Mayoral election

[TheGerbil]

The election isn't far off now. November 8th is the day. I am writing this to remind everyone to please vote, and to urge you to vote for Joe Weinroth.

O'Connor would be just another typical politician. Party machine, more interested in his own career than in the city's future. It is high time we had a change. Joe Weinroth would be a fresh face. He has a chance. Let's all do our little part!

[Kasper]

Weinroth won't win but hopefully enough people will vote for him to send a strong message.

[PghUSA]

there's more then just Wienroth running right? some others have continued to run including Les Ludwig etc.

Also not so sure on the "strong message" Murphy won the last primary with 1% and he governed as if he won in a landslide. What will send a msg. is when the councilmen and women from Wexford and Upper St. Clair and McKeesport have a say in city govt. once in for all. . . consolidate!!!

[TheGerbil]

Well, O'Connor won, as expected. I am none to thrilled about having a mayor who supports the Mon-Fayette expressway. And I think his focus on public safety is misguided. This is the safest city of its size, even with the increase in homicides last year. I think there are better ways to spend time and energy than trying to make the city even safer.

On the plus side, he wants to improve cooperation with state and county government, which could be a good thing if he actually does it right.

I frankly don't think he's that bright. But he's got a good attitude, so I am hoping he won't be as bad as I fear.

[mjcatl2]

I am none to thrilled about having a mayor who supports the Mon-Fayette expressway.

I support the highway and most likely anyone who would be mayor would have as well. Now do I support the exact design of it? From what I have seen, there are issues, but it is a massive complex system in an urban area, so there are bound to be issues. But the fact of the matter is the folks in the Mon Valley deserve access to the city, just like the people in other directions from the city. It also will open up blighted areas to highway access that would put them on the map for potential development.

The real concern with O'Connor is, will he really do anything? Does he really have a bold vision for the city? Or is he just another old time politician. I always felt that he was old time, but he has wanted this position for a long time and he deserves his chance, but he better do something - something for the city.

[TheGerbil]

My concern about the Mon-Fayette is that, as currently planned, it will cut through Hazelwood and run very close to the river. If they build that part below grade with some sort of good perdestrian bridges across it, it might not be too bad, but something tells me they won't find the funding for that. So it's going to cut off some areas from the river, which is not cool.

Also, it's going to be a real mess where it ends, around Bates St. in Oakland. I work right down there, and believe me when I say that intersection is a mess already, and I do not see how there is room for a highway to come in. Bates St. will have to be widened too, which will be a huge mess.

But back to O'Connor, my concern is the same as yours: he is just another old-school politician. I fear that he is more worried about furthering his own career than he is about the city. I don't think he has the boldness that Murphy did, when it comes to redevelopment. Popular criticisms aside, Murphy got us the new stadiums, a wonderful new convention center, the great North Shore park, improved and expanded trails, and much more. Does O'Connor have the moxie to do things like that?

[Kasper]

Does O'Connor strike anyone else as maybe a little "slow" ?

Listening to him speak last night kept making me cringe. The same thing was going through my head everytime I hear Bush speak "It's okay, you can do it. Just get through it without completely embarrassing yourself..."

I think this is horrible personally. I realize his optimisim is appealing but it will take alot more than that to get this city on the right track. We need someone very smart with a very large set of stones (if you know what I mean).

The old boy network in this town needs to be desimated. O'Connor got where he is playing into that network - this is a huge step backwards in my opinion.

[TheGerbil]

I pretty much agree with you Kasper. I've just been trying to keep myself from getting too depressed about it

[PghUSA]

Some things about O'Connor I like, some I dislike. I keep thinking how things would be different if the county and city consolidated and the folks in Upper St. Clair and Monroeville and Robinson and Wexford could cast ballots for the "Mayor". O'Connor wouldn't stand a chance!

[tooluther]

I really love that in his acceptace speech he made mention of representing "the new generation of Pittsburgh"...I loved that, considering if he makes it though his term without kicking the bucket he's probably lucky!

[PghUSA]

^^tooluther, don't hex him with "kick the bucket" last time something like that happened on Grant Street we got tons of WDVE spoof material for years to come!

Aw I shouldn't pick on Sophie, she was the first afterall to realize the benefits of a new ballpark a decade before anyone else!

[Death To Johnstown]

Say "no" to trolleys, "yes" for T-links to Oakland.

He better make a deal with his Cleveland buddies to ante up for a new downtown arena, whenever they are eventually awarded that slots license...

[TheGerbil]

One good thing: We have a lot of younger, fresher faces on city council. Maybe that will help put a younger perspective and some newer thinking into the mix.

[PghUSA]

tooluther is saying he might kick the bucket and then Gerbil mentions how his possible successors on council are younger.

On a serious note I do like the fact that although a good ole boy and part of the old guard, O'Connor is opening up the usually political pork rewards of city board and director spots, his camping out in Schenley park thanking everyone who passes by is another thing I like to see. Much much different then the bunker/seige mentality sometimes with the Murphy administration hiding out on Grant Street.

[TheGerbil]

Murphy had to hide, lest people pelt him with vegetables

But seriously, I wonder if O'Connor is only doing some of this stuff in an effort to look like he isn't more of the same old thing. Had he won four years ago, I wonder if he'd have acted differently. I guess we will never know.

[PghUSA]

I will start calling myself an Oconnorian the minute he pushes for metro consolidation!