Questions & Answers

The Go Green Mayoral Platform

Go Green!

Why are you runnning for mayor?
In October 2009 I led a group at the University of Louisville in a discussion of local transportation issues. Those 30/40 people from Louisville and out of town generated great discussion, great energy. As we closed the session one of the out of town guests asked who in local political or civic leadership was carrying the flag for sustainable transportation. I turned the question to the residents of Louisville. They quickly responded that none of our local political or civic leaders are out front on this. That answer disturbed me for several nights.

When I returned to Louisville in 1999 I began working with transportation issues as a volunteer. Upon discovering that Louisville had no bicycle based courier service I repeatedly, for several years, asked local automotive-based courier businesses to service the central business district with bike couriers. After being told “no” several times I started a bicycle courier service in 2002. I then began to ask local bicycle shops to open a bike shop downtown. Again, after years of hearing “no”, we opened a bike shop on Market Street in 2005. Today, we have six couriers, a dispatcher and two and a half bike shops. I have a track record of seeing a need and filling the gap. Louisville is in need of a leader with a vision appropriate to 2020.

Analysis of regional transportation plans as set forth by the Ohio River Bridges Project (ORBP)and the Build the Bridges Coalition reveals them to be little more than schemes to build yet more interstate highway infrastructure. As such, ORBP is a regressive 1950s style transportation plan. ORBP's widening of Spaghetti Junction and I-64 would destroy parts of Butchertown, Cherokee Park/Cochran Tunnel & surrounding neighborhoods. ORBP will delay by decades Louisville's investment in a world class public transit system.

ORBP also operates under the illusion that tolls will fund the bridges. The Commonwealth of Kentucky does not have the finances to fund the bridges and the accompanying highways. Even if it could fund a bridge in Louisville, Frankfort's rural legislators would not follow that investment with funding for a world class public transit system in Louisville. Louisville must decide whether it will build a world class public transit system the serves all of Louisville's citizens and visitors, or continue the 1950's plan for more interstate highways serving those who want to avoid Louisville.

Both of the other mayoral candidates support this regressive 1950s style transportation plan. Louisville cannot afford to follow their lead into 2020. I am committed to making public transit our first priority.

Why are you runnning as an independent?
Several reasons. First, the issues Louisville faces transcend our two party system. Secondly, the party boxes are too small, too cramped, too steeped in an adversarial relationship with the other party to easily work cooperatively. The two parties need a mediating 'third party' and Louisville needs leadership free of two party constraints/limitations. Equally important in the decision to run as an independent is the fact that the May primaries are too early for the public to decide about our platform. Over the summer the public will come to a new understanding of what tolling bridges means. Over the summer the public will pay a higher price for fuel. Over the summer the public will understand the real cost of cutting TARC services and raising TARC fees. Over the summer the public will realize the implications of running afoul of the EPA air quality standards. Over the summer the public will understand the lesson the arena traffic is about to teach us regarding access and public transit. Over the summer the public will come to a new understanding of the implications in Copenhagen's failures. Over the summer the public will gain insight on the sun's setting on the carbon economy.

Who are your advisors?
"You are. I am listening to nearly everyone. Some of my best advisors are critics."

What are your chances of being elected mayor?
Our chances are very good. Our platform is much stronger than the platform of the other candidates. I am the only candidate committed to correcting the weaknesses of our local economy. I am the only candidate committed to making our local economy more energy independent. I am the only candidate committed to protecting our existing neighborhoods rather than build new neighborhoods. I am the only candidate committed to creating diverse schools that do not require students to ride for hours daily. I am the only candidate committed to protecting our few remaining local farms and fields as having significant agricultural (food) and environmental (air & water) value. I am the only candidate committed to building a world class public transit system before building another new Ohio River bridge. Our platform is much stronger than that of the other candidates.

Will voters respond favorably to the platform? Time will tell. And that is said without flippancy as this is written in December, 2009. Voters go to the polls in November of 2010. That is twelve months away. In the next twelve months the public will come to a new understanding of what tolling bridges means. In the next twelve months the public will be paying a different price for fuel. In the next twelve months the public will understand the real cost of cutting TARC service and increasing TARC fares. In the next twelve months the public will realize the implications of running afoul of the EPA. In the next twelve months the public will understand the lesson the arena traffic is about to teach us regarding access and public transit. In the next twelve months the public will come to a new understanding of the implications in Copenhagen's failures. Time is on my side.

Some organizations have endorsed other mayoral candidates, who has endorsed your candidacy?
Individual citizens vote, organizations do not. Given the current lack of platform that other candidates have, one might question any organizational endorsement as being premature.

You have proposed a pedestrian right-of-way within three (3) blocks of schools and suggested that Jefferson County Public Schools modify the school assignment plan to guarantee students and parents who commit to walking and/or bicycling to school may attend their neighborhood school. How can that neighborhood school policy be inforced?
We can begin to guarantee that students walk to school by eliminating student parking. Turn the parking lots into sports facilities. We could also explore eliminating the drop off line at the school doors. Dropping off students at the perimeter of that three block zone turns all students into walkers.

Where do we get media campaign photos to download?
If you would like to download high resolution photos for media use please click here.