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Who's Next on Deck for Columbus City Council?

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Started 1 year ago by Walker
Latest reply from Walker

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Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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As the Dispatch points out (below), speculation is already starting to happen. Anyone have any thoughts on who would make a good replacement for Tavares?

------------------------

Open seat on Columbus City Council might interest defeated Democrats
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2010
BY ROBERT VITALE
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

With Tuesday's election of Democratic Councilwoman Charleta B. Tavares to the Ohio Senate, council members are poised to fill a sixth vacancy in four years.

Speculation about a successor, a topic of political conversation for weeks before any ballots were counted, kicked into high gear yesterday.

READ MORE: http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/11/04/copy/open-seat-might-interest-defeated.html?adsec=politics&sid=101

Posted 1 year ago #
joev
Merion Village
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God damn - I hope they don't do the same stupid "one of each" thing. Pick someone smart, someone who can do the job. They should not pick someone primarily because they fit a gender/orientation/ethnicity the council feels should be represented. But who wants to be that because Tavares is a black woman, they'll fill the seat with a black woman?

Posted 1 year ago #
e8453b
Ganthers Place
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When can we actually elect someone to City Council? This is not
fair. We have not had an election for a city council member in
quite so time. Something is very wrong with this picture.

Posted 1 year ago #
Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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e8453b wrote >>
When can we actually elect someone to City Council? This is not
fair. We have not had an election for a city council member in
quite so time. Something is very wrong with this picture.

We had a city council election last November where 3 seats were voted upon:

http://www.columbusunderground.com/november-2009-election-results

The nomination process only temporarily fills the seat until the next election. Whoever is tapped to fill Charletta's spot when she leaves will only serve through November 2011 and then will have to campaign to actually be elected for it for a full term.

Posted 1 year ago #
ohioarn
Columbus, OH
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Actually, Walker, she/he will have to file soon and start campaigning before the election of 2011.

Posted 1 year ago #
labi
Weinland Park
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joev wrote >>
God damn - I hope they don't do the same stupid "one of each" thing. Pick someone smart, someone who can do the job. They should not pick someone primarily because they fit a gender/orientation/ethnicity the council feels should be represented. But who wants to be that because Tavares is a black woman, they'll fill the seat with a black woman?

It sounds a lot like you are implying that one could not be (for example) black, female, AND "someone who could do the job."

I would say it's not just council who feels diverse race/gender/etc should be represented. It's those darn voting citizens who feel this way.

I feel like the people who think that the issue is all overblown are usually people who are, shall we say, over-represented. Maybe in your case I'm wrong, joev.

Posted 1 year ago #
rus

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labi wrote >>

joev wrote >>
God damn - I hope they don't do the same stupid "one of each" thing. Pick someone smart, someone who can do the job. They should not pick someone primarily because they fit a gender/orientation/ethnicity the council feels should be represented. But who wants to be that because Tavares is a black woman, they'll fill the seat with a black woman?

It sounds a lot like you are implying that one could not be (for example) black, female, AND "someone who could do the job."

Or, perhaps, that being able to do the job is the criteria, not gender or skin tone.

Posted 1 year ago #
joev
Merion Village
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labi wrote >>

joev wrote >>
God damn - I hope they don't do the same stupid "one of each" thing. Pick someone smart, someone who can do the job. They should not pick someone primarily because they fit a gender/orientation/ethnicity the council feels should be represented. But who wants to be that because Tavares is a black woman, they'll fill the seat with a black woman?

It sounds a lot like you are implying that one could not be (for example) black, female, AND "someone who could do the job."
I would say it's not just council who feels diverse race/gender/etc should be represented. It's those darn voting citizens who feel this way.
I feel like the people who think that the issue is all overblown are usually people who are, shall we say, over-represented. Maybe in your case I'm wrong, joev.

I'm not implying that at all. If a black woman is the best candidate, then I'm all for her. However, the replacement member's race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, etc., shouldn't play a role in his/her selection.
Also, last time I checked, only 43% of the members are white, while 65% of the city as a whole is - so I'm in fact underrepresented, if you want to look at it from an identity politics standpoint. But I don't care wallow in identity politics.

Posted 1 year ago #
roy
Downtown
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labi wrote >>

joev wrote >>
God damn - I hope they don't do the same stupid "one of each" thing. Pick someone smart, someone who can do the job. They should not pick someone primarily because they fit a gender/orientation/ethnicity the council feels should be represented. But who wants to be that because Tavares is a black woman, they'll fill the seat with a black woman?

It sounds a lot like you are implying that one could not be (for example) black, female, AND "someone who could do the job."
I would say it's not just council who feels diverse race/gender/etc should be represented. It's those darn voting citizens who feel this way.
I feel like the people who think that the issue is all overblown are usually people who are, shall we say, over-represented. Maybe in your case I'm wrong, joev.

I'm offended on joev's behalf.

The United States Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended outlawed consideration of race and sex (among other factors) in employment. It's illegal in America to consider race and sex when hiring. I believe that was joev's point: Select the best person for the position, without regard to race or sex.

Posted 1 year ago #
Andrew Hall
Dennison Place (The Circles)
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I think we need the ward system. Badly.

We have huge swathes of the City that are wholly unrepresented - S, W, NE, Middle. Much of the utter nonsense and shit we've had to endure with like the parking meter debacle would be ameliorated if there were a council member directly beholden to their constituency.

A.

Posted 1 year ago #
joev
Merion Village
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I'd be satisfied with city council seats remaining empty until an election is held. Is there a good reason for the remaining members to annoint a successor, give him or her a full year to make a name, and then run in November - why not leave the seat empty until the election in May? Sure, there's a lot of work to do, but it's a part-time job, and most people have to know the aides do most of the work.

Posted 1 year ago #
Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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Andrew Hall wrote >>
I think we need the ward system. Badly.

Sounds like you're not the only one:

Group's new push: Columbus council elections by district
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2010
BY ROBERT VITALE
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

The folks who fought Columbus City Council's just-passed plan to discuss some of its business in private are turning their attention to the council itself.

They plan a petition drive that would let voters decide whether to expand the council from seven members to 11 and divide the city into districts for neighborhood-based representation.

READ MORE: http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/11/05/copy/groups-new-push-elections-by-district.html?adsec=politics&sid=101

Posted 1 year ago #
labi
Weinland Park
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joev wrote >>

labi wrote >>

joev wrote >>
God damn - I hope they don't do the same stupid "one of each" thing. Pick someone smart, someone who can do the job. They should not pick someone primarily because they fit a gender/orientation/ethnicity the council feels should be represented. But who wants to be that because Tavares is a black woman, they'll fill the seat with a black woman?

It sounds a lot like you are implying that one could not be (for example) black, female, AND "someone who could do the job."
I would say it's not just council who feels diverse race/gender/etc should be represented. It's those darn voting citizens who feel this way.
I feel like the people who think that the issue is all overblown are usually people who are, shall we say, over-represented. Maybe in your case I'm wrong, joev.

I'm not implying that at all. If a black woman is the best candidate, then I'm all for her. However, the replacement member's race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, etc., shouldn't play a role in his/her selection.
Also, last time I checked, only 43% of the members are white, while 65% of the city as a whole is - so I'm in fact underrepresented, if you want to look at it from an identity politics standpoint. But I don't care wallow in identity politics.

You don't care to wallow in identity politics, but you just happen to know that city council is "only" 43% white? Good one!

Posted 1 year ago #
Core_Models
Columbus
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I had never really given much thought to a Ward style plan, but now that I am...I like it, a lot.

Posted 1 year ago #
joev
Merion Village
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labi wrote >>

joev wrote >>

labi wrote >>

joev wrote >>
God damn - I hope they don't do the same stupid "one of each" thing. Pick someone smart, someone who can do the job. They should not pick someone primarily because they fit a gender/orientation/ethnicity the council feels should be represented. But who wants to be that because Tavares is a black woman, they'll fill the seat with a black woman?

It sounds a lot like you are implying that one could not be (for example) black, female, AND "someone who could do the job."
I would say it's not just council who feels diverse race/gender/etc should be represented. It's those darn voting citizens who feel this way.
I feel like the people who think that the issue is all overblown are usually people who are, shall we say, over-represented. Maybe in your case I'm wrong, joev.

I'm not implying that at all. If a black woman is the best candidate, then I'm all for her. However, the replacement member's race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, etc., shouldn't play a role in his/her selection.
Also, last time I checked, only 43% of the members are white, while 65% of the city as a whole is - so I'm in fact underrepresented, if you want to look at it from an identity politics standpoint. But I don't care wallow in identity politics.

You don't care to wallow in identity politics, but you just happen to know that city council is "only" 43% white? Good one!

I happen to know how to convert fractions to percentages. Just displaying how stupid (and harmful) identity politics is.

Posted 1 year ago #
Core_Models
Columbus
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I happen to know how to convert fractions to percentages.

Now you're just showing off white man!

Posted 1 year ago #
rus

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Core_Models wrote >>

I happen to know how to convert fractions to percentages.

Now you're just showing off white man!

damn, he must be a richie!

Posted 1 year ago #
pilsner

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Whoever wants the job and can persuade Mike Mentel and the rest of City Hall in a private meeting that he/she can raise the most campaign cash if appointed.

http://www.freepress.org/columns/display/3/2010/1859

Posted 1 year ago #
Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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Looks like we'll have another seat come open in January:

http://www.columbusunderground.com/mentel-stepping-down-from-city-council-presidency

Posted 1 year ago #
Matthew
Hilltop
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I'd like to see someone similar to Walker Evans on city council. Here you have a guy that cares about his city, is visible in his city and literally knows the neighborhoods, streets and people. He is trusted as well as trustworthy. IMHO someone like him would get more done in one year than Coleman and the current set of clowns have done in the last 5. Most of all, Walker and people like him are young and energetic, and they actually live IN Columbus. What a concept. I know he's not the only one, so who out here could we all endorse that would actually want the job?

Posted 1 year ago #