intense criticisms of Louisville's transportation planning. Go Steve! #USDOTMeeting #Louisville about 13 hours ago via HootSuite
   
   • Reply
   • Retweet
10. 
    
      
    Sweet dreams! RT @phillipmbailey: #nap #thatisall about 13 hours ago via HootSuite
    
    • Reply
    • Retweet
11. 
    
      
    David Morse w/CART asks panel Y we don't have population proportional representation? Panel admits more providers than users. #USDOTmeeting about 13 hours ago via HootSuite
    
    • Reply
    • Retweet
12. 
    
      
    @courierjournal Glad to see you guys sent Sean Rose to cover #USDOTmeeting. He's easy on the eyes. No offense, Marcus! about 14 hours ago via HootSuite in reply to courierjournal
    
    • Reply
    • Retweet
13. 
    
      
    All these notes are on Kathy Hinko w/ Louisville Metro Housing comments. She just said planning is "segregationist": http://ow.ly/i/38gj about 14 hours ago via HootSuite
    
    • Reply
    • Retweet
14. 
    
      
    Kathy Hinko w/Metro Housing says our transportation planning hasn't supported fair housing #USDOTmeeting #Louisville about 14 hours ago via HootSuite
    
    • Reply
    • Retweet
15. 
    
      
    25% of the #USDOTMeeting audience = UDOT & KIPDA employees & they're all huddled together: http://ow.ly/i/38fp about 14 hours ago via HootSuite
    
    • Reply
    • Retweet
16. 
    
      
    Should we be concerned US Dept of Transportation uses #Reynoldswrap? http://ow.ly/i/38et #usdotmeeting 
    
    UPDATE: Videos from this meeting being uploaded in later post: LINK
    
     

Heiner Clip from this Morning

Courtesy of WHAS:

Fischer FREAKS-OUT! LIES!

Today is Christmas if you want to laugh. Dan Klepal with Courier Journal has already got Greg Fischer's FREAKED-OUT reaction to Hal Heiner's 5-Idea Plan, but my favorite line:

Matthew Mitcham

“The fact is I’ve been leading on these issues for the past year...”- Greg Fischer

Um, yeah, saying Greg has been out leading the community on scaling down the ORBP is a lot like me saying I have the abs of the Australian diver, Matthew Mitcham. Because if EITHER of these things were actually true, Greg and I would both get a lot more of what we want most, respectfully.

See Greg wants MORE votes, and well, he's on the wrong train for that since he supports tolls and destroying Waterfront Park. It's not too late but my bet is he's going to let this opportunity pass.

Considering I have a stock photo of Mitcham on my desktop, it's probably not a secret what I want MORE of, but alas, citizen journalism comes at a price.

BTW- To the little twirp known as "tas1978" that called me "Anti-Fairness Morrison" for not endorsing Greg last week, in a LEO Weekly Jerry's Kids story comment- THANK YOU! I know it's not as catching as Christopher 2X but I might co-opt it nonetheless. Not only because it's hilarious and demonstrates how ridiculously misguided you are, but because I'm bored having the nickname "Equality". Idiot.

Waterfront Park Walking Tours

Here's a chance to explore Louisville's historic Waterfront Park before the ORBP butchers it:

"Free waterfront walking tours with historian Rick Bell
 A series of free walking tours, led by local historian Rick Bell, will explore the history of Louisville's riverfront and the development of today's acclaimed Waterfront Park. Beginning at the Belle of Louisville's landing at the Fourth Street wharf, the 90-minute tours will end at the Lincoln Memorial. Bell will describe the riverfront's importance to the growth of Louisville from its founding during the American Revolution, through its glory days during the Steamboat Era, to its renaissance as one of the world's most successful maritime recreational parks.

Suggestion:     Participants should wear comfortable shoes and bring drinking water
and sunscreen.

Admission:     Free!  No registration required.  Just show up!

Tour Dates:    
Saturday, August 21               10:00 – 11:30 am
Sunday, August 22                 2:00 – 3:30 pm
Saturday, September 25         10:00 – 11:30 am
Sunday, September 26            2:00 – 3:30 pm

Tour Begins:   Belle of Louisville landing, Fourth Street wharf" 

How Backwards Can Kentucky Be?

The Kentucky Public Service Commission is chomping at the beat to get media coverage for getting a twitter account: KYPSC, but they sound like they have no intention, or skills to use it effectively. According to WFPL,

"When complaints are received, he says the sender will be connected with a phone number or e-mail address of someone who can help."

Here's an idea. How about teaching the tween you hired to operate the twitter machine how to help people that are sending in complaints instead of how to transfer them to somewhere else?
#twittervirgin #fail.

What concerns me most is that you guys are probably going to do the same thing with your twitter account that Beshear's Clean Energy Corps did. They set up MyGreenKyHome, and kind of forgot about it. Funny thing about them, that's one of only 15 people that GovSteveBeshear follows, yet they haven't tweeted since December?

Finally, the KYPSC is going to see how this goes, and if it works out, they might consider getting on facebook. Seriously? They might? Okay, facebook now has like a trillion members- what are they waiting to see exactly? The point is, this is a medium that people are communicating, and whether you are in the public or private sector, if you want to communicate with people- you need to get on facebook. Thank you.

Public Comments at the KIPTIA Meeting

If you're an ORBP nerd, you'll enjoy these public comments given yesterday by:

David Morse, Curtis Morrison, Martina Kunnecke:

 

Oh text from my sister Lizzie last night at 4 am:

"Do u always use your hands that much while speaking? Is it a conscious thing?"

And Shawn Reilly and J.C. Stites:

And 7th District Metro Council Candidate Patrick Duerr:

Like that Shawn? lolz.
Now, Here's Tyler Hess, 18, of Louisville talking about the implications of hitting "rock bottom" with respect to our addiction to oil, on the ORBP. If you think that sounds far-fetched, the guy running the KIPTIA meeting referenced how the deepening of the Panama Canal would affect the ORBP. I think Tyler's a little more spot on.
(BTW- Someone please comment whether "spot on" has a hyphen, it's not in my style book)




And Cherise Williams also serves Mr. Nicklies:

Do Some Propoganda, Already!

As many of you know, the Bridges Coalition, the AstroTurf set up by Mayor Jerry Abramson to counter 8664, has released a video last yesterday afternoon that was special. Within 30 views I'd already received 8 texts, 10 emails, and 4 phone calls. Within this little video were so many lies, no one has time to itemize them. (My money is on 37, though.)

Also, my big money on the biggest lie is the alleged quote by Mayor Neville Miller. I'm not historian, but I don't recall the effort to re-build Louisville after the flood had anything to do with Greg Fischer's plan to attract new jobs to the city. Someone want to go to the Filson to vet that one for us?

While the Coalition originally uploaded the video to a new channel called "Build the Bridges Now", someone must have said that sounded a little impatient. Today they uploaded the video to their old youtube channel, just plain "Build the Bridges". I recorded yesterday's version before it was taken down & have added some light commentary:


Here are some of my favorite comments on facebook about this video from when it went up the first time: 

 "God, I couldn't even make it through the first minute." - Eric Brown

 "What a steaming, stinking pile of dog shit! For them to put this kind of effort into a rebuttal, they must be, well, scared. One would think they're in the driver's seat, but this seems paranoid."- Ken Wilson

 "Louisville: moving backwards at 55 MPH" - Stu Noland

"The most rage I've felt in months. Ahhhhh" -Tyler Hess

Today's version posted on their old youtube channel is identical but without my heckling:


Comments are now disabled and that's probably the reason yesterday's upload was deleted. That's a pretty extreme practice for an AstroTurf to disable viewer comments. Usually they pay people to make comments or delete comments they don't like. Even the National Organization for Marriage doesn't completely disable them.