Comments for DORR Forum

Comment on Hwy 89A: local control enhances community by beverly coleman

beverly coleman — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 06:45:12 +0000

Thanks for addressing these questions. Now that the vote has been cast we will await THE MONEY. Great job in organizing and getting this vote. In fact, a fabulous job. If we apply the same amount of energy, time and strategy to getting our people elected… there will be no stopping progressive politics up here.

Comment on Common Sense 8: 89A West Sedona Route Transfer by emmajc@q.com

emmajc@q.com — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 18:06:32 +0000

This is a noteworthy point of view, Beverly, and I understand where you’re coming from.
My main concern during this entire “hullabaloo” and back and forth about to light or not to light 89A, is “Why are the Democrats of the Red Rocks so active in this Sedona issue? The mission statement for the Democrats of the Red Rocks reads “The MISSION of the Democrats of the Red Rocks is to get Democrats elected to government offices by: increasing voter turnout, promoting the Democratic Party and Democratic candidates; involving citizens in the Democratic Party; educating voters.” Nowhere does it say anything about Sedona citizens and Sedona city council problems.
My concluding thoughts are there is no right or wrong to this issue, but we, the citizens, will be responsible for the consequences.

Comment on Hwy 89A: local control enhances community by angel

angel — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 17:12:18 +0000

Beverly:
I do appreciate your concern about the budgetary side of things – the cuts and the threats of more cuts. Yes, it is in everyone’s minds and you have a right to worry. However, I feel that, given the threat of these cuts, NOW is the time to act! It seems that ADOT has guarenteed over eight million dollars UPFRONT, and has just added two million dollars more to this sum, which will be given to the City UPFRONT, and will be in the City coffers by June. If the City does not get it, then, it is obvious, the deal is off – and we should take ADOT to court!
In the meantime, I truly believe that we have a unique chance to shape the future of West Sedona and do it with the help of federal monies. The meeting last Wednesday at the City Council demonstrated to me a number of things:
1) The input from the public was impressive. The majority of those who stayed on and testified were for the route transfer. Eac person had deliberated (obviously) long and hard and had some extremely strong arguments to make.
2) It worried me that the polls the City did through their professional pollster (and how much did they pay for this?) were biased. They may be statistically OK, as per the guidelines of the company which carried them out, but the questions were definitely biased. Just go to the City website and read the questions. I am amazed that the City and Council let this happen. Why wasn’t someone able to take a look at the questions first? It does seem that the DORR poll and the Sedona.biz poll, both of which were set up after the main educational thrust of the city, might reflect a more accurate percentage.
3) This may be the only chance we get to do what WE want to do as residents of West Sedona, and put together some safety measures which make sense and which work, and can help to beautify the area. Benches/hedges/plants and trees…ADOT will be taking down the few trees we have as they take up the sidewalks to put in the 35ft. lights.
4) One of the councilors seemed to know the folks from the “scientific” poll. That worries me.
5) We elected this Council to review the safety of 89A and reject putting lights up. They did and have come up with two studies, both of which say lights will not work as a comprehensive safety response to the problems on 89A – which are DAY as well as nighttime ones. Lit crosswalks, with pedestrian lighting are SO much more effective.
6)I believe that we can do this. If ADOT runs out of money, we will get minimum support of 89A, and maybe even the light at Andante will be in question. And there is always the chance that ADOT will decide, in two or three years time, to give the road back to the City with zero dollars. They can do this. If we get most of the money upfront, then we can do this. This city is extremely resourceful and has been shown to be fiscally responsible. It can do a better job that ADOT, and we should be supporting effort for local control.

Comment on Hwy 89A: local control enhances community by beverly coleman

beverly coleman — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 20:39:42 +0000

I am in big agreement that the City Plan would be superior and DESIRABLE. My lack of confidence is in the integrity and capability of the funding source. If, in fact, the moneys are truly forthcoming and not subject to budget cuts, I’d say “go ahead with REAL community progress.”

Comment on Common Sense 8: 89A West Sedona Route Transfer by Sandra

Sandra — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 19:59:06 +0000

See my new article I just posted supporting City control of Hwy 89A. Data was presented at the Feb. 9 work session that really substantiated the City analysis of our ability to pay for the road. I trust local local control over that of the state for our main local residential and business district. Let’s put in lighting and safety that is specific to our needs and aethetics and conduct Hwy 89A upgrades in concert with our West Sedona community redevelopment plan.

Comment on Crazy New Gun Law by beverly coleman

beverly coleman — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 03:58:42 +0000

“But the easier it becomes to obtain and carry a gun…the easier it becomes to reach for that quick and absolute solution…”

RIGHT AGAIN, Cynthia!

These NRA people must think that we have forgotten the cowboy days when hot-headed gun-slingers had to check their guns in at the saloon and church doors; when hot-headed youths in the inner cities were doing those drive-by shootings; when bullied and tormented high schoolers have riddled bullets into their school mates and teachers; when angry husbands and wives have shot each other in fits of rage — on and on. No, they haven’t forgotten. They simply don’t care…about anything but money and the false sense of power holding a gun brings them. Thanks for speaking up about this.

Comment on Today’s Scrooges by beverly coleman

beverly coleman — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 19:47:09 +0000

This is such a clever and easy to understand analogy. I will share it with my facebook and hope it will help the public get an even better take on this issue.

Comment on Common Sense 6: Thoughts About Obama’s Tax Decision by Jessica Williamson

Jessica Williamson — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 21:44:53 +0000

I don’t see that he’s much of a masterful politician. Peevishly complaining that his achievements aren’t acknowledged properly ignores the fact that he is one of the main people responsible for making them known. Doesn’t seem to me that Obama wants to be a leader … he does want to accomplish stuff, but he seems to me to be a lot more comfortable in back rooms carefully parsing issues. He seems genuinely uncomfortable with the kitschy requirements of populism, and with the obscenely phony arguments the right wingers toss about so freely. His intelligence and eloquence aren’t in doubt. But his effectiveness is. He may, in fact, be a real post-partisan politician. But perhaps that requires two to play.

Comment on Common Sense 6: Thoughts About Obama’s Tax Decision by Changing Woman

Changing Woman — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 16:21:35 +0000

I agree that he should ask us about our thoughts on the issues. However, since he is the President of the entire United States now, he also has to ask ALL Americans. Evidently, based on the last election, the country is much more right wing than we thought. He has no choice but to play to the middle; otherwise, we risk another GWB–or worse. I, for one, am pleased to see that not only is he eloquent, but also a masterful politician. While the left is screaming, as they must, the right is shaking in their boots because they know he is playing their game–and much better than than can.

Comment on A Reminder to All Posters on the Forum by Forum Administrator

Forum Administrator — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 16:46:08 +0000

Everything you say is true, but isn’t it also a bit beside the point? Following the rule set out above doesn’t actually deprive our readers of access to the desired content — it simply requires them to click their mouse one additional time to get to it.

Yes, the law in question is ambiguous, widely condemned as an absurdity, and selectively enforced when it’s enforced at all. As wise political thinkers have said, governments should take care not to make laws which the people as a whole don’t feel obliged to obey. Doing so invites anarchy.

Still, as an organization devoted to electoral politics rather than revolution, DORR is bound to respect existing law as best it can. To ignore it on the basis of principle is tempting, but civil disobedience which no one is likely to notice runs the risk of being as absurd as the law itself.