I tried to send this earlier but it "got stuck" somewhere along the way. David said it would be okay to post it again.
I am pleased and honored to accept the Sierra Club endorsement of me for Minneapolis City Council Member for Ward 2. I am proud of my record working for a better democracy and a cleaner environment. I know that the ideas and priorities I offer are shared by many. I beleive that they point the way to make this a more democractic and sustainable city and region for everyone. I offer my answers to the questionnaire for all to consider and I apologize that they were not available sooner. ============ Sierra Club North Star Chapter Twin Cities Group Political Committee Cam Gordon - Minneapolis City Council, Ward 2 candidate City Council Questionnaire 1)Urban development is an important issue to our members. What role do you see for yourself as a central city council member to affect our regions growth patterns? I think that Minneapolis and the city council can play a very important role in affecting growth patterns. One of the priorities for the region in the years ahead must be curbing urban sprawl. Minneapolis can take a leadership role here by making wise decisions about our own development. While preserving open and green space we can use mixed use development strategies, smart growth principles and increased density to help prevent more sprawl. We can also take leadership in promoting and providing public transit options as well as pedestrian and bike friendly development to promote more effective development in the city. The best way to begin to make these priorities become reality, in my opinion, is to make them part of a larger comprehensive plan for our city. With education efforts, utilizing the excellent work already done by the Alliance for Metropolitan Stability, Transit for Livable Communities, the Sierra Club and other groups, we can also integrate city plans with neighborhood plans. By integrating and coordinating the City Planning Department with the MCDA and Neighborhood Revitalization Program we have enormous potential to create a long term and ongoing city planning effort that will put smart growth, sensible and environmentally-sensitive development as a priority. As well as taking a leadership role within the city and providing positive examples of wise development, we can also put pressure on the state and larger metropolitan region. As a Green Party founder and former board member of Common Cause Minnesota, I have been a long term advocate for an elected met council. I will continue to work for this as a city council member. This will help make this powerful governmental body more repsonsive to the needs of the individual people. I also think that we need to stand firm as a city that the MUSA line should not be extended. 2) What urban design principles will you support for riverfront development? - Preserve and restore it as a wildlife habitat and ecosystem - Develop a comprehensive long range plan for future use and development - Define it as a public resource - Improve public access and recreational opportunities The Mississippi River represents on of the greatest resources of our city, our state and our country. We must protect it and improve it as an ecological entity. My first principle is to work to preserve and restore of the river as a natural resource. I support efforts foster more indigenous vegetation, prevent pollution from causing future damage and increase wetlands near the river, both to help clean it and to create habitats for wildlife. I would work to limit new development along undeveloped, wilderness-like areas of the river and to ensure that any new development does not damage the habitats, landscape and plant life. I also support efforts to create comprehensive plans for the river and especially those that continue efforts to move from its use for commercial, industrial and private purposes to more public use where all of us can enjoy it as a public resource. This will certainly be a challenge, but it is time to improve access to and along the river throughout the city and see more of it converted to recreational uses as well wildlife areas. Plans must be set in place soon to deal with some uses, like a Metal Shredder and the University Power Plant, that are clearly not consistent with the view of the river as a public resource. 3) What will you do as City Council Member to reduce air toxic concentrations in our city? I think it is time that we offer more support to our City's environmental inspection department. One of the problems is that people do not understand the extent of the problem. It is vitally important that we identify where there are serious air quality problems and that we monitor them so that we can begin to make improvements. We must set clear standards and expectations on industries that cause air pollution and we must be willing to hold these industries accountable. In looking at sources of air pollution two areas of particular concern are the airport and the garbage burner. We must get accurate information about both sources of pollution. We should demand cleaner as well as quieter airplanes. We must also begin to develop better strategies to reduce waste in the area and recycle the waste we do have and set goals for reducing the amount of waste we burn. By looking to other cities that have more comprehensive and even profitable and publicly owned recycling centers we can develop a better way of handling trash for the long term in our city. I also think that we need to make air quality an important factor in decisions we make about future development. By promoting more "walkable" communities and supporting more sustainable transportation options we can begin to make progress in reducing our dependence on cars and, with that, on air pollution. It is time to make sustainable transportation a top priority. I have outlined several specific ideas below. Finally, I believe, we need to develop a clear energy policy for Minneapolis that will put a top priority on reducing our dependency on fossil and nuclear fuels and focus on using renewable sources of energy and conservation practices. Part of this energy plan for the future should be development of a municipally owned and democratically controlled power company. 4) What will you do to maintain and improve our parks and boulevards? These are among some of our most valuable assets and we must protect and enhance them. By working in partnership with the Park and Recreation Board and citizen groups I will ensure that the needs of the parks and boulevards are met. I will remain a strong advocate for a separate park board, with independence, to provide a clear watch dog and advocacy role for the parks. I will also continue to strengthen my relationships with park and rec. commissioners and work to make sure that they and the park board in general, is responsive to the needs of our community. One area of particular concern is the health of our lakes, creeks and rivers. I advocate "day lighting" more of our creeks and banning dangerous lawn chemicals that harm our lakes, rivers and creeks. 5) With the increased commercial development of our downtown what will you do to help solve the growing transportation pressures into our city? Too many people are driving too many cars too many miles. Heavier traffic means increased congestion, energy consumption, air pollution, risk of accidents and traffic noise. It is time to make sustainable transportation a top priority. I will work to: - Promote public transit and pedestrian neighborhoods. Allow mixed zoning to slow auto-centered development. - Make sure light rail lines are safe and serve those who live along them. Provide seamless interface with other transit and ensure new construction fits the neighborhood. - Lobby to create a state fund to improve bus service, expand lines and acquire efficient, accessible buses. - Work with businesses to create a "free fare" zone in the core city modeled after successful programs in Seattle, Portland, Syracuse and elsewhere. I envision a triangle enclosed by University, Franklin and Unopen Avenues within which bus riders would travel at no cost. This would promote business downtown and make cars less desirable in the center city. - Provide more bike racks on buses and at buildings as well as showers and bike lockers. -Complete the Midtown Greenway and increase bicycle paths, lanes and thoroughfares throughout the city. - Create auto-free streets, times and areas in Minneapolis. - Initiate a "job tickets" employee benefit program through which transit operators have contracts with private companies and city employees to allow respective commuters free access to public transportation. Minneapolis should lead the way by agreeing to reimburse Metro Transit for �job ticket� passes issued to all municipal employees. -�Promote car cooperatives and neighborhood car rental agencies that allow individuals to share access to vehicles without incurring the high costs of ownership. Look to models of �car co-ops� already in operation in over 60 European cities, Montreal, Vancouver, Victoria, B.C. and Eugene, Oregon. - Make our city more walkable and pedestrian and wheelchair friendly year round with street design, sidewalk cleaning and plowing, traffic calming and other management techniques. Walkable communities are more livable communities. Working together we can reduce our automobile dependency and improve air quality at the same time. 6) What will you do to deal with the continued airport expansion and transportation pressures related to increased airport traffic? I would work to prevent further expansion of the current airport and to begin work towards creating a second airport to serve the Twin Cities. I will work to have better citizen input and representation on the Airport Commission. I will also work to see that the Bureau of Mines area near Camp Coldwater is not turned over for airport expansion. I will work with the legislature and lobby at state and federal levels to see that safe standards are in place in order to reduce noise and pollution caused by airplanes. 7) Run off from impervious surfaces, roads, sidewalks, roofs and lawn chemicals are impacting our lakes, rivers, and creeks. What will you do to improve water quality in our city's waterways? I will work to promote all of the following ideas. All are needed to begin to improve water quality in our city. A) Would you support a citywide phosphorous fertilizer ban? Yes, and also efforts to identify other hazardous chemicals and promote more environmentally sound practices. B) Would you support a storm water treatment system? Yes. The failure to do this was a costly mistake on the part of the city. Correcting it will not be easy, but it must be a goal. C) Would you support building additional holding ponds to protect our city lakes? Yes, and in some cases, along the river as well. 8) What would you do to promote bicycle and pedestrian transit? This should be a goal of all city planning and a priority of the planning department. I have been and will continue to be a strong advocate of bike paths and thoroughfares as well as of pedestrian friendly development. I will work to make transportation planning and traffic management in the city focused on the needs wakers and bike riders and not just car users as it is today. I will work to develop a comprehensive network of bike paths, lanes and even streets throughout the city to make this a safe, easy and desirable form of transportation. 9) Do you believe central cities should accept a greater or lesser share of the Twin Cities projected population growth? I think that the central cities must be prepared to accept a larger share while working to encourage even distribution. We must work to limit sprawl. 10) What if anything will you do to promote city level campaign finance reform? As a founder of the Citizen's Reform Network and a former board member of Common Cause Minnesota, I have worked hard for campaign finance reform for over 15 years. During my campaign I have made this a central issue repeatedly and also led the Green party to unite calling for reform. There are several basic reforms we can make to help assure that the interests of the citizens come first. Provide More Complete and Prompt Disclosure of Campaign Contributions Prevent Conflict of Interest in City Decisions Provide Public Support for City Campaigns Prevent Special Advantages for Favored Businesses Close the Revolving Door for Public Officials Provide Complete and Prompt Disclosure - Each campaign for city office should be required to report every 30 days all persons making campaign contributions of more than $50 and those making aggregate totals of $100 or more during an election cycle. These and all campaign finance reports should be made available online over the internet in a timely matter. - Require full public disclosure from elected officials, department heads and other top appointed officials of all sources of family income. Prevent Conflict of Interest -�City council members should disqualify themselves from voting on matters affecting any person who has a business relationship with the council member or the council member's family. This should include any business entity whose owners, officers, or executives have such a business relationship. - Prohibit the acceptance of a campaign contribution from anyone doing business with the city and from anyone who has a matter before the city council 90 days prior to and two years following any City Council hearing or decision regarding that person or business. This would also include the owners, officers, or executives of any such business or entity. Provide Public Support for City Campaigns -�Provide fair and comprehensive voter guides to every city household at least ten days before each city primary and general election. -�Develop a plan for full public financing of city campaigns by 2005. Prevent Special Advantages to Favored Businesses - Place a limit of $10 million on any subsidy to a for-profit corporation, and restrict any corporate subsidy over $100,000 to businesses that pay a living wage and support the right of workers to organize unions or are worker-owned. Any subsidy in excess of $10 million must be approved by voter referendum. - Require a fairer more open process, including Request for Proposals and open selection processes, for city contracts and sales of city property. - Establish clear guidelines for city council members' involvement in any city inspections or licensing matter and prohibit any ex parte, closed door, communications while a matter is before the council for consideration. - Revise the city code for licensing to provide specific standards and procedures for granting, renewal, taking adverse action on licenses and appealing decisions about licenses. Close the Revolving Door - Require a period of one year to pass after any Council Member or department head stops working for the city before they can accept employment with any firm or company doing business with the city. People should not have to be concerned about who is influencing their elected officials or their top city staff. The influence of big money has no place in city hall. Let's set up a system that makes it crystal clear that the interests of the voters come first. Let�s bring hope and trust back to Minneapolis politics and democracy back to our people. 11) How will you use your position as City Council Member to direct city procurement policies towards green products and buildings, such as super high efficiency vehicles, passive solar construction, chlorine free paper, recycled carpets and clean fuels? I will push for a "Green City Government" initiative similar to that proposed last year in the state legislature by Sen. Hottinger and Rep Kahn. Part of this would include directing city policies towards green products and practices. This would help stimulate development of more ecologically wise products and services. It should also include, among other things, -�Energy Efficiency Impact statement for new construction of city buildings and an energy audit of existing buildings - Mandate use of energy efficient vehicles, hybrids and increased use of biodiesel fuels. - Greater use of non toxic recycled and recyclable materials throughout city government. 12) What will you do as a City Council Member to help protect Camp Coldwater Springs (Bureau of Mines Land) and the 27 acres of green space that surrounds the area? As I did as a private citizen and Green Party leader in the past, I will do in the future. I will speak, write and work with deep conviction to protect and preserve this area. Would you oppose the Metropolitan Airports Commissions efforts to build on the current land a parking facility or any other type of development that would disturb the current green space? Yes Would you support turning the Bureau of Mines Land over to the either the Department of Natural Resources, State Park System or Minneapolis Park Board to be restored to it original natural state. Yes As a former member of the Park and River Alliance and participant in the Stop the Reroute Coalition I have a long and active history around this issue. It is time to take back this land and to claim it as public park space to be used as an educational and historic resource. I would like to see this area converted to a state park or, perhaps a state/city park partnership. I also think that some of the existing buildings could be utilized for educational opportunities which might include an interpretive center or school. What is currently green space should remain as such with as little disturbance as possible. Thank you, Cam Gordon ======================== Cam Gordon for Ward 2 914 Franklin Terrace Seward, Mpls. MN 55406-1101 (612) 332-6210 http://www.camgordon.org Green Party, Progressive Mn, and Labor (UE 1139) Endorsed ------------ Forwarded Message ends here ------------ Cam Gordon for Ward 2 914 Franklin Terrace Seward, Mpls. MN 55406-1101 (612) 332-6210 http://www.camgordon.org Green Party, Progressive Mn, Labor (UE 1139) and Sierra Club Endorsed _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
