Are Don Samuels and Margo Ashmore really "very close on the issues?" At
last week's debate their rhetoric may not have been so different but in
part this was due to Margo Ashmore not being totally forthcoming--
especially regarding the issue of Cub Foods on Central.
While, like many other candidates, she said she would "listen to the
community," regarding this issue, in fact she has already been in strong
support of the Cub development. Her newspaper endorsed the Cub proposal
in advance of any neighborhood dialogue on the issue. As an at-large
board member of the Northeast Community Development Corporation she has
also been part of the process of taking away the rights of neighborhoods
to conduct citizen review of development projects in favor of having the
much less democratic NECDC assume this role. Much of her base of
support appears to come from the old-style Central Avenue business
community. Her campaign manager is the NECDC vice-president and someone
who has demonstrated little or no appreciation for our neighborhood's
exisiting older housing bases and historic urban nature, has been
hostile towards affordable housing concerns, and been strongly
supportive of efforts to displace existing small businesses with
developments like a super-size Walgreens and Cub on Central. I'm sure
Margo Ashmore will listen to some community voices on these issues, the
question is, "Which community?"
As her stated platform doesn't address these issues, I would very much
like to see Margo Ashmore answer a few questions for us:
1. What exactly is your real stand on the Cub Foods proposal?
2. What is your view on the relationship of the NECDC to neighborhood
groups?
3. Given the current controversies regarding the CDC, is it a conflict
of interest to continue as a CDC board member while seeking a city
council office?
4. If you win elected office, how would you handle the conflict of
interest of being an owner of the Northeaster with being our city
council representative? Would you pledge to have you and your partner
permanently sever all ownership ties to the Northeaster before taking
office?
5. As Loki Anderson just asked of Don Samuels, if the redistricting
does go through, what would you do in 2005? (At present my
understanding is that Margo actually lives in the First Ward and is
going to technically move into a small apartment above the Northeaster
office (ironically, one of the 25 housing units to be demolished if the
Cub Foods proposal goes through) in order to meet the letter, if not the
spirit, of the law requiring candidates to live in the ward in which
they are running.
Bruce Shoemaker
Holland Neighborhood/Ward 3
PS I did really appreciate Margo having the guts to be honest regarding
her views regarding the pledge of allegiance when it came up at the
Edison debate--by far the best answer of any of the candidates. And
despite having strong opinions, the Northeaster always seems to have
room for dissenting voices, something I very much admire.
> > Sent: Tuesday, December 24, 2002 6:57 AM
> > To: Anne McCandless
> > Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > Subject: Re: [Mpls] Matt Thoren
> >
> >> > Ms. McCandless,
> >
> > I'm an old friend of Margo Ashmore's from college days working on her campaign -
>most recently affixing labels for a mailing. So all on this >list > > knows my bias.
> >
> > The rumor mill has it that during the year Don Samuels served on the
>JACC > > board, he attended only four meetings. Do you know the truth of this? >And
>> > also, what did JACC accomplish that year? Whaat role did Mr. Samuels >play > >
>in those accomplishments?
> >
> > Actually, I like Mr. Samuels - he and Margo are very close on the
>issues.
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