Video: City Council Candidate Forum #2

A video is now available for the May 6, 2009 City Council Candidate Forum.

Watch the video below:

Charlottesville Democrats hold forum for three City Council candidates
from Charlottesville Tomorrow on Vimeo.

Charlottesville Democrats hold forum for three City Council candidates

By Sean Tubbs & Brian Wheeler
Charlottesville Tomorrow
Thursday, May 7, 2009

The three Democratic candidates seeking their party’s nomination for the two open seats on the Charlottesville City Council have held their final debate before an open primary on Saturday, May 9, 2009. Incumbents Dave Norris and Julian Taliaferro along with challenger Kristin Szakos spent an hour answering questions at the party’s candidates’ forum on May 6, 2009.

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Listen using player above or download the podcast: Download 20090506-Dems-Candidates-Forum

Watch the video: Video: City Council Candidate Forum #2

Mayor Dave Norris said that if he is re-elected, he looks forward to the revitalization of the City’s public housing sites. He says redevelopment will be the community’s “best opportunity” to increase the amount of affordable housing units. Norris also said he would like Council to have more authority over the hiring and firing  of City department heads.

Challenger Kristin Szakos called for holding City Council meetings outside of Council Chambers, meetings where dinner and childcare would be made available to attendees. Szakos also said she supported a dedicated City fund for affordable housing, called for the upgrading of the Charlottesville Transit System to a “more urban” system, and said she would be a careful watchdog of City staff.

Incumbent Julian Taliaferro said he wanted to complete the community’s 50-year water supply plan, defended his unwillingness to support a dedicated affordable housing fund, and said he has the experience to help the City through the next few years of economic turmoil. Taliaferro also said he is capable of standing up to City Manager Gary O’Connell. 

Moderator Sean McCord had the opportunity to ask questions on current issues facing the City. None of the candidates felt the City had the responsibility to help complete the abandoned Landmark Hotel project on the Downtown Mall. 

On the topic of the Hillsdale Drive/Regal Cinema 4 expansion issue, Norris said a “communications breakdown” between City staff and the developers has lead to a misunderstanding that he said could be solved by moving the road’s alignment. Szakos said the City did not do a good job of bringing all the stakeholders together to explain the road’s purpose. Taliaferro did not directly answer this question, but did explain why he continued to be a supporter of the Meadowcreek Parkway.

Saturday’s unassembled caucus will be held from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM at Burley Middle School on Rose Hill Drive in Charlottesville. Registered City voters can participate as long as they are willing to sign a loyalty pledge that says they will not support another party’s candidate or an independent candidate in the general election.

See Charlottesville Tomorrow's Election Watch page for complete coverage of the City's 2009 elections.

TIMELINE FOR PODCAST:

• 01:00 – Introduction of forum from moderator Sean McCord
• 02:40 – Opening statement from Mayor Dave Norris
• 04:10 – Opening statement from challenger Kristin Szakos
• 05:10 – Opening statement from incumbent Julian Taliaferro
• 07:00 – Question #1: “If you are elected or re-elected to the City Council and you return to a public forum like this a year from now, what would you like to say you accomplished after this year?”
• 11:30 – Question #2: “What distinguishes you as a Democratic candidate and what are the advantages of electing Democrats to City Council?”
• 17:00 – Question #3: “Do you think the City and the City taxpayers have a responsibility to help finish the Landmark Hotel project, and what would you like to see done with it?”
• 19:30 – Question #4: “Regal Cinema 4 has announced plans to rebuild their cinema behind K-Mart with additional screens and stadium seating. Many area residents are excited that they won’t have to drive to Short Pump in order to have a modern movie-going experience. Unfortunately, that theater sits directly in the path of the $30 million proposed road construction project to extend Hillsdale Drive to Hydraulic Road. At the same time, a group of concerned citizens have gone to court to prevent the construction of the Meadowcreek Parkway through McIntire Park. What do you propose, both short term and long term, as a solution to our traffic problems and to citizen opposition to building new roads?”
• 27:30 – Audience question #1: “We have a city manager form of government, and over the years I’ve come to believe that the city manager wields more power than anyone else for setting priorities and making decisions. My question to all three of you is, what system do you have in place to watchdog the city manager?”
• 33:30 – Audience question #2: (directed at Taliaferro) “You mentioned affordable housing in your opening statement. On several occasions, you have publicly endorsed the creation of a dedicated fund for affordable housing, but when it came time to vote for it, you were the deciding vote against it. How do you reconcile your public statements against it with your [previous] campaign promises?”
• 39:00 – Audience question #3: “I hear each Council member speak for affordable housing. The last time I heard someone talk about affordable housing they  built 12 houses in the 10th and Page neighborhood, and they were all $300,000 homes. Can someone define affordable housing and who are they going to build these affordable housing units for when a large majority of people in this town are not doctors and lawyers and only have incomes [between] $30,000 or $35,000? What kind of affordable housing are we offering those citizens?”
• 42:35 – Audience question #4: “You are supposed to be voting the will of the people. You’re up there representing me and other people in this room and other people not in this room. I don’t want you to vote what you think is best. I want you to vote what I think is best and what your constituents say is the best. Would you comment on that, please?”
• 48:00 – Norris asks Szakos: “What is it about community organizing that has helped to shape the way you would serve this community as a City Councilor?”
• 50:00 – Szakos asks Norris: “What is one thing that you were not able to  achieve during your first term that you’re running for reelection so that you can accomplish?”
• 52:00: Taliaferro asks Norris: “How do you think we can bring more pressure to bear to move [the 50 year community water supply] forward?”
• 53:45 – Closing statement from Taliaferro
• 54:45 – Closing statement from Szakos
• 55:55 – Closing statement from Norris
• 57:45 – Comments from City Democratic Co-Chair Jonathan Blank

Video: City Council Candidate Forum

A transcript and video are now available for the April 21, 2009 City Council Candidate Forum.

Download the transcript by Charlottesville Tomorrow.

Watch the video below:

Norris, Szakos and Taliaferro appear at first City Council candidate forum
from Charlottesville Tomorrow on Vimeo.

Dave Norris calls for a “Greener Charlottesville”

By Fania Gordon & Brian Wheeler
Charlottesville Tomorrow
Friday, April 24, 2009

Several days before the official kickoff of Earth Week, Charlottesville Mayor, Dave Norris (D), called for action to make Charlottesville greener both literally (by a “significant expansion of green space”) and figuratively (by promoting environmentally friendly features and practices).  On April 14, 2009, Norris presented his Proposal for a Greener Charlottesville at a press conference in Northeast Park.  Norris has held a series of media events related to his current re-election campaign for City Council.

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Listen using player above or download the podcast: Download 20090414-Norris-Green

Norris’ proposal includes recommendations to:

• Increase the City’s tree canopy from 32% to 40% or more through public and private efforts.
• Encourage construction of green roofs by facilitating their construction through incentive programs, technical assistance and support.
• Convert “rivers and seas of barren asphalt” into landscaped green streets and green parking lots, and install more pocket parks and community gardens.
• Purchase and preserve green space and new park land while enhancing existing parks by planting more native species.

At their September 2008 retreat, City Council identified achieving a 40% tree canopy as one of seven major priorities for 2008-2010. Norris expressed frustration about how difficult it has been to actually realize the Council’s tree canopy objectives.  “We’ve been talking about that for at least two years, and I’m frankly a little frustrated we haven’t gotten to the point of taking action on it,” said Norris.  “We need to implement a bold plan of action,” Norris said.

Norris said City Council had not yet received an Urban Forestry Management Plan that was supposed to be completed by January 1, 2009, according to the City’s workplan priorities.  “We’ve been asking for it for many months, and we are told it is coming soon.” 

At the press conference, Norris emphasized that his proposed actions are not in opposition to urban-infill development within the City, explaining that they should be part of a larger infill strategy.  When asked about the possibility of converting the City owned surface parking lot on Water Street into a green space, Norris said he thought it would be more appropriately used for something else.
“That site presents an opportunity for very creative infill development that could include some green space,” said Norris.

Norris also touted the fact the recently adopted City budget included funds for the greening of Charlottesville.  “This is the first year, in many many years, that the city in the FY 2010 budget has included a small amount of money, $100,000 for the purchase and preservation of green space,” said Norris.  “I’d like to see us expand that amount in the years to come.”

While Norris did not specify exactly which paved areas he would like to see converted to green space he suggested ways that existing roads and parking lots could be made greener. These suggestions included increasing parking lot plantings, installing storm-water runoff mitigation features and landscaping streets.  Norris expressed regret about the fact that the City is going to give up so many acres of green space in McIntire Park for the construction of the Meadowcreek Parkway. “I think it’s the wrong direction for us to proceed,” he said.

When asked if the trees to be removed for expansion of the Ragged Mountain Reservoir would be considered in of the City’s calculation of its tree cover, Norris said they would not because they lie outside of the City limits even though the land is technically owned by the City.  However, Norris did say that he felt this question was important as those trees contribute to the overall environmental health of the area and their removal would represent the largest clear-cut on City owned property in a long time.  “We haven’t done a very good job at balancing our talk with our plan of action,” said Norris.  

While 180 acres of trees are proposed to be cleared at the Ragged Mountain Reservoir site, the environmental mitigation plan concept for the 50-year community water supply has as a key element the preservation and enhancement of streams around the Buck Mountain property in Free Union, VA, including the replanting of some 200 acres of riparian corridor.

Norris concluded the press conference saying that the key to successfully greening the City will be community engagement.  “The city can and should be a part of it, but really what it’s going to take is engaging schoolchildren, garden clubs, neighborhood associations, our development partners, the whole community to identify opportunities,” Norris said.

Norris, Szakos and Taliaferro appear at first City Council candidate forum

By Sean Tubbs & Brian Wheeler
Charlottesville Tomorrow
Thursday, April 23, 2009

Left to right: Julian Taliaferro, Dave Norris and Kristin Szakos

The three candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for the two seats on the Charlottesville City Council spent two hours on April 21, 2009 answering questions on the water supply, the Meadowcreek Parkway, the City’s efficiency study, Council priorities, and other community issues. The event was co-sponsored by Charlottesville Tomorrow and the Free Enterprise Forum in advance of the Charlottesville Democratic Party’s unassembled caucus to be held on May 9, 2009.  The general election is this November.

About 50 people attended the forum which was held at Burley Middle School in Charlottesville.  The candidates in order of appearance are incumbents Julian Taliaferro and Dave Norris, and challenger Kristin Szakos.

Charlottesville Tomorrow now presents the audio of the event. A full transcript as well as a video will be posted shortly.

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Listen using player above or download the podcast: Download 20090421-Dem-Candidates-Forum

Watch the video: Video: City Council Candidate Forum

Download the transcript

TIMELINE FOR PODCAST:

• 01:00 - Charlottesville Tomorrow's Executive Director Brian Wheeler describes the forum
• 02:00 - Neil Williamson of the Free Enterprise Forum explains the forum's rules
• 03:45 - First question: What is your top priority for action by City Council if you are elected?
• 10:30 - Second question: Do you support the goal of establishing a 50-year water supply for the City and County designated growth areas? Why or why not?
• 17:07 - Third question: How important is increased public water supply to the City of Charlottesville and its largest water customer, the University of Virginia?
• 21:00 - Fourth question: Given the long funding and implementation period for any major infrastructure project, what are the advantages and disadvantages to the current City Council revisiting previous Councils' decisions regarding such projects?
• 25:00 - Fifth question: How do you recommend the City evaluate its effectiveness on realizing its vision and accomplishing its stated priorities?
• 31:00 - Sixth question: What are the highest priority recommendations in the City's recently completed Quality of Service and Efficiency Study and which will you champion?
• 36:40 - Seventh question: The construction of the Albemarle portion of the Meadowcreek Parkway is underway, absent a court decision that would block the project, do you support funding and design approval of McIntire Road Extended and its grade-separated interchange with the Route 250 bypass? Why or why not?
• 44:00 - Eighth question: How important is the business community to the City of Charlottesville and what specific steps do you advocate to advance the priorities for economic development and workforce development established by City Council?
• 53:40 - Ninth question:  If you could focus on one area for improved partnership with Albemarle County, what area would that be?
• 59:00 - Audience question #1: City Council funds schools but does not set education policy or spending priorities. How can City Council act given the limitations of your role in setting school policy?
• 1:04:00 - Audience question #2: What will you do about noise from restaurants and music venues that disrupt mixed use residential neighborhoods like Belmont?
• 1:07:45 - Audience question #3: Do you approve of putting the Eastern Connector through Pen Park? Regardless of alignment, how important is this road as a transportation priority?
• 1:10:45 - Audience question #4: The 50-year water supply plan has only a 5% conservation goal built into its size and expense. Do you think this is reasonable, and if not, what do you think is a more reasonable goal?
• 1:15:30 - Audience question #5: What are your concrete plans for increasing the affordable housing stock in the City and keeping it affordable?
• 1:22:30 - Audience question #6: Would you support greater participation by neighborhood associations in the decision-making process in the City. If so, how would this be achieved. Please provide specifics.
• 1:26:15 - Audience question #7: There's been a great deal of discussion outside of Council chambers regarding McIntire Park and the YMCA. What will be your stance on the YMCA in McIntire Park if it comes before Council?
• 1:29:30 - Audience question #8: What creative or innovative ideas will you bring to a term on City Council
• 1:38:00 - Closing statement from Kristin Szakos
• 1:40:00 - Closing statement from Julian Taliaferro
• 1:43:10 - Closing statement from Dave Norris

Andrew Williams discusses his City Council campaign on WINA

By Fania Gordon
Charlottesville Tomorrow
Friday, April 17, 2009

Charlottesville City Council Candidate Andrew Williams (I) was a guest on WINA AM 1070’s The Schilling Show on April 16, 2009. In this segment, host Rob Schilling asks Williams about his campaign and involvement with the Virginia Community College System’s strategic planning process.

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Listen using player above or download the podcast:Download 20090416-Schilling-Williams

Williams, who works at State Farm and attends PVCC and Averett University, commented on his background and family history including his experiences growing up and that his Grandfather was the first African American City Councilor in his locality in Michigan.

Williams explained his reasons for running as an Independent saying that he puts an emphasis on solutions and culture rather than on race or party lines.  “I believe as an Independent I can fully support the City the best that I can,” Williams said. 

See Charlottesville Tomorrow's Election Watch page for complete coverage of the City's 2009 elections for City Council.

This podcast was produced with permission of Rob Schilling and WINA.

City Council Candidate Forum

Charlottesville Tomorrow and the Free Enterprise Forum are co-hosting a City Council candidate forum on Tuesday, April 21, 2009, at Burley Middle School. [View details]

The three candidates vying for the Democratic Party's nomination for two seats on Charlottesville City Council will answer questions provided in advance and take questions from the audience.

What question or topic would you like addressed by Dave Norris, Kristin Szakos, and Julian Taliaferro?  Leave a comment below with your suggestion and get the community thinking about your priorities as we head into this important election.

Make an informed vote!  On May 9, 2009, City Democrats will hold an unassembled caucus to nominate two candidates for City Council to be on the ballot for the November 2009 general election. [View details]

In our News Center archives, you can review the 2007 City Council candidate forum also co-hosted by Charlottesville Tomorrow and the Free Enterprise Forum. 

Subscribers of Charlottesville Tomorrow's free e-mail alerts also have complete access to our Voter Guides and additional coverage of the 2006 and 2007 City Council elections.  Sign-up today!

Charlottesville Democrats set May 9 date to select two candidates for City Council

The Charlottesville Democratic Party will hold an “unassembled caucus,” changing the way it selects its candidates for City Council and other races. Voters will have ten hours to stop by Burley Middle School on Saturday, May 9, 2009 to nominate two candidates for Council as well as candidates for City Sheriff, Treasurer, Commissioner of Revenue and Commonwealth’s Attorney.  In the past, the party has held a nominating convention or mass meeting requiring voters to sign-in, listen to candidate speeches, then vote and remain until all ballots have been counted and the candidate selections finalized.

The polls will be open from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM.  In addition, there will be two periods in which voters can cast absentee ballots. Voting is open to any registered voter in Charlottesville who is willing to sign a “certification” that pledges support of “the principles of the Democratic Party”  according to a press release from the party. The pledge goes on to require primary voters to not support any candidate who is not a Democrat in the general election.

There are three declared candidates in the race. Incumbents Dave Norris and Julian Taliaferro have announced their plans for re-election. Newcomer Kristin Szakos has also launched her campaign for the nomination. Anyone else interested in running as a Democrat for City Council has until March 27, 2009 to file with the City registrar’s office.  City Republicans have not yet scheduled a nominating caucus and no Republican candidates have entered the race.  Independent candidates have until June 9th to submit candidate paperwork and petition signatures.

See Charlottesville Tomorrow's Election Watch page for complete coverage of the City's 2009 elections for City Council.

Sean Tubbs and Brian Wheeler

Julian Taliaferro announces campaign for re-election to City Council

Councilor Julian Taliaferro (D) announced on March 9, 2009 that he would run for re-election to the Charlottesville City Council. Taliaferro was elected to his first term in 2006 and he currently serves as the Vice Mayor. With the initiation of this campaign, he becomes the third Democrat to vie for the two open seats on City Council. and Kristin Szakos and Dave Norris have also launched their respective campaigns. The Democratic Party will hold an “unassembled caucus” to select their candidates on a date to be announced, but sometime between May 8th and June 9th.  The general election will be held on November 3, 2009.

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Listen using player above or download the podcast: Download 20090309-Taliaferro

In the announcement address held in front of Charlottesville City Hall, Taliaferro listed four issues he considers central to his campaign, “our public education system, affordable housing, efficient and effective deliver of city services, and the preservation and enhancement of our quality of life.” 

When asked by a reporter about any concrete goals for another term, Taliaferro highlighted two items. "One of the things I certainly want to bring to some sort of resolution is the community water plan and obviously I want to continue to support the public education system in the City," said Taliaferro.

Taliaferro praised the City’s recent efficiency study as well as the City’s fiscally conservative outlook on budgeting, and attributed this approach to allowing the community to weather tough economic times with few service cuts.

“This council has taken a leadership role in implementing green city initiatives that will protect our environment,” said Taliaferro to a gathering of about thirty supporters.  He said he is particularly proud of the enhancement of transit services secured within the last few years .

Watch the video below:

Taliaferro also defended Charlottesville’s revenue-sharing agreement with Albemarle County. “I have been somewhat dismayed at some of the careless remarks of some of the County leadership regarding our long-standing annexation agreement.” He summarized the history of the agreement, and insisted that the County is getting a good deal in return for the City’s lost potential for annexation. He said he would like to stop arguing over revenue sharing and work toward the consolidation of some City and County services.

In response to another question from the media, Taliaferro acknowledged that he attended a recent citizen protest of the proposed Meadowcreek Parkway on the previous Saturday. As City Councilor, Taliaferro voted in favor of easements for the Meadowcreek Parkway in June 2008. He told reporters that he hadn’t changed his mind yet, but that he is listening carefully to the opposition’s arguments and is leaning “a little more” against the project then he had been previously.

Taliaferro stood with several current and former public officials while giving his address in front of City Hall. Former City Mayors Tom Vandever and Blake Caravati, current City Treasurer Jennifer Brown, current City Commissioner of Revenue Lee Richards, current City Commonwealth Attorney, Dave Chapman, and candidate for City Sheriff, Mike Baird, all stood to show their support for Taliaferro’s re-election campaign.  Brown, Richard and Chapman’s positions are elected in the City and will also appear on the November 2009 ballot.

See Charlottesville Tomorrow's Election Watch page for complete coverage of the City's 2009 elections for City Council.

Daniel Nairn & Brian Wheeler

Kristin Szakos launches campaign for City Council

On February 14, 2009 outside the Downtown Transit Center, Charlottesville Democrat Kristin Szakos (D) announced her campaign for one of two seats on Charlottesville City Council.  Democrats will select their nominees at a "firehouse primary" to be held on a date between May 8th and June 9th.  The general election will be held on November 3, 2009.  Two of the five at-large seats on Charlottesville City Council will be on the ballot and they are currently held by Democrats Dave Norris and Julian Taliaferro who were both elected to their first terms in 2006. 

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Szakos has been a Charlottesville resident for the past fifteen years.  She is married to Joe Szakos and has two daughters.  A former journalist, Szakos has spent the past two years as Volunteer Coordinator for the 2008 Obama presidential campaign in Charlottesville.  

Szakos told a crowd of supporters that she had never considered herself a potential candidate for political office until experiencing the Obama campaign.  “I never thought that I’d want to run for office,” said Szakos.  “Yet here I am and I am feeling really good about it.”

Szakos said the intends to channel the energy from the Obama campaign into local issues at City Hall.  “We need to talk about why there are still such great gaps in opportunity and education in Charlottesville, and work hard to close them,” said Szakos.  “We need to speak out about inequality in a town as seemingly progressive and prosperous as ours, and we need to work to change it.”

Watch the video below:

Szakos identified the following items as her campaign pledge:

• Make City government more responsive to under-served neighborhoods
• Get people involved in the decisions that affect their lives
• Listen to all perspectives and strive to find common ground
• Find new and creative solutions to persistent community problems
• Find new ways to save money and reduce energy consumption, and
• Use “people power” to bring needed change

See Charlottesville Tomorrow's Election Watch page for complete coverage of the City's 2009 elections.

Brian Wheeler