#My_Journey_19
#Winter_of_19
42 degrees this morning, 52% humidity. No walk this morning, early morning appointment.
Walk yesterday was 25;30 minutes, 16 minute swim. Pace was 33 seconds slower than my goal.
Supposed to be almost balmy today, in the 60’s, but then “arctic” weather coming in. I am definitely ready for Spring!
Local city election yesterday. I was proud of one candidate who will advance to the general election, proving that hard work and personal contact with the citizens helps!
However, I was astounded that several of the candidates who put up illegal signs etc. advanced. If they can’t follow the laws during the campaign, how are they going to follow them when they are on the City Council!
Another thing that shocked me and really worry about the future of elections is the one candidate had a huge company from Chicago that spent thousands of dollars on ads, bailouts etc, including ads on the CNN Website, a full color brochure etc.
This for a Council seat in a town thousands of miles from Chicago. Of course, this was done “without coordination with the candidate” or some lie like that.
Makes you wonder what they expect to “buy” for their money, I am sure they expect to get good “returns” on their “investment” and they could really care less about this city.
Hopefully the huge amounts of money spent (and the reasons out of town big organizations are trying to buy the election) will come out during the campaign for the general election!
The city residents are very protective of their residential areas so hopefully the huge expenditures by the National Realtor Association Fund from Chicago will be discussed.
I realize there is a balance necessary in any city, but at least the interest of the neighborhoods need to be protected.
The City here has an unusual structure that I actually like. While it has the “wards” or districts” the method of election is different.
Basically the residents of the Ward vote on the top two candidates for the Council person representing their Ward (who have to live in the ward) if more than two persons run for a specific Council seat.
However, at the General Election, the vote is city-wide on the top two candidates.
I think this is a wonderful compromise to the traditional “ward” system where Council members are elected only from the voters in their Ward. Too ofter, it leads to Council Members who think only of their Ward and not at the City at large.
By the method of the Ward residents electing the top two candidates, and city wide voting on the top two, the Council Members are accountable to both the Ward residents and and voters City Wide.
That’s it for now, Wednesday, February 13, 2019.
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