Lebo Campaigning Intensifies

Posted by request:

On Saturday, November 3rd many Mt. Lebanon residents received a postcard suggesting that they not vote for incumbents in the school board race. It was suggested that people should vote for four other candidates including Elaine Cappucci. As campaign manager of Friends of Elaine Cappucci I want to let the residents of Mt. Lebanon know that neither Elaine nor the campaign had anything to do with the mailer. From the time our campaign started early in 2007 to now we have not engaged in any mudslinging or dirty politics. We believe every candidate wants to work toward making a great place to live even better. We wish all of the candidates the best of luck on Tuesday.

Gregory J. Daubner
Campaign Manager: Friends of Elaine Cappucci
G.Daubner@verizon.net

Lebo - Democracy in Action

In a Comment at this earlier post, Ward 1 Voter posed a series of excellent questions for the candidates for Mt. Lebanon commissioner:

1. One of the largest retail spaces in our Central Business District - the Denis Theatre - has remained dormant for a number of years. Certainly, it would add to the vibrancy of our communtiy and the existing retail and dining establishments if this asset was once again put to good use, or even redeveloped for a new use as soon as possible. How would you prevent similar property owners from sitting on these prime retail locations while doing nothing?

2. As I travel to my children's soccer games around Western Pennsylvania, I have noticed that the community fields in several other areas put Mt. Lebanon to shame, both in number and overall condition. Further, it is becoming increasingly obvious that Mt. Lebanon's fields cannot meet the present demand. Do you have a position with respect to developing additional field space, while maintaining or updating our existing field space?

3. Do you have a position regarding the various swimming pool proposals that have been presented?

4. Do you support TIF funding for the condominium project on Washington Rd?

5. In recent years, traffic has become one of the single biggest issues facing our community. As you may know, a traffic calming policy was implemented a couple of years ago and several recommendations for effected neighborhoods have been presented to the Commission. However, only one (Mission Hills) has been formally implemented. Are you in favor of increased funding to support traffic calming measures or do you believe that traffic is something that we simply must accept as part of life in Mt. Lebanon?

6. For several decades Mt. Lebanon was able to market itself to first time homebuyers and growing families by promoting its excellent schools, its stately homes on quiet streets and its proximity to Downtown. However, many neighboring school districts have made up the gap and, in some instances, passed Mt. Lebanon. Many of our once quiet streets are now busy cut through routes for residents living south of Mt. Lebanon. And our stately (aging) homes are now a tough sell to a family of 4 or more, particularly when you compare them to the newer homes in Wexford, Pine Richland and Cranberry, all of which are becoming increasingly convenient to Downtown with 279 North, the HOV lanes, etc. How do you plan to market the "new" Mt. Lebanon to first time homebuyers and growing families?

So far, Andy Reinhart (candidate in Ward 3) and Raja (candidate in Ward 1) have weighed in with responses in the Comments to that post. Again, here is the link.

UPDATE (10/19 7:25 am): Bonnie Van Kirk (Ward 1 candidate) has added a long response in the Comments to the earlier post Link here. Dan Miller (Ward 5 candidate) has put up a long Comment on this (Democracy in Action) post.

Political Signs Everywhere

Yes, I know...this is the time of year where are our plants begin to die and the political yard signs begin to grow. Each April and October, signs supporting one candidate or the other sprout in our yards showing our support of a particular candidate or candidates. Mt. Lebanon is no different that anywhere else with regards to this.

What I want to know is -- why are candidates' signs showing up in areas that they shouldn't be? While I'm not going to name names, I'm very curious as to why I'm seeing a signs for someone on the other end of Mt. Lebanon -- nowhere near the area they are running to represent. I can totally understand saturating your own ward that you want to represent, but I think that is is unfair (and totally confusing to some voters) to place your signs all over the municipality. It's also totally inappropriate for signs to be placed on municipal property -- which I have definitely seen as well.

If any of the candidates read this blog, I'd be very interested to hear your thoughts (or reasons) why we're seeing signs in places that they shouldn't be.