Developers and municipal leaders should give the people what they want
Urban Gondolas are inexplicably absent from the wish-list
By Curmudgeon
Interesting editorial up in the SL Trib this morning. Headline reads: "Growing smarter: Residents provide recipe for smart growth."
The editorial reports that a recent large survey of Utahns by HarrisInterative shows that residents of the beehive state are damn tired of air pollution, traffic congestion and urban sprawl. HarrisInteractive "convened focus groups and polled 1,262 Utahns, including 934 from along the Wasatch Front, and compared the results to a similar study in 1997."
The survey "painted a picture of what Wasatch Front residents envision as the 'ideal community,' a model that, if embraced by developers and planning officials, can help curb sprawl and address related problems. The people want a mix of lot sizes and housing types, primarily moderate-sized single-family homes and town houses. (Salt Lake County participants want some apartment buildings sprinkled in.) They want easy access to public transportation - buses, rail and TRAX - and open spaces: parks, gardens, playgrounds, recreation fields, nature preserves and trails. And they want neighbors who represent a mix of ages and family stages. Nearly three-fourths of the survey participants favored communities with the above attributes, which constitute a recipe for vibrant, diverse, livable, sustainable neighborhoods. Developers and municipal leaders should give the people what they want. "
Public transit. Parks. Open space. Public recreation areas. Playing fields. Trails. Reigning in sprawl and over-development. Be nice if Mayor Godfrey's Crack Development Team would take notice of the survey and what it revealed. Maybe when they get done with searching for the 275 public parking spaces that went missing recently and still have not turned up, they'll read the HarrisInteractive Survey and think about how it might guide Ogden's development policies. Maybe they'll convince Hizzonah to drop his opposition to a transit upgrade [trolley or BRT] between downtown and WSU and McKay-Dee [the Mayor's foot-dragging is now entering its third year], trying to protect that route for his flatland gondola obsession. Maybe....
Ok, ok, I know. But we can hope, can't we?
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20 comments:
The real question is, what policies will best serve the real estate agents, construction companies and banks who supported Mayor Godfrey's re-election?
Forget about the people's will. That's democracy. We don't do that here in Ogden, we do oligarchy.
And besides the property will GO to the company that has the Best plan not the best price. RIGHT OZBOY.
I figured out that the reason Bernie the attorney wants the Geiger's involved with the park and the gondola is that the more money they make the more money will be brought into the mayors family by way of rent in all the rental property. Right Bernie, after all is that not where you are getting your bread and butter is from the rent that Geiger's are paying you for there clothing store. Is that why the mayor is advertising the Geiger so much is that all the money will come into the mayors pockets and now with no conflict of interest declared by the mayor and this is reason to have him removed from office but look when you are liars like they are who cares.
Dear Intregety Stupid
Descente will make no more money with or without a gondola.
Descente has a fixed lease with Brenie for 10 years that will not go up with or without a gondola. Descente has a fixed mortgage on their wharehouse that will not change for 10 years. If property values go up it will cost Descente more money to be here.
Descente does not give the Mayor a dime. Descente paid no money to the mayors election.
The Geigers only talk to Bernie the Attorney occasionally.
Gadi Leshem, Chris Peterson, Curt Geiger, Bob Geiger, Jon Peddie, Orluff Opheikens ECT are not cronies of the Mayor. These people do business with the city or business in the city.
Please excuse me for picking on you. Most of the people on this blog are wrong about most facts. Even Curm, who is a great writer, is way off when it comes to the facts. How do you sleep at night?
Had Enough:
Yeah, facts. Let's talk about facts.
The crazy thing about most in the mayoral camp is that they are NOT in it for the money. Descente will not make any more by all the mayor's dream fantasy. They are in it for the coziness to power. Bottom line.
LO fanatics have even admitted to me that even if the gondola is not a good idea it has brought alot of attention to Ogden including landing AmerSport. That is an indication of their upside-down world. Even lies, dreams and deception are OK as long as it benefits the plan.
These morons cannot even see the benefit of a cross town transit line. BRT or streetcar. Even if a gondola is ever built to Malan's or Snowbasin it makes far more sense to build the Transit line NOW. Then it would be in place and TOD well initiated along the route. A mountain gondola would fit well into that scene but that is decades away if ever since Godfrey lacks the leadership skills to bring the real TRANSIT BACON home to Ogden. Why can't these gondolites ever see the dead end nature of their obsession. We have an opportunity to lay out a transit infrastructure in a perfect size city and these knuckleheads maintain a stranglehold on the reins.
Hopeless.
Dear Had Enough:
Let me defend "Godfrey cronies" as a term applying to the messers Geiger, Peterson and Lesham.
In re: Mr. Peterson. Let us remember the Bootjack matter, in which city-owned property was sold to Mr. Peterson [while the Administration refused to reveal him as the buyer] and for a price lower than a competing offer that had come in. This would suggest, I submit, to an impartial observer, that a connection somewhat beyond a merely casual business connection, existed between Mr. Peterson and the Administration. There is evidence supporting the term "crony." You and I may disagree, and almost certainly would, about how compelling that evidence is, but there is evidence. I remind you that the Council unanimously changed RDA provisions to make sure the could not hide the identity of people it wanted to sell public land to again.
In re: Mr. Lesham. Recall that the city agreed, without letting the public or the Council know, to act as a purchasing agent for him in re: River Project property options. Those who sold options on their property to the city were unaware that the city was fronting for Mr. Lesham at the time. This too suggests a relationship somewhat chummier than a common and incidental business relationship. Again, you may question how compelling the evidence is, but there is evidence. And I remind you the Council was unaware the city was acting as Lesham's purchasing agent until after it was all a done deal, and he had to retroactively approve what had been done. And as I recall it changed RDA rules again to make sure this wouldn't happen again.
In the Bootjack matter and the matter of the Lesham land options, the administration acted in such a way, concealing what it was doing from both the public and the Council, as to not only guarantee but to justify serious questions about its ethics and its motives.
In re: the Messers Geiger. Please recall that they were both very active organizers and supporters of the now-defunct Lift Ogden, which pushed, hard, for the Mayor's plan to sell the golf course to Mr. Peterson for development as a limited access gated community of vacation villas, in order to raise the money needed to pay for a flatland gondola. The Messers Geiger also attended the Mayor's evening dog and pony shows designed to win support for the proposal. At those meetings, the young Mr. G. not only spoke in favor of the proposal, he ridiculed those invited citizens who dared to question its wisdom or to speak out against it. And they were active campaigners for the Mayor's rel-election. Again, the evidence supports a connection, certainly a political one, stronger than merely occasional intermittent business relations.
I agree that some of the criticism here goes over the top. No question. But it would be as wrong, on the evidence, to accept your claim that the gentlemen named above have only casual and occasional business connections with the Godfrey administration, and nothing more, than it would to accept uncritically every allegation of corruption or criminality that appears here against the administration and its... well,since you don't like "cronies," how about "associates"?
By the way, Had Enough, if you can show me that I have been wrong about facts, I'll be glad to post a retraction or correction. I've done that several times, here, when I got something wrong. I suspect what you mean, however, is that my interpretation of the facts, my take on their meaning, is different from yours. That's a very different thing.
There's a big difference between presenting arguments based on what you believe to be factual, and having the facts, but choosing to lie through your teeth.
Hail Critchlow!
Please Geiger lover, Little Bobby was and very active in the Mayors campaign, he did poll watching, the Geigers wife is on the Ogden City payroll, Curt ugly mug is plastered all over channel 17. Both Geigers made campaign donations. You are all on the Mayors love fest list and do not try to tell us there is no favors coming from all the kissey face thats going on.
As for the others Jon Peddie, Orluff Opheikens ECT are not cronies of the Mayor they all made contributions to the Mayors campaign, what did they get for their loyality?
Orluff Opheikens built the High Adventure Rec center cost plus.
Peddie, got some sweet deals on the American can building.
Gadi Lesham, had the economic development department working for him the past few years setting him tp line his pockets on the river project, and the Wall ave. Wal Mart.
You are nothing but a bunch of pigs at the trough of Ogden City, people dont kiss the Mayors ass with out expecting something in return.
People, based upon the preponderance of evidence I would suggest that (a) the Weber County Attorney needs to be excused from office and (b) the State Attorney General also needs to be excused from office at the very earliest opportunity. They have not seemingly investigated any of the charges being made, although there is supposed to be a cooperative task force since last August,
"State and federal agencies have formed one of the nation's first comprehensive task forces to battle them, Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. and U.S. Attorney Brett Tolman announced Thursday.
"We are coming after you," Tolman said at a news conference. "We're not going to let people get away with this type of behavior."
The 2007 Mortgage Asset Research Institute's Ninth Periodic Report to the MBA ranks Utah as fifth in the nation for mortgage fraud after Florida, California, Michigan and Georgia. The FBI ranked Utah in the Top 10 of mortgage fraud states in 2006.
Huntsman noted that there has been a "checkerboard of jurisdictions and investigations" in the state. By combining the resources of different agencies, the task force hopes to close gaps and ensure that no one gets away with a scam, he said.
"Our firepower as a state has been enhanced many-fold," the governor said.
Members of the task force will be divided into teams that investigate and prosecute all participants in a suspected fraud. Criminal charges could be brought in either state or federal court. Some of the common schemes involve straw buyers, illegal property flipping, identity theft or inflated appraisals.
Agencies participating in the mortgage fraud task force include:
The U.S. Attorney's Office,
Utah Attorney General's Office,
the FBI, Utah Insurance Fraud Division,
the IRS, the Draper Police Department,
the Utah Department of Commerce, U.S. Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General,
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement,
the Utah Department of Insurance,
the U.S. Postal Inspection Service,
the state Department of Public Safety,
the Utah Division of Securities and the Salt Lake, and the Davis,
Utah and Washington county attorneys' offices.
Note that Weber County Attorney is conspicuously absent, even though Ogden Valley is a hotbed of mortagage fraud and apparently Ogden City is also corrupted by mainly Realtor and Development schemes being handled in a nefarious and less than open manner.
We are paying for "public security and safety" through our collective noses, yet there seems to be an inordinate amount of "looking the other way" as some very shady dealings are and have been going on. Where in the Hell is Decaria? Where in the Hell is the State Attorney General? Where in the Hell is Jon Greiner?
Better yet, where in the Hell are us voters to let this continue unabated? We get exactly what we demand and if we just bitch about it on blogs, little if anything will come of it. Sure you might feel like you have done something and vented your spleen, but without taking action as citizens you/we are no better than "Don Quixote de La Ogden" --just tilting at windmills and imaginary dragons.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 22, 2008
Campaign Communication Director: Jeff Baker
Contact: Bill Hansen at (801)-389-3030, vote4billhansen@yahoo.com
Bill Hansen Announces Campaign for
Utah State Senate, District 19
North Ogden- Bill Hansen (D), 41, a Weber County Sheriff’s Deputy and former Wasatch Front business manager, will challenge Senator Allen Christensen for Utah State Senate, District 19.
Bill Hansen was asked to run for the State Senate by fellow cops, teachers, and local business owners that are members of both political parties. Hansen believes it’s important to step up when you’re asked and feels it’s a privilege and honor to represent the Democratic Party in this race.
Bill Hansen believes the current incumbent must be held accountable for his decisions that placed funding for priorities such as locking up criminals, education of our children, and preserving our open space at the end of the list. Important goals are difficult to accomplish when our elected officials act in their own self-interest and cater to special interest groups.
Bill Hansen will listen and act in the best interest of Utah citizens. He will provide openness and proper representation, especially when addressing issues like property taxes, unlike that of the current incumbent.
Bill Hansen plans to fight for issues that the people of Weber, Morgan, and Summit counties overwhelmingly favor, which have been consistently ignored by the current republican-dominated State Senate.
Bill Hansen strongly believes it is important to unite our community and take action to improve education, strengthen the economy, conserve open space, and fight crime for the future our generations to follow. His campaign will promote the ideals that all men and women are children of God, created equal, and deserve the right to be represented fairly.
Electing Bill Hansen, a Democrat, will bring true MODERATION to government, which is strongly needed.
What about ethics reforms, campaign finanace reforms, and property tax reforms?
More of the same ethically challenged or will you fight to reform the legislature?
Will you sign a pledge to vote for significant ethics reform measures making it illegal to accept gifts of any value? Will you sign a pledge to also make accepting donations from any business or special interests a felony?
Or are you just wanting to catch the gravy train? Tell us where you stand... on these most important issues.
Minor Machman
Good questions.
If I am not mistaken, this candidate is a brother to Representative Neil Hansen who has made it clear he has no problem with accepting gifts and other perks from special interest groups. It would be interesting to see if he has a difference of opinion with his brother on this most important issue of integrity.
Candidates stand on their own.
All of them. Bill Hansen's being a brother to anyone should not count either for or against him. If folks want to know where he stands on an issue, by all means, ask him. But this guilt [or suspicion] by family association thing is no more valid in this instance than it is when applied to relatives of the Mayor.
With the exception of our wives and husbands, none of us get to choose our relatives. Hell, I have right wing Republican Christianist kin. I'd hate to have folks draw conclusions about my views from the fact of our being related.
Wonder where Bill Hansen stands on an issue? Check his website, or write to him. He'll be out campaigning. Ask him face to face. But I'd urge folks to draw conclusions from his replies, not from who he's kin to. And to extend the same courtesy to all candidates, of both parties.
Just name one republican that is against gifts, and lobbyists?
Hell.. republicans give your tax money to lobbyists
Curmudgeon
It seems like you might be castigating Elaine for pointing out that candidate Hansen might be related to Rep. Hansen and might share his position on receiving graft from lobbyists.
If you read her post again you might find that she is advocating the same thing you are when she writes: "It would be interesting to see if he has a difference of opinion with his brother on this most important issue of integrity."
She appears to be asking a legitimate question here. I don't think that is unreasonable of her to wonder such a thing if in fact they are brothers. Brothers around here are more likely to agree politically than not, at least in my experience.
At the risk of incurring your wrath, I too wonder if they are brothers and if they share this ethical flaw.
Winston:
Not castigating at all. Supporting her suggestion that he be asked. Only objecting the judgment-by-kinship that may have prompted the question for her. That's all. Seems to me she raises a question that could be fairly asked of any candidate, regardless of who he or she might be related to.
And "incurring my wrath?" Aw, c'mon, Winston. This is a public affairs blog. People discuss, and disagree on matters here as a matter of course. Provided it's done civilly [and I think I did], no wrath involved. It is not impolite to disagree with people in discussing public affairs --- though, sadly, an alarming number of my students seem to equate disagreement with rudeness. Don't see how it's possible to have any reasonable public debate over policy matters if that view prevails.
Wrath I reserve for the likes of Walter O'Malley, the miserable money grubbing treasonous misbegotten son of a sea snake who took the Brooklyn Dodgers from the place God clearly intended them to play... well, never mind.
Walter O'Malley was a great patriot and man of distinction for having the intelligence and integrity to bring the Dodgers into the glorious light by rescuing them from that God forsaken...well, never mind.
Oz:
I'd reply, but I'm too busy putting a call in to my cousin Vito in Brooklyn. Want to tell him where you park.
Curmudgeon
Bring em on! Tell Vito I spend most of my time on the ninth floor of the city building, I'm about 5'3" with a large forehead and I usually have a half dozen or so sycophants buzzing around my rear end.
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