September 2006 Archives

Meanwhile, back at the city council chambers . . .

Yes, while we have been wrapped up in the primary election brawl, the city has been quietly tending to business - though often without the presence of councilmember Marc Elrich who was busy winning his bid for county council at-large representative.

After taking August off, the council resumed meetings Tuesday, Sept. 5. Councilmember Elrich missed that meeting and the next one on Election Eve, understandably. However, he made a triumphant return entrance last Monday night (Sept. 18) during the Council Comment period, just as councilmember Joy Austin-Lane was congratulating him and saying "[I] wish that he was here so he could take a bow."

The rest of the council congratulated him and exulted in the five other election victories for Takoma Parkians. Mayor Kathy Porter, not quite rubbing her palms together, speculated that the city might benefit from these victories.

The infamous election-day voting machine debacle was mentioned by Terry Seamens. He declared it a "serious situation" and cited worrisome studies that show disturbing problems with electronic voting systems. He proposed that the city form a committee to study the issue. Perhaps his attire, a bright red shirt and American-flag tie, refered to this issue, the flag symbolizing the country, the red shirt representing a state of emergency. Gilbert proposes the city form a committee to give fashion advice to certain councilmembers.

To pick on councilmember Seamens some more, the other councilmembers tattled on him at the Sept. 11th meeting. You thought he was taking notes during council meetings, dear Reader? No, he doodles! He draws caricatures, they said. Gilbert wants to know if disclosure of these drawings is required under the state Open Meetings Act.

Since council resumed after summer recess, it has largely focused on the mundane sort of business that if he weren't writing a blog about the council would normally send Gilbert stalking from the room making a face like a gargoyle. For instance, a number of citizens have been publicly interviewed during the last three meetings prior to their appointment or reappointment to various city committees.

These interviews consist of everyone involved stating information about the committee and the interviewee that they and anyone who cares about it already know. Each council member takes a turn lavishing praise on the committee and the interviewee, always telling him or her that the city is lucky to have someone of such expertise willing to volunteer. The interviewee, deluded into thinking "someone of such expertise" means more than "someone who is breathing," goes on at length about him or herself, the committee, and what she or he hopes to accomplish, as we observers are saying "get ON with it, get ON with it, get ON with it, . . . "

Aside from that, there have been a few new developments on hot-button issues, dear reader:

WMATA development. WMATA is holding a meeting October 11th on its plans to relocate bus and parking at the Takoma Metro station. The council, particularly Joy Austin-Lane, who has been dogging this issue, wants the public to know about this and attend. She pushed to get the city to send postcards or some other form of announcement to nearby DC residents to get them to the meeting as well.

Double taxation/tax-rebate. The Mayor giddily* announced that she recently made what she felt was significant progress convincing the Maryland Municipal League to support Takoma Park and other municipalities who don't get a fair tax-rebate.

Rent Stabilization. A resident came forward at last Monday's citizen comment period to complain about a letter she and other tenants of the Park Ritchie apartments had recently received from their landlord, the Southern Management corporation. Southern Management claims to be the "largest privately owned residential property management company in the Mid-Atlantic region." The letter announced a stiff rent increase.

Under the city's rent stabilization laws, landlords can apply for and receive a rent control "hardship" waiver. The letter said the landlord, the Southern Management Corporation, had received such a waiver and that there would be a 38% rent increase over 3 years. The maximum increase allowed is 15% a year.

The tenant complained that the letter only gave until the next Friday to make a written response.

This and other aspects of the rent-increase letter disturbed the council. The mayor said it sounded as though it did not comply with proscribed timeframes. She and the council were unaware that Southern Management had asked for and received a hardship waiver.

Terry Seamens speculated that this had to do with a public exchange between himself and a Southern Management lawyer a few months ago. That May 1 exchange during the council's citizen comment period was reported in granolapark's Rent Instability.

"The razor-sharp lawyer for Southern Management Corporation . . . threw out an ultimatum - saying the corporation will take one of three actions: convert the building to condos, vacate and close the building, or sue the city for 20 million dollars, claiming the rent control laws violate the US constitution and the Maryland bill of rights. He dismissed the rent stabilization revisions so far discussed, sniffing "none of this helps us.

"Seamens replied that he found it "interesting" that rather than try, the company decided it would be insufficient."

Looking back on this exchange, Seamens said he had in essence told the lawyer "go ahead and sue," anticipating that Southern Management would lose such a case since they had not bothered to apply for a hardship waiver. Seamens speculated that this latest action "is due to that" and that it is the real estate management corporation's next step toward a law suit.

Councilmember Marc Elrich has long asserted that rent control has already been before the Supreme Court and been found to be constitutional and the city has nothing to fear from the courts. That may be true, but Gilbert worries that a deep-pocketed corporation such as Southern Management might nevertheless file a suit in hopes that the legal costs would force the city to settle.

Also on the rental housing front, the council looked at staff recommendations to change the rental housing licensing program. Sara Anne Daines, Housing and Community Development Director reported that the current system creates obnoxious bureaucratic hurdles for landlords. Her description of some of these left Gilbert feeling sympathetic towards landlords, so you know, dear Reader, they must be pretty awful. The list of inspections required before a license is issued is so long it makes one want to move to the farthest frontier where a man is his own law and clipboards are shot dead on sight.

Daines proposes changing the process and the types of licenses. Currently the three types are: six-month, annual, and biennial licenses. The differing lengths of time act as incentive. The fewer violations inspectors find, the longer-term the license is.

The proposed license categories would be identified by type of rental property, though each type would still be issued for a different length of time. Single Family (Accessory Apartment) - 2 year license, Multi- Family - 1 year license, and Temporary - Properties, those under renovation.

The recommendations also call for a streamlining and reduction of the licensing requirements, elimination of fees for additional inspections, and the issuance of a license before completion of a property inspection.

The council was concerned that the proposed system eliminates the current system's incentive to pass inspections - the issuance of a longer-term license. Daines said that the staff had discussed this aspect, but when they looked at the data that saw that that 2/3 of the two-year licenses were already held by landlords of accessory apartments. Since they would come under the proposed category of Single Family (2-year) licenses, it seemed to the staff that incentive was not necessary. Still the council seemed reluctant to eliminate the incentive aspect of the current system.

It was noted during this discussion that a number of condominium units are being rented out by their owners without a rental license. The mayor said there needs to be an "outreach" to let them know they are violating the city code.

Dear Readers,

Do you live in Takoma Park’s Ward 5? Are your Monday evenings free? Would you like to spend those Monday evenings chatting with a friendly group of people about local and world events? Would you like to costar in a long-running television drama?

Do you have 10 friends?

If the answer to all these questions is “yes!” pay close attention to the following information.

In the long standing and recently wildly successful plan for Takoma Park to take over the world, city councilmember Marc Elrich was elected to the Montgomery Council Council. Gilbert lapses into a reverie - wondering if being elevated from City Ward 5 to County At-Large makes one feel “bigger” somehow. Does Marc, after he catches up on his sleep, stand at the corner of Flower and Piney Branch saying “yesterday, just that [waves at Ward 5 behind him] was mine, Now, i am master of ALL I SURVEY!” as his gaze takes in the vista from the county liquor store, the high rises in Silver Spring, and the Sligo Creek Parkway beyond. Does he visualize Purple Line stops on every corner? Solar panels on every building? Tenants enjoying $700 rents and landlords tearing out their hair from Mount Airy to Chevy Chase? Greedy developers leaving their sleezy jobs to take up careers as light-rail operators?

Marc and all the other recently elected county representatives will officially begin their terms of office Monday December 4th, 2006. According to Takoma Park’s city charter the city council must call a special election to fill the empty Ward 5 seat.

First that seat must be empty. Marc could wait until the last possible moment, which might be the November 27th council meeting, or he could step down today. So, the timing is all up to Marc, now. Gilbert suspects it will not be too soon, as the city council is still working on revising the rent control ordinances, a subject near and dear to Marc’s heart

As soon as he does step down, the special election must occur no sooner than 45 days but no later than 60 days after the departing council member steps down. .

Candidates for the Ward 5 seat must present a petition with at least 10 signatures. There will be no nominating caucus event as there is in a regular city election. Candidates must file 20 days before the date of the special election.

Who runs for that seat is of enormous interest in the city. Marc has been the leading advocate of rent control and tenant’s rights. The city’s rent control has always been controversial, but as the ordinance is currently being reviewed it is a particularly hot topic and some on the council are eager to roll back rent control’s provisions or even to eliminate rent control entirely.

Two of the seven-member council (seven including the mayor) generally oppose rent control. The Mayor has made statements that indicate she supports it though agrees it needs adjustments. Terry Seamens who represents many tenants in his ward and Joy Austin-Lane seem to support it in principle, but also seem open to tinkering with it. It is not clear (to Gilbert, anyway) which way Doug Barry leans, though Gilbert suspects he also supports the concept of rent control.

Dear Readers,

Do you feel the power? Takoma Park OWNS Maryland!

With the exception of Tom Perez who was sidelined by a Republican law suit, all five remaining Takoma Park candidates SCORED in yesterday’s primary! Of course, since this is such a strongly Democratic region, they are all more than likely to win the general election.

Our tiny city will have citizens at several levels of government. In the near future aspirants for office will move to Takoma Park in droves.

This is going to be tough on poor Gilbert, he has to come up with five similes for “won” and “election,” as in “so-and-so won the election for such-and-such.”

State Senator Peter Franchot won the race for State Comptroller. All your tax checks now go to him, now.

Jamie Raskin triumphed in the contest for State Senator

Heather Mizeur was victorious in the match for State House of Delegates.

Incumbent George Leventhal romped home in the great ball game for At-Large County Council Representative.

City Councilmember Marc Elrich also bagged his lunch in the At-Large food-fight.

That was rough. On second thought, good thing Tom Perez was knocked out of the elections. Gilbert might have sprained his thumb flipping frantically through the thesaurus.

Now, the big question before Takoma Park, Dear Readers, is what will happen to Marc’s Ward 5 city council seat, or if you are more literally-minded, who will fill that seat? Will that person be as strong a tenant- and rent-control -advocate as Elrich? Whatever happens this will definitely mark (no pun intended) a big change in Ward 5, the city council, and the city.

There will have to be a special election, most likely in early 2007, shortly after our newly elected Takomians TAKE POWER!

Dear Readers,

There will be NO comments about the blind guiding the blind! Gilbert will not stoop so low.

Gilbert WILL stoop to using other people’s election guides to make his own gentle suggestions to you, Dear Readers, in case you need them next Tuesday in the voting chamber.

Three such voters guides have come to Gilbert’s attention, one from a Takoma Park councilmember, another from a city resident involved in progressive liberal Democratic politics, and a third in the Takoma Voice newspaper (which provides granolapark with a home and substantial salaries for its staff).

Let’s see what these guides have to say about campaigns of special interest to Takoma Park, particularly the ones in which local citizens are running: State Comptroller, State Senator District 20, State Delegate District 20, and two for County Council At-Large. Takoma Park is poised to take over!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The nerve of some people! Here we have a politician acting the role of pundit! City Councilmember Bruce Williams (Ward 3) has sent out to his constituents an “Election Guide and Comments” e-mail. As though he were an expert on politics or something!

He makes candidate picks and provides telling, often candid, details from his observations as Mayor Pro Tem, Councilmember, and member of the Municipal League. In a couple of instances he uses his insider knowledge to rat out a couple of candidates.

Wiliams’ perspective is the most conservative of the three guides Gilbert reviewed. Of course, in Montgomery County and particularly in Takoma Park, our “conservative” would be “rabid revolutionary” anywhere else. Nevertheless, Williams goes against the progressive grain (that would be whole grain, no doubt) by saying, “this election, particularly the County races, is not about “development.” He describes a long history of election fights over development, resulting in “wide swings of the pendulum,” pro-development regimes following antidevelopment ones.

“I don’t think that a continuation of the wide pendulum swings is in anyone’s interest, so I am looking for candidates who can work to find a middle ground that we can all live with. A nice mix of people to duke it out is preferable to a slate who can force a swing of the pendulum.”

Now there’s a lot of talk about developer-interests funding and influencing candidates. You can find healthy helpings of this rhetoric in Keith Berner’s Annotated Voters Guide. Berner is a Takoma Park resident who seems fairly typical of the antigrowth (even no-growth), antiwar, progressive liberal wing of the local Democratic Party.

The progressives are saying developer contributions are evidence that candidates are at developers’ beck and call (See the last granolapark posting, “Deep Pocket”). If Gilbert were one of the more paranoid progressives he’d note that Bruce Williams is more directly tied to “developer interests” than any of the running candidates - he’s a building contractor! Gasp! Don’t stand too close, he’ll nail an addition to your back!

This may come as a shock, but councilmember Williams endorses Takoma Park resident and State Senator Peter Franchot for state Comptroller. I know, it’s a huge surprise (Gilbert is being ironic, Dear Readers). Williams’ reasons are that “Peter has been an attack dog for the Democrats,” and that he has gotten “lots of money for Takoma Park projects, . . . [and] he was the one behind making the change in state law that set up two half-year property tax payments – this resulted in refunds for most of us.”

This is what is called “bringing home the bacon” or “reality,” and Williams makes the same case in support of a few other politicians. Progressives get all thin-lipped and sniffy on this subject. Yes, yes, bringing home the bacon and real politics, they say impatiently, but they want politicians who raise their voices and lead the charge for progressive programs! Anyway, they are vegan.

Vegan progressive programs do not stir Williams’ appetite. His saliva only starts flowing when he imagines the meaty banquet that Franchot as Comptroller would serve: “things like community center and gym funding, open space funding, state highway project funding, sidewalk project funding, etc.).” Drool, drool! If Franchot wins, we'll all have to wear bibs.

Of the third candidate, Janet Owens, Williams admits he knows only “that she is a chain smoker,” reporting “I observed this at the Md. Municipal League convention . . . .” Such a tattletale!

At least he didn’t diss her for looking like Old Mother Hubbard. William Donald Shaefer’s comments to that effect have been getting Owens a lot of big-media column inches lately, and Gilbert wonders if this free, sympathetic publicity will draw votes away from Franchot to her. Maybe if Franchot started wearing a long granny-dress?

Williams says “I’m afraid that Owens and Franchot will split the anti-Shaefer vote, and Shaefer will win again.” At least we’ll be entertained.

Both the Takoma Voice (editor Eric Bond) and Keith Berner allow that relatively speaking Franchot is the most progressive choice. Gilbert concurs.

Using the same “bringing home the bacon” standard, Williams endorses Ida Ruben. This will likely infuriate local progressives most of whom support Takoma Park resident Jamie Raskin.

Takoma Park Mayor Kathy Porter also endorses Rubin, doubtless for many of the same reasons Wiliams states, “she has been tireless in watching out for our interests in Annapolis, especially where funding is needed. She’s been very active with truck safety issues, drunk driving issues, and other areas in her more than 30 years in office. She single-handedly got us funding for the Community Center last year, when it seemed we wouldn’t get any. Her position and her seniority will get us more in the future.”

Dear Readers, squint at the above quote and see if you make out what Gilbert reads between the lines. Does it say something like “We are SO obligated to this notoriously cantankerous, entrenched old bat we don’t dare oppose her in case she wins and takes vengeance on the city.”? If she does win, Williams and Porter may be the only thing standing between our homes and a grannie with a giant flame-thrower.

Williams does decry Ruben’s infamous “Seeking a Real Democrat” mailer. Speaking of which, while everyone and their donkey was braying about the mailer’s ridiculous content, Gilbert was even more bemused by the form.

The mailer was a mockup of a dating service website, a fictitious “www.perfect-dem-match.com.” Contrasting information about Raskin and Ruben was set up like single’s ads on such a website.

Now, if you’ve ever looked at Ruben’s campaign website, especially early in the campaign, you’d realize that when it comes to the internet Sen. Ruben is a dinosaur. She probably had no clue what this mailer was all about when the idea was presented to her. Oh, she understood about casting herself as “a real Democrat” and making Raskin out to be pro-life and pro-Bush, but somehow Gilbert doubts granny Ruben spends much time browsing for hot dates on the web. She probably doesn’t even have a Myspace page! Ohmygawd!

So, some hotshot in her campaign must have decided she needed to look “with it,” presumably for the younger, computer-savvy voters.

OK, THAT didn’t work. Gilbert advises the Senator that if she want’s to look “with it” to Takoma Park voters, she could redo the hair! Imagine her in a short, no-nonsense, career-woman, henna-dyed “do,” one that suggests same-gender-orientation. And Birkenstocks. A cloth peace-sign-emblazoned shoulder-bag. On a bicycle. If she shows up like that at next Sunday’s Takoma Folk Festival, she’ll have it locked!

By the way, there purportedly is a new Ruben mailer with a photo of George W. Bush making a thumbs-up gesture, saying "Thanks, Jamie!" , and the headline, "Jamie Raskin helped put George W. Bush into office." You’re wasting your time, Senator, go for the new “do” instead!

Back to William’s election guide. He notes Raskin has “quite a bit of support in Takoma Park”, but he has doubts. He is reluctant to replace a senior senator with a newbie backbencher, especially one who will be an “outsider . . . because of his campaign against leadership.” He doubts Raskin’s effectiveness to accomplish all he’s promised, and he doubts his ability to “get down in the trenches and fight the tough battles when deals are cut.”

Like Gilbert, Williams is dubious about Raskin’s call to make voter registration mandatory for all high school graduates. “How will this help our kids to be involved and to understand the importance of voting?” Williams notes that some students are not quite of voting age when they graduate. “Why is this progressive?” asks Williams. Well said! That councilmember Williams certainly does have a head on his shoulders - when he agrees with Gilbert, anyway.

The Voice “enthusiastically” endorses Raskin, calling him a “champion of civil rights,” noting his “years representing fellow citizens whose rights were trampled upon.” It goes on to say “Raskin knows and understand the environmental threats that we face, and . . . has the drive and scruples to be a progressive force . . . . We need a senator who opposes the cronyism that continues to plague Maryland politics.

Keith Berner’s guide says simply “Jamie is an energetic, creative, extremely articulate champion of progressive values.” but he lavishes six paragraphs of criticism on his opponent Rubin. The Voice is careful not to say anything against her. Grannie with a flame-thrower, don’t forget.

As for your Gilbert - oh, OK, with a few reservations he’ll endorse Raskin. But, just a little bit. It will be a light touch on the ballot button.

In the race for Maryland House of Delegates, District 20, Williams endorses Takoma Park resident and former city Councilmember Heather Mizeur. Again, no surprise there. Gilbert reckons she will get one of the three seats. She has a lot of local support, a fat bankroll, and big name backers. She might turn out ok, but Gilbert’s spidey-sense is tingling. Last week’s automatic-call recording featuring the cloying voice of a 4th grader asking support for “my friend” Heather Mizeur, only deepened this feeling.

Williams picks incumbent Gareth Murray, somewhat of a surprise, since Murray has been quoted as opposing gay marriage, and Williams is gay. But, Williams says he is among those working on Murray to open his mind on the subject, and he feels Murray, a Baptist pastor, has “shown a lot of growth.” A lot of local progressives do not have William’s patience. Keith Berner says, “Gareth has been the “invisible delegate”: until he started running for reelection, he was never seen at community or political events and he has left no trace of his existence in Annapolis.”

Progressives such as Keith Berner tend to support newcomer Lucinda Lessley (also endorsed by the Takoma Voice) or Tom Hucker, though Hucker is controversial among progressives (see below). Diane Nixon also gets some progressive support.

Councilmember Williams also endorses incumbent Sheila Hixon for House of Delegates. He tends to favor incumbents, Gilbert notes, often because of his personal relationship with them. For instance he says Hixon is “a wonderful individual.” The Takoma Voice also picks Hixon as one of their three choices.

If he could pick a forth, says Williams, it would be Aaron Klein. Klein has a lot of supporters (including Gilbert) judging by the ubiquitousness of his yellow signs. Keith Berner supports Klein

Williams goes out of his way to slam Lex Luthor look-alike Tom Hucker. Hucker is the former (barely - he delayed getting into the race until he stepped down) director of Progressive Maryland (formerly Progressive Montgomery). He rats Hucker out for “my experience with him a number of years ago when the City hired Progressive Montgomery to perform tenant organizing tasks. . . . I don’t want to get into many details, but the Council became unhappy with how that contract was being performed, and did not renew the contract. When we attempted to discuss our issues with Tom, I was not satisfied that he saw the seriousness of our concerns, and he didn’t appear willing to address them.”

Berner gives Hucker a reluctant thumbs-down, saying that while “Tom knows the details and players in Annapolis better than anyone running for delegate, other than Sheila Hixson. . . . there is an air around Tom of being more concerned about his own success than how he achieves it. . . “ Berner also says “Tom has less than friendly relationships with some of the other delegate candidates, meaning that if he and they get elected, he may not be able to work cooperatively with them.” He take umbrage that Hucker has been attacking Heather Mizeur, {and your Gilbert says ‘why not?”).

Acknowledging the split among progressives about Hucker, Berner says, “Tom is the candidate I’m most likely to disagree with my good friends about (i.e., they’re endorsing him and I’m not).”

For county executive, Williams backs Steve Silverman, not the progressives’ favored Ike Leggett, though he says “This has been a tough call for me-I know and like them both.” He sees them as “similar on the issues”, but antidevelopment forces
remember that Silverman ran last election on the pro-growth, pro-ICC “End Gridlock” slate and they are unforgiving, even though Leggett never took a strong stand against (or for) the ICC. HIs statements on growth and development indicate that he will limit them more than Silverman, however, which has earned Leggett the endorsements of many, including the Washington Post, The Takoma Voice, and The Gazette.

In his election guide Keith Berner voices the view of most progressives still bitter over End Gridlock slate’s victory last election, calling Silverman “The most despicable politician in Montgomery County [who] continues his campaign of lies and distortions, while taking well over 70% of his campaign finances from the development industry. Silverman is the poster child for everything that is wrong in this county.”

Williams says he plans to “bullet-vote” in the county council at-large race. There are four seats to fill, but Williams is casting just two votes. Marc Elrich, his fellow city councilmember, gets one. Incumbent Mike Subin gets the other. Subin, who along with fellow county councilmember Mike Knapp was recently reported meeting secretly and illegally with a zoning and land use attorney about a matter before the county council - see MoCo Progressive Blog.

Keith Berner’s guide claims that 84% of Subin’s funding is from developer interests and “he also has a nasty temper.”

Williams is uncomfortable with Elrich’s strong anti-developer stance, “He can get a little crazy in his denunciations of evil developers,” but he continues, “his heart is in the right place. He has also showed a willingness to work toward compromise solutions to thorny issues, and he has mellowed over the years. He has lots of knowledge and experience dealing with countywide development and transportation issues, and can explain the intricacies of those issues in his sleep. He will be a solid antidote to some of his potential colleagues on the County Council who have favored a more pro-growth stance, and he will push hard for commonsense projects like the Inner Purple Line.”

Williams gives an awe-touched-with-envious glimpse of what it’s like to work with Elrich as a councilmember, “Marc is very smart – he reminds me of the kids in school who do a little studying the night before the test and ace it.”

Elrich is running in alliance with Duchy Trachtenberg, but Williams dismisses Trachtenberg, saying “when I have heard Duchy at campaign events, I find her very hard to listen to – she doesn’t seem to say anything.”

The one Takoma Park candidate Williams pans is incumbent at-large councilmember George Leventhal (featured in granolapark’s last post “Deep Pocket”). Williams says Leventhal “has been good on many issues, but I think he has a hard time working with folks who may disagree with him on some issues. He will run roughshod over you on one issue, then wonder why you aren’t inclined to work with him on the next issue.”

The Takoma Voice, has a different take, saying Leventhal “has proved to be a sincere and thoughtful county legislator.” The Voice lauds him for his environmental initiatives such as “the reduction of power plant emissions and green building,” but is uncomfortable with his past association with the “End Gridlock” slate and the “positive light” in which he sees growth.

Keith Berner takes the harshest view, but he still cuts Leventhal some slack, calling him the “least evil” of the “End Gridlock” slate. He allows, ”for one thing, his developer contributions are below 50% this year and he occasionally shows signs of thinking for himself (as opposed to being a knee-jerk shill for the developers)”

“But,” says Berner, “he is downright mean (e.g., his quote in the Gazette last year hoping that those in Takoma Park who opposed a massive hospital expansion in their residential neighborhood should all get sick) and pretends to be far more progressive and green than he really is.”

For the other at-large seats Berner and the Voice endorse Trachtenberg, and Hugh Bailey, and where the Voice endorses Leventhal, Berner picks Cary Lamari.

Councilmember Williams dishes some of the other county council at-large candidates.

“You would think that incumbent Nancy Floreen, having been a former Mayor of Garrett Park, would understand municipal issues.”

“Bill Jacobs is running to be the warm body at the table to report the results of polls of constituents who tell him what they want him to do and how to vote. When I saw him speak, he totally lost his train of thought three times in 45 seconds.’

In the county council at-large race Gilbert recommends a bullet vote. One vote for Marc Elrich. Gilbert worries how we could replace his intelligent, saunchly pro-tenant voice on the city council if he is elected to the county council, however.

In the county council District 5 race just about everyone except your Gilbert endorses Valerie “Astroturf Val” Ervin over the promising Hans Riemer. Bruce Williams cites her experience as Board of Education representative, Dean of the George Meany Labor Center, and as aide to county councilmember George Leventhal.

Williams is evenhanded towards her opponent Hans Reimer (the one Gilbert urges everyone to vote for because he seems more genuinely progressive and he won’t pave the county school’s athletic fields with Astrofurf). Williams says Reimer is “intelligent and dedicated, but he has only been in this area a short time – he should stay involved and try again in a few years.”

The Voice is also kind to Reimer (he’s the non-Astroturf candidate), but gives Erwin the edge because of her many years involvement in local issues and politics and she “knows firsthand the the difficulties of economic survival.”

Keith Berner slams Reimer (the one you should vote for, remember?) as a “carpetbagger.” He voices suspicions that Reimer is more interested in using the council seat as a stepping stone to higher office. Others, including Gilbert, have made the same observation about Reimer (vote for him anyway), as well as Jamie Raskin, and especially Heather Mizeur, whose slick website and ads, snowstorm of mailers, and big-name and big donor backers are worthy of a run for President.

Berner insists Astroturf Val is progressive, based on her endorsements from The Sierra Club, Marc Elrich (who she knocked out of the race - another reason not to vote for her, despite Elrich’s gallantry), Ike Leggett, Jamie Raskin, and many others. Berner does admit (ha!) that Ervin’s campaign is “void of substance,” as your Gilbert observed in his brilliant but tragically unheeded "Politics on Parade" post back in July.

Gilbert is perplexed about the progressives failure to notice (or take seriously) that Astroturf Val’s rhetoric does NOT match up with that of her endorsers. Gilbert predicts there are going to be some shocked progressives when Ervin starts casting votes.

So, we’ve covered all the Takoma Park residents running for office: Franchot, Leventhal, Elrich, Mizeur, Raskin, and . . . and . . oh, dear! Poor Tom Perez! As you probably know, county councilmember Perez was knocked out of the race for State Attorney General. A toadlike Republican took Perez to court over a legal distinction in the election rules and won. So, nobody can endorse him, though all of us would. At least Mr. Perez has found gainful employment as a telemarketer. Gilbert has had several calls from him trying to sell him Simms-something-or-other, but Gilbert, being very busy, always has to hang up before the end of the message.

Gilbert will now get himself into deep into hot water by pointing out that there are a few candidates who are running not only on their stated platforms but on their subtextual minority status. Whether it be their ethnicity or sexual preference they are quietly courting the votes of their own, and the votes of principled liberals.

Gilbert recalls applauding the gerrymandering of US Congressional District 4 to create a “black-majority” district. He recalls stoutheartedly voting for Al Wynn because it was the principled liberal thing to do, because minority groups should have representation in public office.

And what a disaster Al Wynn turned out to be, “voting to authorize the war in Iraq, voting to drill in Alaska, voting to subsidize petroleum interests,” as the Voice points out. Keith Berner describes him thusly, “a Democrat who sides with Republicans more often than not (eliminating the estate tax, the war, Bush energy policy, etc.) and uses thugs to beat up volunteers for his opponent’s campaign.”

Contact Bruce Williams for his Election Guide and Comments: brwilli@aol.com

Dear Readers,

Those developer’s pockets must be HUGE! How do they walk around with all those politicians in them? However big they are they must be terribly crowded. “Dammit, Steve, get your elbow outta my FACE!” “Shut up, George, you won’t even endorse me!’

Which brings us to incumbent County Council At-Large member George Leventhal - Takoma Park’s own, or in many minds, Takoma Park’s disowned.

Though he is not likely to lose his seat, George Leventhal is getting a good bashing in this campaign, even in his home-base. Neighbors for a Better Montgomery PAC has been a typical basher. For instance their “County Council Can-Can”, a political cartoon web-animation, portrayed Leventhal and other council members as being bought and sold by developer interests.

More recently a mailer from the same group shows an unflattering row of mug shots of councilmembers Leventhal, Nancy Floreen, Steve Silverman, Mike Knapp, and MIchael Subin. The bold-faced headline reads “WARNING! Developer-funded County Council candidates.”

So, is this fair, dear Readers? Or is this another one of those “gotcha” issues that so depressingly characterize just about every political campaign ever run? In this campaign season the worst local example of this is probably Ida Ruben’s “Seeking a Real Democrat” mailer in which she “edited the tape” of Raskin’s career to make it look like he promoted pro-life groups, the George W. Bush election campaign, and Ross Perot.

Raskin does not stoop to this ridiculous level, but like most other politicians he does indulge in a little “tape editing” himself. A recent mailer from him pins Ruben to the wall on one vote out of her entire career - a vote deregulating utility rates - which she now says she regrets. The mailer is short on information about the whys and wherefores of this vote. It must have passed the state legislature for SOME reason other than all the legislators were in the utilities’ pockets. REALLY big pockets!

Gilbert suspects there is a gray area here, that it is not simply a matter of politicians being in various pockets (and how does one reside in both the utility and developer pockets at the same time, anyway?) Alas there are no gray-areas in politics. Except here at granolapark, Dear Readers!

On an expedition into the previously unexplored gray area deep inside the developer’s pocket a granolapark associate interviewed councilmember George Leventhal about the charges in the Neighbors Pac mailer. He asked Leventhal just how contributions come to be made, what inspires contributors to donate, and what is the process? Are there meetings with shadowy, pocket-flapping figures who say “And if you pledge to support more sprawl and highways, Georgie-boy, I’ll write out a fat check right now!”?

For the record, Leventhal disputes the PAC’s allegation that he gets 56% of his contributions from developer interests. He notes that Neighbors PAC includes union donations to get that high percentage.

He says also that these folks are grinding an ax. They have not forgiven him for being part of the anti-Blair Ewing “End Gridlock” slate in 2002. Blair Ewing ran against Doug Duncan for County Executive in that election on a strong antidevelopment platform. Though Leventhal’s record has been strong on constituent service and though he is praised by some local environmental interest groups, the old Ewing camp has not forgiven him for being part of “End Gridlock.”

Leventhal stresses that he is NOT on any slate this year and that he has not endorsed any other candidates. He decries not only the Neighbor PAC attempt to lump him in with Silverman, Floreen, and friends, he rejects the attempt by The Committee for Responsible Growth PAC, which endorses those same candidates, to do the same.

But, enough of the usual political charge/countercharge and positioning/distancing, let's get into the “gray area.”

Leventhal tried to “peel away some of the layers,” as he put it, on a subject usually depicted in good vs. evil, 2-dimensional terms.

Publicly financed elections would be better, he says, but as the rules are now, every politician has to raise money to reach constituents.

Any successful politician, says Leventhal, including those such as U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, a hero and champion of the county’s progressive liberal wing, spend a great deal of time raising money for “communication” with their constituents. Communication is a nice word for campaign advertising, in Leventhal’s case advertising in the form of mailers, such as the ones procreating in your mail box right now as you read this.

He said he can’t make the process of fund raising appear clean and good to anyone who isn’t familiar with the realities of election campaigns. Politicians who are making such a fuss about it are being opportunistic, representing the connections between donor and politician to be more sinister than they really are.

Anyone who donates has an interest and Leventhal gets money from a wide set of interest groups and interested individuals, he says. Never has he taken money with the expectation that he would vote for particular legislation. “i would kick them out of my office!” if they hinted such a thing, said Leventhal. The one time it was suggested to him, he made a point of voting against the measure he was requested to vote for.

As for why people or interest groups contribute to him he says he is known as a fair politician who represents a wide range of interests found in his county, including those of the business community. He tries to be practical and pragmatic, and he thinks most of his constituents appreciate that

He understands the problems with growth and development - how they create traffic-choked roads, overpopulated schools, and strained public resources. The reality is, says Leventhal, that the population will grow, so we have to make intelligent decisions and accommodations.

He points out that the council has already set aside a third of the county from high-density development. Adding parkland it totals about half of the county which will retain its rural character.

As a “smart growth” advocate, Leventhal supports limiting population density to areas around Metro stops to encourage mass transit use. He says his opponents are so strongly antidevelopment that they don’t want any new homes built. They even oppose new development around Metro stations, and some want to restrict any new building to within the Beltway.

According to Leventhal, their motivation is not always environmental - in some cases it is “nimbyism.” Some of the antidevelopment crowd just don’t want any growth near them, even when they live in the sort of transportation hub where development would be best located.

Some politicians - he cited Takoma Park city Councilmember Marc Elrich who is running for one of the four at-large county council seats - have built a reputation opposing development. They refuse developer’s contributions (not that many are forthcoming) and that is their choice, but Leventhal is not willing to be as strident.

That does not mean he is “pro-development,”he says. It does mean he is open minded and willing to give everyone a fair hearing, even developers and other business interests. Leventhal counts them as constituents, too, he says, and listens to them as much as he listens to individual constituents or groups.

It is this fairness that attracts contributions from a wide number of people and organizations. It doesn’t mean he is in any interests’ pockets. Leventhal says he doesn’t know who writes checks to him until after they have been sent in and deposited.

There is no “tit for tat.” Individuals, groups and businesses make donations to people they like and who they feel are doing a good job.

“Is there a link between my votes on growth and development and my donors? Yes!” he says. But, that is not because he is pro-development, it is because he is not rabidly (and unproductively in Leventhal’s view) against any and all development.

When asked which of his specific votes or actions would inspire development interests to contribute to his campaign, he cites his pro-ICC stance, which he says was not an easy or popular position to take. While concerned with the environmental impact, he says given the reality of up-county traffic problems (which he says are difficult to appreciate down-county where we have easy access to Metro and interstate highways) he thought it was the most pragmatic solution. He had to weigh the environmental impact versus improved mobility, he says.

Developer interests are faced with a Democratic, liberal county council, so they support the ones they see as most open and realistic, not the ones who are likely to grandstand by opposing them.