4 - The Michigan Daily - Monday, July 31, 2006 JEREMY DAVIDSON Editor in Chief IMRAN SYED Editorial Page Editor JEFFREY BLOOMER Managing Editor EDITED AND MANAGED BY STUDENTS AT THE UNIvERSITY OF MICHIGAN SINCE 1890. 420 MAYNARD STREET ANN ARBOR, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com Editorial Board Members: Amanda Andrade, Emily Beam, Jared Goldberg, Theresa Kennelly, Christopher Zbrozek ANN ARBOR CITY COUNCIL WARD 1 In the first ward, incumbent John Roberts, who was appointed to council 10 months ago, faces his first electoral challenge from Ron Suarez in the primary. We admire Roberts's willingness to engage in a dialogue with fel- low council members and citizens and work cooperatively toward adequate solutions. Also worthy of note is his view that students are citizens of the city and must be listened to. Despite these qualities, though, we find Roberts's stance inadequate to overcome the elaborately planned, carefully considered proposals Suarez presents. Suarez is a proponent of building up Ann Arbor's downtown and increasing density as a way to curb urban sprawl. He also has a unique understanding of what it will take to reduce cars and traffic in Ann Arbor. Everyone realizes that building up the downtown would create traffic night- mares unless a solution is proposed. But Suarez is one of the few who sees the need for not simply logistical measures such as adding parking spaces, but for encourag- ing long-term lifestyle changes that include walking and riding bikes. He says that the city can't force people to ride bikes or take a bus, but it can facilitate it by the way it designs future developments in downtown. We couldn't agree more. The Daily endorses: Ron Suarez WARD 3 FROM THE EDITOR This week, instead of our normal editorials, we offer the Daily editorial board's endorsements for select local races to be decided by the primary election on August 8. The endorsements include contested races for mayor of Ann Arbor, city council seats in wards 1, 3 and 5 and the 53rd district seat in the state House of Representatives. (City council wards 2 and 4, as well as the 52nd dis- trict seat in the state House, do not have contested primaries.) Given that there is no Republican candidate running for city council or for mayor, voting in the August primary is vital for anyone wishing to have a say in local government. Our endorsements reflect both the Daily's commitment to serving the student body as well as uphold- ing the ideals we have come to stand for over the decades. I invite you to join in a discussion of our endorsements on our blog The Podium, which can be accessed by clicking on The Podium link at our homepage (www.michigandaily.com) or by visiting bttp://apps.michigandaily.com/blogs/thepodium/. As always, thank you for reading. Imran Syed Editorial Page Editor MAYOR OF ANN ARBOR In the race for mayor of Ann Arbor, at everything from using more renewable incumbent John Hieftje faces a challenge energy to improving public transporta- from Councilwoman Wendy Woods. Run- tion. While others may address these same ning unopposed by any person last year for issues, his vision is much more defined and her council seat from the fifth ward, Woods his accomplishments more clear. Hieftje's famously declared that she was running "Mayor's Green Energy Challenge" will against apathy. Though she overcame that lead the city to use 30 percent renewable incessant specter last fall, she now faces energy by 2010 and significantly reduce the far tougher challenge of unseating a greenhouse emissions. He has also opened popular incumbent. Woods says she is run- discussion on a system of light rail to con- ning because the time is right for her and nect southeast Michigan, a worthy objective there is a pressing need for transparency in given that Detroit remains America's only city government. We appreciate her enthu- major metropolitan area without a service- siasm and willingness to take on pressing able system of public transportation. issues such as affordable housing and the Hieftje recognizes the need to work with involvement of citizens in local govern- regional and state leaders toward improving ment, but her platform is underdeveloped the quality of life for Ann Arbor residents. when compared to Hieftje's. His long record of accomplishments, clear- First elected in 2000, Hieftje has estab- ly defined vision for the city's future and lished himself as a champion for the envi- his passion for environmental issues make ronment - spearheading initiatives aimed Hieftje Ann Arbor's ideal mayor. The Daily endorses: John Hieftje STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 53RD DISTRICT No matter who wins the Democratic pri- in Lansing, including time as a staff mem- mary for the 53rd district state representative ber for two legislators. Her work has given seat, the party and Ann Arbor residents will her an understanding of the state budget as be represented well. Both Councilman Leigh well as the opportunity to form relation- Greden (D-Ward 3) and Rebekah Warren-- ships with legislators and their staffs. While the two candidates vying to replace the term- she may not be able to boast of the service in limited Chris Kolb -are capable, informed an elected office that Councilman Greden citizens who care about Ann Arbor. can, it's clear that her time working with In terms of policy positions, there's little the legislature gives her a better chance to to differentiate the two candidates, who hit the ground running. agree on nearly every major issue. Though It's also refreshing that Warren has made both candidates are Democrats, each hopes an active effort to involve students in her to work with colleagues across the aisle to campaign, encouraging them to vote absen- create sound public policy. Voters, then, tee in the primary and building a network should choose based on experience - and of student volunteers. Though it's a tough in that light, Warren is the better choice. call for us to make, her efforts at engaging She has spent more than a decade working students make Warren our choice. The Daily endorses: Rebekah Warren LIVE ON YOUR FEET JOHN OQUIST THE LOCAL DEMOCRATIC THE DEADLOE TO REGISTER WAS I GUESSr LL JUST Go WATCH PRARs t REeS . EO THREE WEEKS AG ? WHY THE tULPLANETHEN... AND VOTE1 alm The three Democrats vying for the vacant seat in the third ward are Steven Kunselman, Jeff Meyers and Alice Ralph. Of the three, Meyers bringsthe right combination of enthu- siasm and knowledge about local government to the job. Though he's quick to point out that he hasn't lived in Ann Arbor for 30 years like some others on council, Meyers has swiftly gathered the understanding of local affairs necessary to be effective on council. Meyers points to Portland, Ore., where he once lived, as an example of a commu- nity that's doing a better job of planning for smart growth than Ann Arbor. He hopes to encourage mixed-use developments to increase density downtown and around the University, and he has some innovative ideas to increase student involvement with city government that we haven't heard from anyone else - in any race. Kunselman, who served for years as the administrator of Sumpter Township and who currently serves on the city's planning commission, would certainly be a competent member of council. We remain unconvinced, however, about how well his technocratic and almost frightening grasp of the minu- tiae of local government would translate to the setting of city council. Finally, Ralph has good intentions - running to bring more transparency to council and include citizens in the process - but her ideas seem vague compared to Meyers's carefully honed and comprehensive platform. The Daily endorses: Jeff Meyers WARD 5 In the fifth ward, incumbent Chris East- hope faces Sonia Schmerl and Richard Ankli. Easthope, first elected to the Coun- cil in 2000, brings a balance of progress and practicality to his position. Six years of experience informs his approach to everyday issues such as parks (maintain what we have before creating new ones) and parking (build new structures near the highways and bus visitors downtown). The issue ofthe growth and development of Ann Arbor, especially the downtown, weighs heavily on the minds of voters this year, and it's on this issue that Easthope truly sets him- self apart from his opponents. Ankli, though good-natured and admirably willing to lis- ten and dedicate time to finding solutions, remains inadequately informed of the issues themselves. Schmerl disapproves of many things about the current council, including a lack of transparency, but considers her elec- tion as a solution in itself. We agree that more dissent on council is beneficial, but we aren't convinced she's the one to do it. Many of her policies seem guided by specific neigh- borhoods' interests - an approach that can only encourage the small-scale balkaniza- tion already derailing municipal progress. Easthope, however, offers sound policy in his belief that downtown density can counter suburban sprawl and controlled development will create affordable housing. The Daily endorses: Chris Easthope