Election 2007: The Chamber’s Yes, No, Unsure – Again!
Nuance takes a backseat as the local Chamber of Commerce once again (2005’s “Yes, No, Unsure”) asks local candidates the big questions while limiting answers to “yes, no, unsure”.
This year the Chamber acknowledged the difficulty
We understand it is difficult to answer questions in a “yes, no, or unsure” format, however this method is useful in conveying your general policy perspectives to our members. The candidate interviews will allow you an opportunity to provide a more nuanced response. Please answer the survey questions as “Yes, No, or Unsure”.
Answers other than this will not be published.[emp:mine]
though, the real difficulty, I think, is in believing that it is “useful” to their constituency to get curtailed answers to some difficult questions.
Asked in 2005 what I would do if elected, I answered (beyond the 50 word limit):
As Chapel Hill transitions from Town to City we need to cultivate economic activity throughout Town. That starts with a creating a new EDC, doing a real survey of all business activity and creating a strategic plan for economic development that looks 5,10,20 years out.
We need to get creative and realize we can support innovative economic activity by supporting a municipally-sponsored broadband service. Besides advertising Chapel Hill as a Town on the (technology) rise, it attracts low impact businesses that employ our next generation of consumers.
Finally, we need to revisit some traditional amenities that have all but disappeared in Chapel Hill. Drinking fountains and attractive public restrooms are a good start. And to make Downtown family friendlier, I’m calling for a state-of-the-art, world-class, “mom, do we have to leave” play structure in a prominent Downtown location.
How did I do?
We have, finally, an economic development officer. The Council did, finally, set aside monies to tag-along with the NC-DOT on the municipal fiber network. But my call for pocket parks, Downtown and elsewhere, and restoration of traditional, welcoming amenities remains unheeded. That’s OK, I’ll add it to the stack of issues I’ll address when elected.