Tuesday, March 03, 2009

Suttle for Mayor...of Council Bluffs


Jim Suttle came out with his Economic Development Plan for Council Bluffs yesterday.

In it, he proposes Omaha build a bridge to Eppley Airport so that the people of Iowa can get there faster, and build an industrial park in Counciltucky. (We kid Bluffs! We kid!)

You can read the complete press release from Suttle by clicking here.

Hmm. Where to go with this...

Well, we don't want to totally bash on Suttle's concept. His theory is that if the whole area succeeds, Omaha succeeds. And if this bridge (just two miles down the street from the Mormon Bridge, by the way) is built, then the people from Omaha -- specifically North Omaha -- can go to work in Iowa and everyone wins.

Interesting plan. Except this plan is just only slightly thought out more than the Papal Toboggan (you knew we had to mention it).

See, in Suttle's initial press release, the plan was to use President Obama's Federal Stimulus money "to fast track construction of the new Gateway Bridge..." (that would be the Obama Gateway Bridge, to you).

But then someone pointed out to Councilman Suttle that the Stimulus money had to be spent only on projects that were ready to go within the next 90 days. So Mr. Suttle, sped around to say,
"If you look at the stimulus package right now, it's going to take projects off the shelf and they're going to be completed. This will free up other projects to move up."
Oh, we see. So what you wrote in your press release a few hours earlier is no accurate at all. Well then.

And tell us again how this "Bi-state compact on taxing authority and profit sharing for the greater good" works again? No details? Huh.

Jim Vokal slammed Suttle's plan pointing out that no one exactly has $45M sitting around to build a bridge.

Hal Daub was a little more subtle to Suttle, stating that his (Daub's) economic plan "focused on realistic and achievable programs to grow the economy". (Emphasis ours.)

And then you know how we feel about bridges to no where....

***

Note Daub's left-handed compliment to Suttle, praising Suttle for re-suggesting Daub's Economic Development Director, and the note on "realistic" (i.e., non Iowa and Pope-centric proposals).

We would note that on that point, Vokal stated that he thinks the EconDev Dir. position is unneeded. I guess we were surprised that this position doesn't exist in the Fahey administration anymore. This seems like exactly the kind of position one would want in Omaha.

We would even go so far as to say that the public will be waiting for Vokal's Economic Development plan. So far he has proposals to pare down the city budget and fix the pension funds. But the next step will be to propose how to grow the city.

Maybe this is best left for the final month of the primary campaign when people really begin to focus. But it is an essential element, no doubt. Omahans like economic development proposals. Comparing and contrasting these could be an essential part of these next five weeks.

***

Our best wishes to Senator Mike Johanns who had a NON-cancerous lobe removed from his lung today. We -- and the Senator and his family we're sure -- are breathing easier.

***

We were forwarded a new report from The Platte Institute for Economic Research, written by John Heieck, addressing the need for changes to the Commission of Industrial Relations -- the state administrative agency responsible for resolving all city employee salary disputes in Nebraska.

You can access The Platte Institute's page, and the report, by clicking here.

If you've never visited their page, or been to any of their presentations, they are an interesting think tank focusing on Nebraska. You could do worse with your time.

***

Our look at the City Council races and a new view of the Mayor's race, later in the week.

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24 comments:

Anonymous said...

FIRST!!!!

Anonymous said...

So where is the posting on Randy Brown, the latest candidate filing for mayor? Makes me believe the host of this blog really is in the pocket of one of the three clowns. Please don't give me this "waiting for his mill levy stance" crap!

Street Sweeper said...

Wait a minute! What is "Mr. Brown's"(a phony name if I ever heard one) stance on the mill levy?

Is he For or Agin'?

I don't know how we can properly discuss his candidacy without that crucial information.

Anonymous said...

I actually like the North Omaha bridge over the MO River idea.
We can get the Pope to Christen the bridge when it opens.
Somebody needs to come up with a good plan for the stimulus money if and when we get some.

ricky from omaha

Anonymous said...

A bad posting for Suttle is a good posting for Vokal. I'd say you earned your gold star from McGrain this week, Sweeper!

I challenge Street Sweeper to post something that either is positive for Daub, or positive for Suttle.

You wonder why we call you biased, but every single post on the mayor's race this year is either (in sum):

a) positive for Vokal,
b) negative for Daub,
or c) negative for Suttle.

Anonymous said...

"Our look at the City Council races and a new view of the Mayor's race, later in the week."

Swami says Sweeper's 'new view of the Mayor's race' will be a puff piece on Jim Vokal.

Anonymous said...

you Daub-o-philes are tiresome. Proves to me Hal is the same 'ol Hal. His way or no way.

This blog has been around for years and has been pro-republican. I think the record shows it doesn't take sides between GOP candidates.

go whine somewhere else.

Anonymous said...

Just take a look at the past 10 postings and then tell me I'm wrong.

Anonymous said...

What does Tainted Fire Money look like???

Anonymous said...

Sweeper said that he (she?) agrees with Daub about the economic development director. He told Vokal to get an economic recovery plan. He said Vokal has to give the fire money back. He criticised Vokal for disagreeing with Daub's home improvement plan.

But now Daub supporters think this blog is too anti-Suttle?

Nice perspective.

Anonymous said...

Anon 9:04: you don't realize that SS was just trying to hide his obvious Vokal bias behind some seemingly positive words about Daub. But we all know the game he's really playing! 'Cause if you take the letters contained in his compliment about the economic development director and rearrange them, they spell out "DAUB SUCKS!"

Anon 5:02: you want SS to post something positive about Suttle? Well, he did. He reminded everyone of the Papal toboggan run suggested by Councilman Suttle. That was a positive. Or are you anti-Catholic?

Anonymous said...

I think Suttle is brilliant! He's going to solve the "North O problem" by encouraging the migration of that population to CB. As for bringing jobs to that area, does anyone seriously believe that gangbangers and welfare queens are going to give up that "lifestyle" to take a real job...and a job that can be done by an uneducated and unskilled worker???

Anonymous said...

Daub voted for Obama! Yey Hal!

Anonymous said...

On another note...I am glad to hear Sen. Johanns is recovering and that it is non cancerous!

Anonymous said...

to anon 9:56, thanks for writing about Sen. Johanns. Enough of this mayoral race.

Sweeper, remember you do have readers outside Omaha!

Street Sweeper said...

As always, we do appreciate and think of our non-Omaha interested readers.

And while we do our best to find items of interest, please do forward to us any political matters that you think we should/could address.

(And, if you note, we DID address Sen. Johanns in the post...)

Anonymous said...

What about the rumor that Tony Raimondo may run for governor against Heineman?

Anonymous said...

That would be good for a laugh.

Anonymous said...

are there any debates with the three main candidates for mayor coming up? I would love to see Joe Jordan moderate it and have it on tv.

as citizens we deserve this at the very least!

let's have a debate, discussion!

hello, League of Women voters are you there...?

Anonymous said...

As long as Omaha's Mayors continue to demand that Omaha hug the banks of the Missouri River, Omaha will remain a suburb of Iowa. Wake up. Steamboats are gone. Trains and trucks are here.

Move City Hall to the west edge of Omaha and build an international airport near Ashland. Then Omaha won't have to continue to exist as Iowa's tumor.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Street Sweeper said...

By the way, you spelled it wrong, dumb a**.

Anonymous said...

Have people forgotten about the I-480 bridge and the I-80 bridge (aside from the Mormon Bridge)! It takes less than 10 minutes to get from Council Bluffs to the airport! Not too mention the environmental impacts to the MO River if another bridge is in the way.

Has any focused on Suttle's plan to deter gangs in Omaha? Now there's some fodder for - NO WAY CAN THIS MAN BECOME MAYOR OF THIS CITY!

Anonymous said...

Suttle moved to Council Bluffs last year.....