James Tate quits DPD, will run for Council

[spiritofdetroit]

interesting....

http://freep.com/article/20090421/NE...y+council+seat

[kraig]

Just checked out his website, and it's outlining a lot of things. It's going to be interesting to see how the public responds to him, after all, he was in the unenviable position of having to explain a lot of the police departments actions during the Kilpatrick era. I'm willing to keep an open mind, after all, the city council we have right now sucks.

[digitalvision]

I'm intrigued. I love the professionalism, the focus on the economy...

It'd be interesting to see who endorses him, but since I get nine slots to vote for I'm predisposed to give him one for council at this point. I don't have nine solid candidates yet... and he's got potential from his site.

There's a long way to go - so who knows what will come up - but I'm initially encouraged.

[exdetroiter]

YES for Tate, surely he's one of the intelligent, articulate Detroiters whom refuses to sit back and be represented by the clowns that currently sit at the City Counsel table or in the back of the city issued vehicles being driven around as if they are celebrities.

[bdglsmn]

This looks interesting. We know that he is articulate and that he can maintain his composure when in tense situations in front of a camera which is a HUGE step up from what we have right now.

[gnome]

Gary Brown, John Bennett, now Mr. Tate ... looks like a thick blue line in 09

[SWMAP]

"but since I get nine slots to vote for "

No! That's the way to really dilute your vote and practically guarantee that most of your candidates won't be elected. Have you heard of "plunking?"
Plunking involves voting for only one candidate [[or only a few) when you have the option of voting for more than one candidate. It is a way to maximize the effect of a vote for a single candidate in a multicandidate race.

[Bobl]

SWMAP is correct. Groups like "Call 'em Out" will be using this technique.

[R8RBOB]

No! That's the way to really dilute your vote and practically guarantee that most of your candidates won't be elected. Have you heard of "plunking?"
Plunking involves voting for only one candidate [[or only a few) when you have the option of voting for more than one candidate. It is a way to maximize the effect of a vote for a single candidate in a multicandidate race.

This is the reason why Detroit needs to wave bye-bye to the at-large method of electing city council members. Detroit needs districts or wards.

[firstandten]

"but since I get nine slots to vote for "

No! That's the way to really dilute your vote and practically guarantee that most of your candidates won't be elected. Have you heard of "plunking?"
Plunking involves voting for only one candidate [[or only a few) when you have the option of voting for more than one candidate. It is a way to maximize the effect of a vote for a single candidate in a multicandidate race.

I don't feel we should plunk for the primary lets get 18 solid candidates coming out of the primary. I know of 2 or 3 who are looking at running and would be very solid candidates. At that point after we had a chance to vet some of the newcomers, plunking I think would be in order.

[sumas]

I'll plunk my vote in the fall if any of the current council makes the finals with the exception of Cockrel and Kenyetta. I am looking at several others candidates. Can anyone suggest some good eastsiders? Here on the eastside, we have some very strong area organizations but get largely ignored. Kenny Cockrel and Mahaffey were the only ones who made it a point to show up at our meetings.

I still think District representation is the way to go. When we lived in a near area suburb [[school issues) We knew our mayor, city manager and reps. Shopped the same shops, restaurants etc. Heck, even knew lots of cops and the judge who were neighbors. Could knock on doors and get personal attention with concerns.

Each city neighborhood deserves that type of representation.

I also believe that non resident city workers should get some kind of vote too. I am all for eventual regionalization. We need to pool resources not polarize.