His reasoning is consistent with the patronage expectations that I criticized Ed Whitmore for earlier. Rather than finding out more about the candidates--like, for instance, by attending the District 5 candidates forum--these Councilmen seem to be waiting for the candidates to come and kiss the ring.Such as been written or spoken about the Metro Council's decision to fill the vacant 5th District School Board position for 90 days with a lady who chooses to home-school her 4 children. I have responded to several citizens inquiries as to why I voted in the majority for Ms. Kay Brooks? The simple answer is that she was the only one of the 4 announced candidates who took the time to track me down, ask me for my thoughts on education in the 35th district, explain why she wanted the position and ask me for my vote. Her initiative and willingness to think "outside the box" was impressive. She earned my vote.
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Thursday, May 25, 2006
Charlie Tygard Gives His Reasons for Voting for Kay Brooks
District 35 Council member Charlie Tygard explained his vote for Kay Brooks in a publication called the Westview. I reproduced a portion of it here (the several spelling and grammatical errors were in the original text):
Mike, keep going on this. You're the only person in town pulling these threads together, and you are weaving quite a tapestry.
ReplyDeleteWhen I hear council members saying they voted for Ms. Brooks because she asked, I believe them--in part. There is power in the asking, and those of us who care about public education need to remember that this election year, because those who want to funnel public money to private schools certainly will.
But these responses do not hide--indeed, I think they illumine--the factionalism that has riven this Council from its inception. The Kay Brooks vote was, with little exception, the same vote breakdown we've seen on the Sounds ballpark, Metro budgets and taxes, refusals to investigate unwarranted destruction of historic property, and numerous appointments to boards and commissions. Yesterday at the State of Metro address, Mayor Purcell was interrupted time and again by applause as he listed the accomplishments of the city. Consider that we did those things with the Council fighting itself every step of the way.
We've been swimming a race chained to an anchor. What could we accomplish with legislative leadership and initiative?