Got an email from the Gordon campaign regarding the first of several policy papers. The most revealing piece of info:
What initially motivated me to run for alderman? It was my interest in improvements for our parks and lakefront, neither of which is a concern for our current alderman. It’s never been on his radar. After 16 years in office that is totally unacceptable. Our community is defined by a unique shoreline - a mile and a half of tranquil and accessible beaches which should not be neglected.
This is why he decided to run and this suggests to me that the parks and lakefront are his first priority. I love parks and the lakefront too. They are Chicago's jewels and should be protected. However, they aren't the most important issue on my list. I'll be very interested in the rest of his papers.
3 comments:
Two standards for evaluating a candidate: Have they actually done anything for the neighborhood in the past? Do they have a history of working with neighborhood organizations?
If you note, Gordon's freshly-minted policy paper includes absolutely no history of working with any Rogers Park organizations, nor any mention of a plan to do so in the future. Shouldn't someone interested in the lakefront have a history of working with the Rogers Park Community Council, for example? Joe Moore founded a "Park and Lakefront Resident Advisory Council," which Don Gordon took over several years ago, and changed its name to the Rogers Park Conservancy. And ground its activities to a halt.
Go over to the Rogers Park Conservancy website and read their Community Needs Assessment on that site. Of 800+ suggestions of how to improve the parks, committed to paper over two years ago, Don Gordon has accomplished exactly none - zero, zilch, nada.
Then consider the importance of working with local organizations. It's a test of the ability to collaborate, combined with an interest in the neighborhood. Sure, not every candidate is going to work with every organization. But someone interested in helping the neighborhood should probably have some history of being involved with at least a couple. There are so many - RPCC, DevCorp, Loyola, a dozen block clubs, dozens of churches, and so many others.
Last time I criticized one of Gordon's policy initiatives like this, it disappeared off his website, and was replaced by something that took my criticisms into account. We'll see if Gordon takes my advice this time, too.
Good points. I'll be looking further. And now that I am off the travel beat, I'll be able to spend some time visiting the candidates in person.
Instead of preaching Don's propaganda on these blogs, you should find a way to pay down your own campaign debt Michael.
As for his CAPS task force, please, he's been little more than a paper weight at the table.
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