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Charleston Moves Candidates Questionnaire: Candidates for Charleston City Council Friday, Oct.

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With but a few days before a big election for City Council in Charleston, Charleston Moves is publishing a tabulated account of the responses of many of the candidates to a questionnaire we asked them to fill out. Obviously, our interest is in modes of transportation other than the auto, which has gotten far more than its fair share of attention in our planning. We wanted to find out how sensitive our leaders (and their challengers) are to issues that concern us: alternative forms of transportation such as walking and bicycling. Seven of a total of 11 candidates in competitive races for Charleston City Council responded to Charleston Moves Candidate Questionaire. The biggest response came from District #6, where Mayor Pro-Tem Dudley Gregorie has four challengers. Councilman Gregorie himself responded, as did his challengers Francis Clasby, III and Ben DAllesandro. His challengers Joe Good and Lauretta Lemon Dailey did not answer our e-mailed invitation. A response was received from Councilman Blake Hallman but his challenger Rodney Williams did not respond. (In fairness, Mr. Williams received his questionnaire late due to our error with his e-mail address.) Other non-respondents were Councilman Robert Mitchell, (His challenger Elizabeth Fultons response is included), as are the responses of Councilman Mike Seekings (District #8) and his challenger Bobbie Rose. Many responses showed evidence that the respondents knew their target audience well. Many, nevertheless, showed thoughtfulness and sensitivity. Since we cannot show any favoritism, well leave it to you to sort through them. Its not as complicated as it might seem. All in all, we think it was a worthwhile project. We get a glimpse into how people think on matters of importance to us and our membership. And we have a benchmark as to their positions.

Written Response Section Question #1: With regard to Charlestons future transportation needs, do you think it important to have a positive vision?
DALLESANDRO Of course it is important to have a positive vision. We must think progressively about transportation in Charleston. ROSE Yes, it is always important to have a positive vision, a plan and a goal in regard to our future transportation needs. SEEKINGS Of course, and in the past four (4) years at the City, our vision has greatly improved, as has the culture of transportation integration. CLASBY Future transportation needs a childs vision. This perspective was overlooked in the past and communities were divided. Can a child cross that bridge or road safely? FULTON Yes. HALLMAN Absolutely- I have supported bicycle-friendly initiatives from day one on City Council. DUDLEY Yes.

Question #2: Please list 3-5 values you feel are shared by Charlestonians in general.
DALLESANDRO 1. Family 2. Community 3. A strong feeling as to how our popular City should grow.

ROSE We share a desire to conserve the natural environmental beauty of our city and the surrounding areas. (Though we may disagree on how to implement our conservation efforts.) We share the desire to preserve the unique historical structures of our city for future residents and visitors. We share a desire to see Charleston prosper while supporting sensible development. SEEKINGS 1) Community 2) History 3) Preservation CLASBY 1. Sustainable ability to walk. 2. Community connections with complete streets. 3. Livability as defined by the ability to simply live. FULTON Compassion, Generosity, Progressive thinking, preservation HALLMAN Based on personal communication with them, in order: 1) protection of the brand that is Charleston, 2) protection of our quality of life 3) conservative use of tax revenue, and 4) better response to citizen input DUDLEY - Preservation - Sustainability - livability - resilience - integrity

Question #3: If you think having a positive vision important and you have one, what is yours?
DALLESANDRO One important positive vision for me deals with public transportation in our region. An overhaul of our system would have such great benefits to the Charleston area.

I feel we need to change peoples perception about public transportation. Too many people have negative feelings toward it- that it is for people that cant afford cars and gas. This is not correct thinking. A well planned system is faster and more efficient than cars. Another positive vision that is important to me is to make Charleston, especially, Downtown an incredibly biker friendly City. Downtown has the characteristics to make this happen. It is geographically small, it is flat and it is full of people that want it to happen. ROSE Charleston is a linear city, therefore we can more easily make strides toward light rail (and apparently a line right-of-way still exists from a former line). We can be proactive about new construction to ensure that bicycle and pedestrian needs are incorporated into the plans. We can look at each street and do counts on usage to assess whether we are using them in the most efficient manner possible for our city. We can broaden our viewpoint and look at what other cities are doing to address burgeoning transportation needs in a green, low impact manner. SEEKINGS The 72/72 Rule. Make Charleston as good a place to live for 72 years (or more) as it is to visit for 72 hours. CLASBY My vision is that of a child, I put myself into their perspective. Am I safe here? Can I get there by walking or riding my bike? Future development must answer this childs perspective question affirmatively. FULTON To work hard to make Charleston a great place to live, work, play and visit. HALLMAN I see my role on Charlestons City Council as a coalition building, level-headed presence who focuses upon protecting our quality of life while making sure that the citys initiatives are as well thought out as possible. I try to review all city plans through a cost-benefit-analysis perspective. DUDLEY Sustain a balance between growth, livability and preservation in a way that respects our communities, promotes diversity at all levels, stimulates healthy neighborhoods, embraces innovation, and offers access to a wide range of opportunities expected from the number one city in America, such as rst class public transportation, rst class education, and rst class jobs and industries; while maintaining our unique charleston appeal.

Question #4: If you have one, how would you propose to exercise leadership in order to implement the vision during your term of ofce?
DALLESANDRO We have to take cars off the street. I would take away lanes of traffic or the parking lane to cars on some streets and devote them to bike lanes. Yes, people would complain, but they would get over it. Charleston should have parking hubs with trolleys and bike racks to take people further into the City. ROSE I believe city councils responsibility is to look at the big picture, balancing development, business and livability issues facing the residents of our city. Today, the council seems to be highly focused on the business side. I would work directly with the residents to determine our needs and the best way to implement our goals for future, then work with the other board members, negotiating an outcome that best moves us all forward as a city. SEEKINGS Convert the southernmost lane on the Ashley River Bridge to bike/pedestrian use. It is the most important and achievable transportation project on the books. CLASBY I am a uniter, I have organized communities and created lifestyle changes that incorporate activity into our daily lives. Walking and bicycling to work, school, stores and just for fun is my vision as a leader. FULTON Listen to different perspectives and make sure the people that have an interest are able to offer their opinions. From there, make sure that programs and ordinances are implemented efficiently. HALLMAN Through my experience in building coalitions to successfully preserve Morris Island as well as working with a past city council that was somewhat dysfunctional, I have become adept at working with my fellow council members to push for reasonable initiatives. As the chair of the Traffic & Transportation committee, I pushed for more Pedicabs to be licensed on the peninsula, arguing that they were much more beneficial to traffic than the current taxi cabs, Not everyone agreed, so we suggested a compromise of fewer Pedicabs than our original goal. Thus far, the expanded number of Pedicabs has number of Pedicabs has not been to the detriment of the city or its traffic flow. DUDLEY 1- Create and support legislation that promotes a comprehensive plan which sustains smart growth with great consideration for livability and preservation. 2- Work closely with neighborhood associations to ensure that the aspects of the plan are inclusive to their needs and the interest of their communities. 3- Coordinate with the Council of Government and the Region to advance and implement the plan.

CANDIDATES PRIORITIES
CANDIDATE

Feet / Wheels D'ALLESANDRO ROSE SEEKINGS CLASBY FULTON HALLMAN DUDLEY feet feet wheels NA both feet Wheels

Tourists / Residents Residents Residents Residents NA Residents Residents Residents

Residents / Commuters Residents Residents Residents NA Residents Residents Residents

Drivers / nondrivers nondrivers nondrivers NA NA drivers nondrivers nondrivers

Children / Adults Children Adults Adults Children both Adults Adults

Local Businesses / Nat'l Chains local local local NA local local local bikeped bikeped bikeped NA bikeped bikeped bikeped

Bike-Ped / Autos more transit more transit more transit NA more transit NA more transit

more transit / more asphalt locals locals locals NA locals NA locals

affluent 2nd homeowners / less affluent locals Low Low Low NA NA Low low

High Speed / Low Speed

Ranking Priorities

CANDIDATE D'ALLESANDR O ROSE SEEKINGS CLASBY FULTON HALLMAN DUDLEY

Increase auto parking

enhance quality of life

car speeds 20mph, even higher

make streets more bicycle friendly

maximize the number of cars streets handle

make streets pedestria nfriendly

repair sidewalks

repair pothles

increase # of cruise ship stops here

focus more attention on public transit

6 5 7 9 7 * 7

1 4 1 5 1 1 1 * N/A

9 8

3 1 2 N/A

8 9

5 2 5

7 7 4 3 4 5 5

4 6 6 6 2 2 6 * N/A

10 10

2 3 3

10 9

2 3 4 *

8 8

1 6 3

7 10

4 5 6

10

APPROACH TO TRANSPORTATION STRATEGY


OPTION #1 A. prefer a supply side strategy - increasing the amount of asphalt by adding lanes and building new roads like the 526 extension; B. prefer a demand side strategy - adopt land use and alternative transportation policies, which will lead to a reduction in vehicle miles driven C. prefer to do nothing. In politics, the long term is the next election cycle.There's nothing I can do during my term, so it doesn't matter anyway. D'Allesandro Rose Seekings Clasby Fulton Hallman Dudley

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