| Author | Message | ||
     joeltfk Citizen Username: Joeltfk Post Number: 202 Registered: 8-2001  |
My wife and I attended a Vic DeLuca event last night. He was surrounded by the one of the most thoughtful, intelligent, polite, fair-minded, and diverse collectives I've ever seen in one place in a Maplewood setting (at an extraordinary family-owned art gallery on Springfield Avenue, which Vic revitalized). Granted, it was a campaign event so of course everyone supported Vic, but the heartfelt sincerity and passion was palpable. Vic spoke eloquently and politely about the apples-and-oranges differences between himself and his opponents. It was clear that this primary will say a lot about our town's character -- whether or not we want principled leadership with integrity. I know it's rare in politics (and getting rarer), but it's here in the flesh. Of course, my family's recommendation is to vote for one and only one candidiate -- Vic DeLuca. If you support others, but want what's best for Maplewood, getting the strongest thinkers and leaders in once place to produce the worthiest debates and securing the best result possible, then vote for both Vic and Fred. The LAST THING we'd want is a TC that acts in lock-step out of allegiance or other reasons. This is a diverse town and we should want a diversity of opinion on the TC. If that creates drama, so what? They're big boys and girls and understand both responsibility accountability. | ||
| mjh Supporter Username: Mjh Post Number: 139 Registered: 5-2001 |
I like your post joeltfk. My husband has the similar thoughts about the TC. In fact, he wants to make a yard sign: "Vote Deluca and Profeta"(decorate with olive branch)...} | ||
| Bob K Supporter Username: Bobk Post Number: 8639 Registered: 5-2001 |
One of my major criticisms of the "Vic and Jerry Years" was that something like 99% of the TC votes were 5-0. I think the way the TC is currently set up this isn't the case anymore. David H. votes against anything Fred is for and Ken often votes the way he feels, the nail salon ordinance being a recent example. If Fred and Vic are on the TC together we will no longer have a budget issue. The Town can sell seats to the Tuesday night follies for Yankee box ticket prices because the fireworks are sure to fly.  | ||
| Hank Zona Supporter Username: Hankzona Post Number: 3450 Registered: 3-2002 |
Ken often votes the way he feels well thats a relief | ||
| joeltfk Citizen Username: Joeltfk Post Number: 203 Registered: 8-2001 |
Politics aside, I say put the two best leaders and thinkers in the best position to help make the best decision. Each has made considerable contribution to Maplewood. Why compromise? "David H. votes against anything Fred is for and Ken often votes the way he feels" With your implication that Fred, Kathy and Ian vote in lockstep and Ken *usually* does, that doesn't exactly scream diversity of opinion to me. Popcorn's on me. I'll tell you this: if one of you ardent Profeta supporters votes Fred/Vic, I promise to do the same. | ||
| crabby Citizen Username: Crabbyappleton Post Number: 85 Registered: 1-2004 |
Of the three, the two best leaders are Fred and Ian. The TC is VERY diverse right now. The members are all from different neighborhoods. | ||
| Bob K Supporter Username: Bobk Post Number: 8641 Registered: 5-2001 |
Me Bad and I really have to stop posting on the fly. I think all the TC members (including you David) vote the way they think and feel. While I don't spend as much time at The Follies as I once did, what I see currently is a lot more open discussion and exchange of views than was the case when Vic was running the show. | ||
| kathleen Citizen Username: Symbolic Post Number: 136 Registered: 3-2005 |
I don't think the issue is diversity of ideas. I think the issue is whether you can believe a candidate is going to work to do the things he says he is going to work for, and whether you want those things. The outstanding problem with Fred and Ian is that in previous campaigns they have told voters many incredibly appealing things, and then acted otherwise in office. You can't expect people to believe them twice. | ||
| Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider Post Number: 7210 Registered: 1-2003  |
Hey, it works for Bush supporters! | ||
| kathleen Citizen Username: Symbolic Post Number: 139 Registered: 3-2005 |
I've noticed! I think Fred has too. | ||
| Woodster Citizen Username: Woodster Post Number: 126 Registered: 8-2002 |
Currently the eastside doesn’t have anyone representing it. Bobk, don’t bother telling me where the TC members live. I already know where they live. It doesn’t change the fact that they haven’t done anything for the area east of SA since they were elected. Unless of course you consider Fred’s plans to jam 500 units in to a 2 block area. In Fred and Ian’s mailer they talked about adding more police to the village on weekends but nothing about adding police to the eastside where the gangs are hanging out. I watched the debate the other night and Fred’s answer to the lack of police presence on the eastside questions was “you don’t see the police because they are in unmarked units, you shouldn’t be able to see them.” Is he kidding me? Just about everyone knows what an unmarked unit looks like. When Vic was Mayor we had a special detail assigned to the Hilton area called the “Neighborhood Stabilization” detail. It took all of about 2 or 3 months to clear all the trash out of the area. Fred hasn’t done anything like it and it shows in the results. Back to the topic, Fred controls the committee through Kathy and Ian. Dave speaks his mind on all issues; Ken also does for the most part. Therefore there is no diversity. Dave and even Ken can speak their minds but Fred will get the vote he wants every time. If you put Vic on the TC, it would be Vic and Dave against Fred and Kathy with Ken being the deciding vote. I can live with that. As Mayor Fred said in his January 01 speech “healthy debate is good.” Fred has to believe that with Kathy as his manager and Ken as his treasurer he should be able to control the votes so why is he so scared of Vic being on the TC? Because Vic will keep him honest and everything out in the open and that’s not Fred’s style. | ||
| ffof Citizen Username: Ffof Post Number: 3819 Registered: 5-2001  |
Vic is honest and open?  Holy wait-while-I-adjust-my-blinders, batman!! | ||
| apm Citizen Username: Apm Post Number: 291 Registered: 5-2001 |
This is complete misinformation. There is NO proposal for 500+ units on Burnett Avenue. That would be way too large for our infrastructure. Consistent with Fred and Ian's approach throughout, no project will be approved before it is fully vetted with the public and that it will complement, not overwhelm, the neighborhood. Good work!! | ||
| Woodster Citizen Username: Woodster Post Number: 130 Registered: 8-2002 |
Apm, I think you meant good luck not “good work”. You seem to be pretty knowledgeable about town issues, so why is that you don’t know about Fred’s plans for the 500 units? Could it be because Fred hasn’t been as open and honest as Flof would have everyone believe? Let me explain Fred’s plans (which even Ian said he knew nothing about). 140 units to go up at the old Universal Chain property and the remaining 350 plus units on the Verizon site, the Maplewood Building Specialties site, and part of the Division of Public Works property. Where did I hear this? From Fred’s mouth! Yes, you are right, the Verizon building was bought and is currently occupied by a tax paying owner. But will Fred let that stand in his way? Hell no. He stated that he was going after that property under the redevelopment zone regardless if it is now paying taxes. He feels because it wasn’t occupied when he came up with his plan that it doesn’t count. Did you watch the last TC meeting where the owner of the Maplewood Building Specialties Co. spoke up? He wanted to thank Fred for all of his cooperation in helping him, but asked Fred to hurry up and get it done because he needs to know what the future holds in store for him and his family. You are also right that the infrastructure can’t handle this kind of project, yet, once again will this stand in Fred’s way? Hell No. Let’s build it and then we will worry about the problems, or will we? After all, the problems won’t be in his neighborhood or his supporter’s neighborhood. Take care of the hill and that is all. The Profeta Way. | ||
| Reflective Citizen Username: Reflective Post Number: 956 Registered: 3-2003 |
Woodster - you talk the talk about not having police presence on the so-called east side. Well I remember ol' Vic, as mayor, not giving a damn about the complaints of maplewood mothers with their children about the cursing and bad behavior of minority non-maplewooodians on the basketball courts next to the rec center. Another hit to Maplewood's and Memorial Park's quality of life. And his refusal to implement a helmet law for kids on Bicycles because it might upset neighboring kids from Newark and Irvington who were in Maplewood to only "borrow" Maplewood kids' bikes. What I learned from Vic as mayor is that he didn't give a damn about maplewoodians but cared alot about not offending non maplewoodians, for some weird reasons. But then ol' Vic didn't matriculate thru a beautiful community like M or SO. His community value system is somewhere left of the mainstream. | ||
| mem Citizen Username: Mem Post Number: 4868 Registered: 5-2001  |
Reflective, Vic's non-helmet bike law - he needed to keep up good relations with his previous hometown of Newark, etc. because he has political plans way beyond Maplewood. Oh well. Except it compromised Maplewood residents and forced us to accept this burden of disregard for bike safety laws - because - he didn't want to alienate bike riding visitors from Newark, etc. who do not have helmet laws, to feel as if they were being discriminated against because the majority of bike crimes in Maplewood are from residents of these towns. S.O. has the helmet law, though, and the police there have repoted a drastic reduction in bike crimes. Very very silly, huh? | ||
| Jack Straw Supporter Username: Strawberry Post Number: 5174 Registered: 10-2001 |
Does anyone remember 2 weeks ago when this Joel fella said he was voting for Vic because I was voting for fred. DON'T BELIEVE ANYTHING THIS LIAR SAYS.. Gee, maybe I should tell him I'm Jewish so he can find Christ next.. | ||
| ffof Citizen Username: Ffof Post Number: 3820 Registered: 5-2001 |
"Take care of the hill and that is all." That is the kind of •••••••• spewed by Deluca to split Maplewood. And, btw, NO ONE calls it "the hill"!!! No one says "I live on the hill." THere is nowhere in Maplewood called The HIll. And Fred's supporters are EVERYWHERE! Watch out Woodie woodchuck! | ||
| mem Citizen Username: Mem Post Number: 4869 Registered: 5-2001 |
Fred supports ALL of Maplewood, yet another intelligent distinction of Fred's is that he ALSO supports "The Hill", which Vic has unfortunately chosen to disregard as if "The Hill" people were not good people worth working with, which of course they are. In addition, "Hill people" have paid the majority of our taxes both before and after the reval. (I don't and never have lived on "The Hill" by the way. I am petitioning "Vic's Neighborhood Delineation Architects Association" to label my "section" as "The Shire") Whatever! | ||
| mem Citizen Username: Mem Post Number: 4870 Registered: 5-2001 |
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