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Well, who should I vote for?

Is Bike Pittsburgh going to figure out which Democratic candidate for governor is better for biking and transit? Because I'd really like to know, and vote accordingly, other things being equal, more or less.
jonawebb
2014-04-24 15:21:27
I do hope they send out some surveys, like they did for the mayoral race. However, it might be more difficult to get a response as they have more requests due to a larger political base.
benzo
2014-04-24 16:04:12
A few of us are Republicans. It would also be useful to know who on that ticket is likely to do the least damage.
stuinmccandless
2014-04-24 20:05:45
Too early to tell. Wolf seems to be getting a lot of support. Allyson Schwartz is second, but kind of far behind at this point. Peduto is supporting Wolf, but I'm not sure what that's about as yet. I would suggest checking out their campaign websites. Again, November is a long way off... As for BikePgh, these situations are kind of difficult. If you support the losing candidate and the other guy wins you will have a lot of trouble getting anything from their administration. Heck hey might even decree that bikes lanes shall be tarred over. (More to the point, a biker political group needs to be separate from the main advocacy organization; that gives it the freedom to politick.)
ahlir
2014-04-24 20:11:56
The primary is next month. So it's about time to decide on the Democratic nominee. Who is almost certainly going to be governor next year.
jonawebb
2014-04-25 07:30:43
Well, Bike-PGH is not really allowed to support a particular candidate, at least not have a public endorsement. Something about their organizational structure or by-laws. However, they can ask questions and post responses. Which is how they handled the last democratic mayoral primary in Pittsburgh.
benzo
2014-04-25 07:49:34
Benzo wrote:However, they can ask questions and post responses.
Which is all I'm asking for -- along with comments from other politically-oriented folks here.
jonawebb
2014-04-25 08:07:20
BikePGH is not the statewide org. We volunteered to help PA Walks & Bikes with this project, but we are not the best organization to ask the questions or deliver a platform.
scott
2014-05-01 15:32:46
OK, nobody's helping me, so I did some research myself. All of the Democrats discuss the need to invest more in our crappy infrastructure. Tom Wolf's transportation position is very auto-centric, though he does mention high speed rail: http://wolfforpa.com/sections/page/building-a-21st-century-infrastructure Allyson Schwartz mentions mass transit and PAT's problems: http://allysonschwartz.com/issues/transportation/ Rob McCord also mentions mass transit, though not in the same detail as Schwartz: http://www.robmccord.com/issues/ Katie McGinty has a very brief discussion of the issues, including mass transit: http://www.katiemcginty.com/issues/transportation-infrastructure I don't think there's much difference between them -- though Tom Wolf does stand out as the only candidate not to mention local mass transit at all, and Allyson Schwartz is the most pro-mass transit, I'd say.
jonawebb
2014-05-12 09:36:17
The more Wolf leans on his experience with his cabinet business, the less excited I am about his potential as governor. What else you got, Tom? I like McCords positions a lot, but if he doesn't have a realistic shot, oh well. I think Schwartz is just fine. OT; Anybody seen Corbetts TV counter ad to Wolf with the lifted monster pickup truck? F'king idiotic bullshit. I thought I couldn't dislike the guy any more than I did. But I was wrong.
edmonds59
2014-05-12 11:45:49
Vote according to your soul. Not for who will give you the most bike lanes.
italianblend
2014-05-13 06:18:16
@Italianblend, my soul's not telling me much other than not to vote for Corbett. So I'm having to make up my mind based on what the candidates say on their websites about issues I care about.
jonawebb
2014-05-13 07:58:26
After listening to two debates I don’t think there is much difference in policy between the democratic contenders. So assuming you want someone other than Corbet in office next year, I’d vote for the person you think could beat him in the general election. But just winning wont change much considering the legislature will most likely be controlled by Republicans. So you need a Democrat that you think will be able to work with the other party, and there are definitely wide differences in personalities among the candidates.
marko82
2014-05-13 08:21:41
@pstat, thanks, that's helpful.
jonawebb
2014-05-13 09:24:41
Haven't we made a lot of progress in the last couple of years?
italianblend
2014-05-13 16:10:56
At the local level, yes. At the state level, not so much, I'd say. Very car-centric, and when there are opportunities where small modifications to plans to make roads more accessible to pedestrians and cyclists would make a huge difference, PennDOT is indifferent. That is why the race for governor is important.
jonawebb
2014-05-13 19:12:24
we plan to publish some questionnaires that we collaborated on with the statewide org. stay tuned
erok
2014-05-13 20:19:40
we plan to publish some questionnaires That would be much appreciated. The article pointer from @pistat was pretty informative. The main theme is improving transport infrastructure to facilitate movement of goods and people, with an accent on trains. The word "cars" comes up twice: you having to pay for pothole damage to your car, and how cheap public transit is compared to cars (you supposedly save $9k/yr!!). No "bicycle". I wouldn't mind settling for an ~up-to-global-standards transit system, and for less potholes. Allyson Schwartz is a credible candidate; I feel more in tune with her platform. She also emphasizes Corbett's (and Republicans) failure to address the crisis of our crumbling infrastructure. I did not find a reference to bicycles on her infrastructure/ transportation page. Anyway, let's wait and see what the PR flacks have to tell us about their candidates. (Not a slight: a good flack will have absorbed their candidate's outlook ans successfully translated it into specific responses; ideally the candidate vets the text.) Anyway, the only important thing this year is to replace Corbett and to reduce the size of the Republican delegation (yes, I'm looking at you Cranberry). Otherwise Pennsylvania will continue to sink to the level of Mississippi and like backwaters. And cyclists, among others, will continue to suffer. [sorry for the partisan tone; but please, note that no bad words were used in the composition of this post.]
ahlir
2014-05-13 20:55:23
Thank you, this will help.
ka_jun
2014-05-15 14:50:38
Awesome, Look forward to all the candidates responses. Would be interested in a questionnaire like this being prepared and sent to all candidates running for state senate / representative positions, at least those races in / around Pittsburgh.
benzo
2014-05-15 15:10:30
Thanks very much for doing this.
jonawebb
2014-05-15 15:16:06
That's the only information I've seen on the candidates views on bikes. Thanks for doing this, PA Walks and Bikes and Bike Pittsburgh. Too bad your online membership form gives a 404 error, PA Walks and Bikes.
jonawebb
2014-05-16 14:18:46
Huh. Interesting that Wolf's campaign has yet to respond. Silence can be deafening.
ka_jun
2014-05-18 00:04:15
http://www.katiemcginty.com/issues/transportation-infrastructure http://www.wolfforpa.com/sections/page/building-a-21st-century-infrastructure Neither transportation page mentions bicycles. At least Wolff's is somewhat fleshed out. I mean come on, you're running for governor. Can you spare the time to add more than three lines about a pretty big fucking deal? I mean, we spend millions of dollars in this state on that sector right? And you can't write more than three sentences about it? Wolff also mentions high speed rail, and although doesn't mention across the state, compared the absence of McGinty saying anything, I don't know Also, just because she responded to that groups easily lobbed questions doesn't mean shit. I mean at Obama. Consider all the things he said he would do to what's actually happened. And he was at least a two term? Senator at the time. From McGinty's bio, she doesn't even have political leadership experience, let alone specific PA experience. I'm not interested in what people say they're going to do really. I'm interested in what they've already done. Have either of them promoted cycling or pedestrian friendly infrastructure before this point? I mean, McGinty's entire bio is a bunch of vague environmental crap. Over her career, did she ever consider promoting alternatives to driving as a method of environmental protection? Unless she didn't think it relevant to include that information or her bio or these questions, it doesn't look like it
sgtjonson
2014-05-18 00:58:05
If websites are any indication, Wolff is going to blow McGinty out of the water. Who do you want to vote for? Somebody who lists the RIO summit as an accomplishment (an environmental summit 20 years ago, which 20 years later, has basically amounted to nothing, which is why we're facing a climate crisis) and who has spent her life in a bunch of bureaucracy/advisory positions for government and corporations OR Somebody who has dedicated his life to furthering his family business and ensuring job security for Pennsylvanians and has been a successful CEO of a (I'm assuming mid-sized?) family business. The dude also looks like he'd easily be a recumbent bicycle rider
sgtjonson
2014-05-18 01:08:12
Ugh, the more compare the differences, the more McGinty sucks. She's a former DEP head right? Her website's environmental section doesn't even MENTION climate change. The dude who's primarily a business owner and doesn't really have any environmental credentials has an entire Climate Change section! I mean granted, it's full of kind of vague crap too, but McGinty's not even using the word!
sgtjonson
2014-05-18 01:12:33
I think Allyson Schwartz is the obvious choice, on this issue, at least.
jonawebb
2014-05-18 12:32:24
Wow, she seems pretty cool too. She has the word "intermodal" in her infrastructure section. She also has an LGBT and gun control section, which is pretty gutsy. She uses the phrase climate change too.
sgtjonson
2014-05-19 10:42:10
Schwartz has concrete accomplishments in supporting biking, according to her statement. This is good. Wolf is already being attacked viciously by the Republicans. Recent flyers in our mail: He once had a job collecting taxes! He supports Obamacare! So, the odds are pretty good that Wolf gets the nomination (the last poll I saw had him at ~50% and Schwartz in the 20s). Schwartz is a good candidate, but if you're thinking strategically you'll have to decide which candidate seems more likely to win. Schwartz's "liberal" label might work against her in the non-urbanized parts of the state. Remember, getting Corbett out of power is key: he has been cynically working against the best interests of the citizens of PA and cannot be allowed to continue to hold our state back. Finally (and don't you hate these posts that run on and on...): tomorrow is primary day. Be sure you get out and vote! Also, bike to the polling station. A poll watcher will ask you "can I see your ID?". The correct answer is "The courts have established that the ID requirement is unconstitutional. Under what authority are you asking me for an ID?"
ahlir
2014-05-19 19:03:17
I think this link works for donating to PA Walks and Bikes: https://bicyclecoalition.secure.nonprofitsoapbox.com/pawb They don't have any full-time staff, so their web sites and operations in general are kind of lacking. I told them their link was broken back in Dec but didn't hear back, and I also once sent them a check that never got cashed. I still send them some money hoping the actual advocacy is more effective.
salty
2014-05-19 20:01:31
A poll watcher will ask you “can I see your ID? Mrs. Becker would never do that. But she will ask me which party I'm registered with since I’m usually non-affiliated (independent) and only register with a D or an R to vote in whomever’s primary is interesting at the time. The real voter fraud is in absentee voting, well that and all that money.
marko82
2014-05-19 20:05:09
A poll watcher has no authority to ask a voter anything, let alone challenge for ID. They are there to watch poll workers and the voting process.
stuinmccandless
2014-05-19 21:27:21
Apologies. That should have been poll "worker", the people who mind the process. a poll watcher is someone appointed by a party to watch for irregularities. Poll workers have been instructed by the current administration to ask everyone for an ID, even though this has been ruled illegal as a prerequisite for voting. So just remind them of that (politely).
ahlir
2014-05-20 07:59:02
BTW, there is a lt governer race as well (and a few other state rep races). I did not know this till I started researching today as none of the campaigns have sent me any info.. Michael Stack is one of the candidates who propsed a bill to allow speed cameras to be used in philly. I'm bummed that there is so little coverage of these ancillary races... Do a bit of research before you head to the polls: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania_lieutenant_gubernatorial_election,_2014 I got a personalized ballot with all the applicable races at http://www.vote411.org/
benzo
2014-05-20 08:31:48
I didn't realize the R ballot had a second choice for Governor.
stuinmccandless
2014-05-20 09:23:00
Yes, because Corbett is insufficiently conservative. Embrace the dark side, Stu... come to the Democrats...
jonawebb
2014-05-20 09:29:15
If you mean Bob Guzzardi, my station had a small note pinned up explaining that Guzzardi is not a candidate, even though his name appears on the ballot. I don't know if the machine could enforce this. Guzzardi was forced off the ballot for some technical reporting violations, following significant pressure by the Corbett people. My advice is, if the machine lets you, vote Guzzardi: you are not betraying the R, you are using your American freedom to voice an opinion. As a bonus, he's from Forest Hills. One of us! I was not asked for an ID!
ahlir
2014-05-20 10:17:05
Come to think of it, you're right, he isn't a candidate. I saw my wife's election supplies (I'm not a Judge of Election this time, but she is), and there were several sheets to post about Guzzardi's invalidation.
stuinmccandless
2014-05-20 12:24:39
Thank you all for the great discussion. It informed the choice I would have made had I been eligible to vote today... #3rdpartyproblems
headloss
2014-05-20 18:16:44
A lot of smart people are saying that climate change is going to be our biggest problem in the upcoming years. Wolff recognizes it's a problem. That's a huge improvement over Corbett. I think Wolff is going to win no problem. The republican challenger is some 70 year old pro-Israel nut. I generally don't care for moderates, but I guess beggars can't be choosers and Wolff should be able to appeal to republicans
sgtjonson
2014-05-20 21:23:31
I am most often a Democrat, but I am not sure if I will vote against Corbett. I believe in real balanced budgets, not fake crap. Less debt and spending what we actually have. I don't think we need more taxes in this state. We are taxed a lot. I am not a big fan of Corbett, but Wolff seems worse. Look how many people are employed by U of Pitt and UPMC which pay NO tax. they are groaning and creating jobs. I think we need to rethink taxation. I am green first however and that is a concern regardless, but I don't think Wolff will do anything for that anyway. No one cares and green is still sadly taboo.
gg
2014-05-20 22:12:36
It's an anyone but Corbett race for me, I detest the guy. I didn't like him as A.G. and he's only managed to annoy me more since becoming governor. I'm not a fan of partisans. Balanced budgets require taxes. I don't see anyway around this fact except in a fantasy world. Taxes took a hit during a week economy, creating debt... that kind of debt is OK. But I agree that budgets need to be balanced. I can't take a position that taxes are too high and spending is too high without having the numbers in front of me. Without giving a clear example of what tax to cut or what spending to cut, there is no substance in a discussion.... that's just talking about ideals instead of raw numbers. Who would you have voted for and why? What specifically do you dislike about Wolff's plans? What taxes are we talking about? I'm for anyone who isn't going to hand away our natural gas to a for-profit and pass on the bill for clean up to the tax payer. Corbett doesn't represent Pennsylvanians, he represents a political party and special interests. What good has he done for this state while in office to even consider giving him another shot?
headloss
2014-05-21 10:20:32
I'm a great believer in democracy. Tom Wolf isn't the most liberal guy out there, but Pennsylvania has this weird conservative / liberal mix. He should have no trouble connecting with most of the state's voters. If Corbett gets within 10 points of him in the polls I'll be surprised. And we'll show that rewarding your campaign contributors by handing the natural resources of the state over to them for free does, eventually, get punished. Plus, Wolf will expand Medicaid, restore some of the education cuts, maybe do something about high speed rail. All good stuff.
jonawebb
2014-05-21 11:06:33