"Mick is an interesting human oxymoron." writes Post blogger Jerry Bovino in comment #1. "He was elected on a platform of limited growth. We all want that, so consider his slow growth concepts a big plus. However, our Mayor quickly evolved into an advocate of almost no growth at all. Unless of course that growth is to build additional 'affordable housing,' (another oxymoron in Aspen.) As an aside, I always wonder why building a hotel is unacceptable 'growth,' but building a Burlingame is somehow a God-given green venture. They both require trucks, cranes, movement of earth, pipes, sewers. You get the idea. An interesting statistic, frequently bandied about , is that 80 percent of Aspen's econonomy is based on real estate and construction and development. It's not Sushi."
The Con Man is at it again with Aspen Mayor Mick Ireland, his favorite "communist" pinata. "Americans for American Energy has got Aspen's Mayor Mick all wrong and rightly so," he blogs. "Anyone living beyond the roundabout can be excused for thinking the Mayor of Aspen simply has to be a card-carrying liberal, the kind that conservative talk shows blame for all our problems. How were they to know [type in sterotyping here] that Mick Ireland....is now a card-carrying communist who dedicates his politcal career to re-distribuging income from the rich to the poor, building housing for the people, 'master planning' a State vision of the city into oblivion, and fighting capitalism like the plague."
The Con Man used to joke (ha-ha) about the People's Republic of Aspen becoming nothing less than a classic Communist state under Mayor Mick Ireland. Now people are telling him the same thing.
"Workers of the world should know the new jobs for Aspen are gonzo," he blogs. "Instead they are left with Mick's 'vision' of what should be, regardless of who owns what--and who exactly is going to foot the bill.... The Council, in other words, was petrified that the voters might actually get a chance to decide what happens in Aspen. That idea was rejected in closed session as unacceptable. Worker housing. Master planning. Officious office building for the state. No public accountability. Redistribution of wealth. What do you call it?"
T: I’ve spent four years on City Council. I’m Mayor Pro Tem. I ran for Mayor the first time six years ago because there were things I wanted to influence. It was like I won because I was at every meeting. I did two years of research. I was thrust into some important decision-making. I’m very proud of the representation I made. Now I have a lot more experience, knowledge, and a clearer picture of how things work or don’t. I’m in politics--a lot of the reason is I don’t like it and I want to see change. I bring a new energy and new openness. On hard issues, I bring in the community and listen to people.
A mayoral campaign is an opportunity to give change and new ideas a chance; it is one of the few times politicians are forced to give definitive answers. I believe effective leadership is reality based problem solving, a commitment to get the facts on the table for all to consider. In this mayoral campaign I have made several specific proposals for improving our affordable housing program, including changes to the appreciation cap and increasing limits on improvements to existing units by owners. I believe conditions have changed in the last twenty years, that those who once entered affordable housing expecting to move up to the freemarket either here in Aspen or even downvalley quite often no longer have that option. I also have updated the real number needed to reach our 60% goal (289 units) using the city’s accepted methodology and have proposed three specific projects to create those units. Given the city’s estimated $100 million fund surplus in a few years, it is only appropriate to take stock on exactly where we are in this program and revision it’s future. I have shown with hard information, per the city’s own budget estimates and unit methodology, how we can easily make these changes and still reach our housing goals.
We pride ourselves on being a cutting edge, educated community poised to lead the country by our enlightened behavior. Yet as Roger Marolt’s Friday column pointed out, some are falling into the “impossible-to-ignore group of perpetual antagonists,” or as Roger so aptly wrote “I have become what I never imagined I would-a sour local.” Arguably Aspen is still the best place anywhere to live, without serious problems; little crime/pollution/poverty/real congestion/environmental degradation etc. Our challenge is to manage our prosperity and desirability, problems of affluence and not of dire need.
Attached is the campaign material for BEST (Better Efficient Safe
Transportation), the group supporting bus lanes. It includes the names
of all the mayoral candidates except Bonnie Behrend, who says on her web
site: "I am not in favor of 4-laning."
We the people of Bath Party of Aspen come here to woods of ACES because capitalist pigs of Red Mountain decide we are Communist with their bumper stickers that say "Anybody But Mick For Mayor" with hammer and sickle that make us so sick.
The secret is out, Comrades. Our dialectical mission to take all the money in the world and give it to all the people of the world has been found out. Starting in Aspen, we take the money from the people of Red Mountain and we give it to Reds without capitalists knowing we are here. This is historical inevitability.
TS: The city has too many dollars and not enough sense. Another part of the Isis deal granted a lease—AspenFilm will own it free and clear. Why give that to a nonprofit? Grant a multimillion asset to a nonprofit? Give a $130,000 up front and lease payment substantially under market? Your point is actually very well-taken. I’m a liberal, too, but it takes a little wisdom.
MC: Should the city stay out of those deals?
TS: Absolutely and completely. The government is excluding buyers. Bill Stirling puts the Explore Bookstore on the market and lo and behold a philanthropist shows up. Double Diamond is now incredible as the Belly Up because a philanthropist bought it. Philanthropists wanted to buy the Isis. Philanthropists have offered an ice rink. The city’s anti-capitalist stance is self-defeating. If Walter Paepcke showed up today, people would call him a big money guy from Chicago and he’d be run out of town in five seconds. If the city just worked with the assets we have we’d be fine.
Aspen Mayoral candidates Mick Ireland, Tim Semrau, and Torre come into talk show land on "Con Games" on KNFO to debate the #1 issue of the campaign. To ask a question read on-air, just leave a comment on this post on Aspen Post.
As this campaign progresses, I need your support more than ever. Mick Ireland’s followers and the local newspapers are trying as hard as possible to dispel the facts of my candidacy and my affordable housing proposal. Please be sure to contact me if you need any further clarification on any of the issues.
Likewise, the Aspen Daily News coverage this past weekend of my debate with Mick and Torre was erroneous, bordering on fiction. If you would like a tape of the debate to judge for yourself, please contact me.
