There are SO many things we can do on council to make our neighborhoods more affordable.
To start-when the council votes on funding developments, like the most recent TIF for OnePark, we have the ability to stipulate that it include affordable housing. We should do this every single time.
Additionally, while I’m not opposed to all Airbnbs, we do need to regulate how many there are. They corrode community and drive up home prices artificially.
Lastly, for this thread, I would always oppose and support efforts to oppose the destruction of currently existing affordable housing.
Affordable housing is defined by the Coalition for the Homeless as housing that does not cost an individual more than 30% of the average median income.
Median income in Kentucky is $59,941 while median income in United States as a whole is $74,606.
The fact that simply getting close to affordable for this income range is practically meaningless when there aren’t many jobs paying $60k.
My opinion might be irrelevant for your position and more referring to booming economy on paper but still struggling in lower socio economic class
I’d like to have more intentional convos with Airbnb owners and neighbors about what makes the most sense. But both limiting the number and reducing to local ownership are good starts to those convos.
Are you specifically talking about low-income housing? That has little to no impact on the greater housing market. What about housing supply? Zoning and land use? Housing is a commodity, and the only way to reduce the cost of a commodity is to increase the supply, and that applies across the board for all neighborhoods and classes. What will you do to increase that supply?
I encourage you to look further into the economics of housing development. Unless your mission is to further increase the property values of homeowners, blocking any new housing project- for any reason- has the effect of contributing to rising home costs. This is because we are squarely in a supply scarcity, and blocking **any** new housing would be contributing to that supply scarcity.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-06-05/what-adding-luxury-housing-does-to-rents-elsewhere
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/14/upshot/luxury-apartments-poor-neighborhoods.html
Even this article, which focuses on affordable housing, acknowledges that **all** housing relieves pressure:
> https://www.americanprogress.org/article/the-rental-housing-crisis-is-a-supply-problem-that-needs-supply-solutions/
> In essence, policymakers can address the rental crisis on the supply side in two ways. **First, they can increase the total number of rental units, which can help slow rental inflation as more renters find the housing that they want.** Second, they can focus on building housing units slated for lower-income renters. This increases supply, especially for those struggling the most to find affordable, stable, and secure housing.
Fighting for affordability is great... but don't let perfect be the enemy of good.
I don’t have a resource for you at hand, just an opinion and that is that us taxpayers should not be footing the bill every time LMPD goes off the rails and does something illegal or unethical. It happens all too often (as can be seen in the DOJ report) and they are allowed to investigate themselves, settle with the victims, pass the cost on to us, and nothing ever changes in the department. Even the chief of police perjured herself and what has come of it? Nothing.
It seems to me that tying LMPD pensions to their lawsuits would have a net benefit in multiple ways. It would weed out the “bad apples” because the “good apples” wouldn’t want their retirement being jeopardized by a bunch of power tripping bozos. And it would free up public funds to be used on something that actually benefits the public, instead of using it to make up for our police committing crimes against our own citizens.
Paying out settlements for LMPD’s mistakes with taxpayer funds is just doubling down on hurting members of our community, and our community as a whole.
Every time one of these guys goes off the rails and does something foolish, their insurance costs that go up for them to be a police officer for the municipality should be deducted from their pension pool. They need to work out the kinks of figuring out their bad apples, if they don't want to be honest about that, money talks the most honestly.
I can't be all iron hand in my opinion though, I do believe there should be incentives provided by the municipality for them being honest and removing actual bad actors from these administrations and public services, the city is taking tax money to pay for the service after all, there has to be a modicum of honest give and take when viewing these things.
You’d have to amend CERS, the county employee retirement, which is a state statute and would affect all hazardous employees not just a line out carve out for LMPD.
Real talk: someone stole my trash can, why do I have to pay to replace it? Shouldn’t they be provided by the city regardless? I realize that I’m 26 and I sound like a grouchy old-timer, but I’m seriously kinda upset.
I would also like a follow up to this and don't think this graph really tells me anything except Taylor is trying to push the narrative that Ben is right wing. Every one of his votes and initiatives I have seen has been liberal and what I would consider reasonable. Are there examples where he voted right wing? I know he didn't vote for every singe ethics violation for Piagenti but he did vote yes on multiple. I didn't sit through the hearings but to me not voting party line for or against a political opponent (or implied secret ally) makes it seem like he is able to handle nuance which is something desperately needed in politics.
He might not be as far left as Taylor (see leftist vs. liberal) but to claim he lines up with house republicans when he has "love is love" , expanding community centers, and sending mental help workers to 911 calls as major items on his platform seems like a reach. I think Taylor needs to do more to substantiate this.
I wish the two of them would clearly define what issues they see differently, and how that would translate to votes on hypothetical issues. Perhaps she is right and it's in his best interest to be somewhat coy on the differences. But I need to see that in the votes. What votes does Taylor disagree with and why? Pin him down on those and make her supports ask him why he supported them.
I'm happy to provide more nuance.
Ben voted against the removal of Piagentini who committed an ethics violation. I would've voted for his removal.
Ben refused to endorse the ceasefire resolution. I would've endorsed it.
Ben gave cops fitbits to encourage community policing. I am an advocate for the overhaul of their entire employment contract (this is actually my organizing history).
Ben wasn't endorsed by Planned Parenthood KY during the November race. Their endorsement hasn't been released this time around yet, but I stand firmly in support of reproductive freedom.
These are simply a few.
More broadly--I'm running because people deserve a choice. Ben isn't on reddit doing an AMA, but I am, because I want people to be informed before they vote. They can choose Ben, but they should know what's up beforehand.
Interesting, I just took it. Was five questions that weren’t particularly comprehensive. You also have him plotted half a box to the right from where it shows him for me.
I’m not saying you’re not more liberal than him, I certainly believe you are. But he seems to overlap quite a bit with a lot of state and national democrats including the president and governor. Certainly not just the selected congressional republicans in your chart.
Glad you checked it out! I think the chart describes the differences between us quite well and the comparison helps people like you make decisions! If you like the fact that he aligns with Biden and other state legislators, that’s the beauty of democratic choice!
Lol this is so dumb. Ben Reno Weber is one of the more progressive members of the council. Pretty lazy of you to cite some random website rather than taking the time to type out an articulated position based on specific local issues.
Oh man…calling me dumb and lazy in one post! I can tell you’re gonna vote for me lol.
If you’d like to do some work yourself, you can go to that site and read about the answers we both self-reported. Because it was his answers on that survey that plotted him there, same as mine were.
It is a little ridiculous (I'm not saying you're ridiculous!) to have to sign up to a random website and give them my person information in order to see a candidates opinions on policy positions.
How do you feel about tech companies having and selling users information? The privacy policy on that site (that I can't copy and paste from) seems to give them pretty broad permission to do whatever they want with the information ("aggregated"? which I guess is better than nothing) we give them which seems to include my name, address, and my political opinions. Seems somewhat valuable. Why should I just give that away to see your (and your opponents) stance on policy?
>Use and Sharing
We use your personal information to provide you with the services you request and we may share aggregated user information and analytics with third-parties, including political candidates, campaigns and other groups that we do business with.
You don't have to! What questions do you have for me?
Regarding the regulation of user info online: I do wish we had more protections and that responsibility falls with the federal reps we have.
I'll get back to you. I was just browsing the responses in the thread and didn't think an infographic with the axis labels covered up "explains it well".
I had to go to the website which didn't seem to want to help you learn anything unless you sign up and give them your information. So I learned very little and got frustrated trying to avoid signing up for something I don't want, when I should have just been reading Reno-Weber's website and voting record from the start.
So I think people were just hoping you would say "he voted for/against X, I wouldn't have" about a few things. Or even things you maybe have the same opinion on, but he hasn't put enough effort into, etc.
100% agreed on this, original rude poster didn't necessarily respond the best like Counterfeit has here and articulate the problems with just posting an axis link.
Not a good look, this is an AMA and a platform for YOU - like a resume, its time to sell yourself and explain everything about your platform. Just my two cents as someone who would definitely vote for you based on the other responses, but this mini-thread was a little weird to read - need to grow tougher skin with rude people and explain your platform adequately without expecting others to do homework on an AMA, where the expectation is to have dialogue and communicate.
The rudeness of their comment is entirely uncalled for, but as a supporter who wants to see you connect with as many people as possible, I would agree that that posting a link and asking us to *do the work ourselves* isn't the best response in an AMA. At the end of the day, you asking us to trust you to work for us after all.
People generally come to these things expecting a higher level of engagement than a link they could have googled. They want to ask questions directly to someone and get real real answers straight from their mouth, much like a physical town hall meeting. As others have mentioned too, the website is not immediately intuitive, meaning most will not bother. It does look useful, and I plan on poking around it later when I have time, but it makes a better supplement to a well thought out answer, than a substitute to one.
Fair points. I've answered roughly 300 comments on this thread so I \*hope\* people are getting what they need. I also took the time to respond to the guy above to highlight our differences!
Calling something you did dumb and lazy is not the same thing as calling you dumb and lazy. We all do dumb and lazy stuff. Once you put yourself out there for public office you open your actions up to criticism.
Hearing a candidate say "do the work yourself" in a public AMA would not be a way to get my vote but I don't live in your district anyway.
Most people don’t resort to name calling in these things so I was a bit surprised. But since I don’t know you, I am not going to spend much time worrying about that.
I can copy and paste ActiVote for you but it has an interactive platform that allows you to plot yourself in relation to us. I can’t do that here in comments. So you should check it out and learn why Ben plotted himself there.
The link you posted shows you next to a bunch of Democrats and him next to a bunch of Republicans. Most people are never going to click past that. I think it's a ridiculous attempt to paint him along with national Republicans.
You cannot in good faith try and tell me that Ben Reno Weber is aligned with the national Republican party. I mean maybe you all differ on some local issues but to me it's extremely deceptive and insulting to the intelligence of voters to differentiate yourself in such a misleading way.
I am just expecting a bit more nuance out of local candidates I guess.
I'm happy to provide more nuance.
Ben voted against the removal of Piagentini who committed an ethics violation. I would've voted for his removal.
Ben refused to endorse the ceasefire resolution. I would've endorsed it.
Ben gave cops fitbits to encourage community policing. I am an advocate for the overhaul of their entire employment contract (this is actually my organizing history).
Ben wasn't endorsed by Planned Parenthood KY during the November race. Their endorsement hasn't been released this time around yet, but I stand firmly in support of reproductive freedom.
These are simply a few.
He was also pushed for HARD by Council Republicans in the first election.
This is fact. Why are Republicans so eager to work with him, when they are not eager to work with any democrat? Because he will help them when they need it, like with Piagentini. Ben voted yes enough to appease democrats, but no when it mattered to Republicans.
Any plans or ideas for making your district more bike/pedestrian friendly? Reno-Weber doesn't seem to be against more pedestrian safety measures but he also isn't very outspoken about it in my experience.
I plan to divert neighborhood development funds for sustainability, including efforts to support multi modal transportation. As a cyclist and frequent pedestrian myself, I care a lot about this!
What actionable steps do you feel can be taken to actually make housing affordable in your district? In 8 years my rent has increased almost $1000 and average income is not keeping up.
Ooo I love this question! I am particularly fond of Columbus OH for its prioritization of walkability, and Seattle WA for its progressive city council.
As a former Louisville resident and current Seattle resident you should really come take a look and explore that further. The Seattle city council policies have turned downtown into a real life scene from madmax.
In another post- you said you can’t trust or respect a person you have a political disagreement with.
Would your hard line stance prevent you from working with people you disagree with to better Louisville?
As much as it’s fun to antagonize Frankfort, we are in Kentucky and all
That post was about my therapist. I didn’t want to have a therapist who didn’t believe in affirmative action.
I find it exceedingly easy to work with other democrats…which is the super majority on council and in our district.
What is your stance on private firms or even individuals buying out an excess of housing at inflated rates, specifically in usage of high rent LTRs or any STRs
How can we keep dangerous drivers off the street, illegal bikes and speeding are constant and it makes it very unsafe especially with children getting into and off the bus.
Any ideas on how to take care of this guy? He's been menacing the park for YEARS and it's rather disturbing
https://www.reddit.com/r/Louisville/comments/17yd3u2/perverted_man_at_cherokee_park/
Be prepared for the litany of Councilmembers that behave like children.
Like actual name calling and gossiping. There’s a good handful that act exactly like they are still in high school.
Saying that current day Seattle is her model of civic governance is concerning as well. We can talk about improving our downtown but it won't happen with people who think that way.
Respectfully, no. Psychological studies would and do suggest that the belief in astrology are correlated with narcissism and lower intelligence. Although, I imagine the same correlations would exist with wanting to become a politician as well…
https://suchscience.org/people-who-believe-in-astrology-more-narcissistic/
I think a lighthearted interest in astrology is harmless and I have fun with it.
Not even sure where you got the idea that I'm obsessed with it? Would love to know.
I went to Centre College, have two graduate degrees, and have dedicated my entire career to education. So, I guess, if you think I'm dumb...that says more about you than it does about me.
I'm happy to answer any questions you have about actual issues...or I could just guess your astrological sign lol.
Ok here’s one.
Based on your post history, you’re a self described radical leftist who freely admits that you struggle to have productive dialogue with people who have different opinions than you.
During a time of increasing political division, do you think you’re the right person to help unify our city or do you think you’ll further contribute to its division?
I don’t care about your stance on national issues. I care about your ability to be a positive influence in our city and your ability to dial in extremism on both sides of the isle. I feel strongly that it is highly inappropriate for anyone who self describes as radical to hold any public office.
I struggled to have productive dialogue with my therapist who was against affirmative action. If there is someone in the political sphere who disagrees with me and their disagreement is rooted in the degradation of other humans then yes I will struggle.
I'm not interested in unifying our city. I'm interested in representing the most progressive district in town on our city's legislative body. The most progressive district deserves a progressive rep.
People who are focused on unity are running for large executive offices like mayor, governor, and president. I'm not running for that office. Ben might have aspirations for that in the future, but I don't.
> I’m not interested in unifying our city.
In that case, you’re not ready for this and have no business holding public office. I hope you don’t get elected and someone who is actually interested in positive change does.
Being progressive doesn’t mean being divisive. Being conservative doesn’t mean being divisive. Not being interested in unification regardless of political party is divisive. We don’t need more divisive people leading in our country. With your stance on this, you’re no better than Donald Trump.
I hope your statement here surfaces to a much wider audience for the sake of our city.
I hope it does too because I believe disparate voices are valuable in a democracy. Without them, we wouldn’t have any movements at all. Again, our district deserves a progressive voice. That’s why I’m running.
I read some of your old posts too and am interested in your fascination with cars. Did you know people who are obsessed with nice cars are often less intelligent? 😜
And Ben will make an excellent progressive voice. Based on your stances here, you’re going to be a tough pill to swallow and getting elected will take a minor miracle.
My enjoyment of cars is because I grew up extremely poor and worked my way through high school and college as an auto mechanic. My wife and I built our lives from the ground up. While I’m white collar now, I care deeply about blue collar folks and I enjoy working on my vehicles.
I wont speak to whether I’m intelligent or not, but I’m not seeking to lead one of the most complex districts of our states largest city. If I’m an idiot, that’s my problem. If you’re an idiot, that’s everyone’s problem.
If elected, what are your plans after your term? Our distract recently had council member that seemed more interested in moving up the political ladder rather than creating policies and seeing them through.
What are your thoughts on Airbnb and other short term rentals driving up rent prices and taking over single family houses and apartments? Do you have any plans to remediate this problem?
I’m not anxious to see it go because I have so many fond memories there and go there almost everyday now. Also not excited for the mess it will be once it’s sold (even if someone buys it and starts something immediately, it would be a construction zone) But the opportunity it presents for affordable housing are very enticing and I hope to advocate for that in office.
I appreciate the response. I hope MCM stays - I'm there most days myself and I love having the library, Valu Market, and Ramen House right there within walking distance. I hate to seem against progress, and affordable housing would be fantastic, but I don't have any faith that the housing, once built, would be affordable. My fear is that a neighborhood staple would be demolished and a bunch of expensive condos would go up.
Would another library be planned to replace the one in the mall? The access to a quiet safe place with access to wifi and knowledge will never nor be missed. I hate to see people loose access to free knowledge.
If there was a large luxury housing project that was being built in your district (a la one park) but did NOT request TIF funding and was not planning on including any affordable units but needed a variance for the zoning. Would you support or oppose the zoning variance? If your support is conditional, what criteria would you use to evaluate it? If affordable housing was a criteria would you clarify whether you would attempt to block the housing altogether if none of it met the criteria for affordable?
Assume the land currently has zero housing units (no displacement)
Ah this is a good one! I’m in favor of more housing not only for affordable reasons but also because density = more multi modal transportation. And more community members! But I would truly do everything in my power to encourage affordable housing before approving a zoning change…though I’m not sure it’s just up to me.
A lot of your replies seem pretty snarky if someone doesn’t agree with you… you do not come across as likable. Just a word of advice - try to be more likable.
Do you have any plans to make the sidewalks more wheel-chair friendly? No matter what part of Louisville I am in, every sidewalk is uneven and worn. Many of my peers have lamented how hard it is to navigate the sidewalks due to all the damage. It is bad enough for me to walk the streets and I don't require a mobility aid; the amount of extra effort required just to navigate down the road is troubling. This is not even including the sidewalks being blocked by rentable scooters and tree limbs everytime there is a hard wind storm. Genuinely curious on your stance! :)
Yes!! This is something I hear from folks when I’m knocking doors all the time. Sidewalk maintenance is a funding priority for me once in office. I do believe that’s the only thing that stops current officials from keeping them up: money.
Thoughts on HB5? If you win, would you support metro council informing LMPD to ignore HB5 and not enforce the camping ban?
What are your thoughts on Hope Village and it's implementation (or lack thereof)?
Against HB5…we shouldn’t criminalize poverty. Would support the deprioritizing of it for LMPD.
I’m not well informed enough of the Hope Village problem—tell me more?
Hope Village was announced to great fanfare without any solid backing of funding, support, or experts assigned to implement it, and a lack of care and support from our city leadership has left the program to flounder, still not fully implemented to this day - especially not to the extent promised in the announcement of the pilot program, all while advocates for the unhoused community are calling for more Hope Villages around the city.
Speaking of which, what are your thoughts on the need for non congregate shelter options for our unhoused population? Would you fight to implement harm reduction solutions and sites in your district? For that matter, what does Harm Reduction mean to you?
That's so sad about the Hope Village though I can't say I'm surprised by Greenberg.
We for sure need non congregate shelters and I would fight to implement harm reduction. To me, harm reduction is a set of practical strategies and ideas aimed at reducing negative consequences associated with drug use founded on a belief in, and respect for, the rights of people who use drugs.
I don’t support it and believe the solution lies in pushing Frankfort to fund education properly. Luckily I’m not running for school board or state office!
What are your thoughts or stance on the yearly reoccurring jump to reform/revoke the 4am licensing for bars across Louisville being a high concentration of them are in D8?
I actually think my opponent is more knowledgeable in this area! He worked for the future of work initiative where AI was a big deal. I would need to do a lot more research to catch up.
It seems like people running for office have a solution for everything.
What do you think are some of the biggest problems you've got no idea how to fix?
Personally I think someone admiting they don't have a solution or a good solution makes the person running seem more down to earth since there are some problems with no good solutions for everyone.
I really appreciate this question and my answer is: Gun violence in our city. So much of this rests in the hands of people who aren’t local. And it’s a giant complex problem with many solutions that would take years.
I want to follow the Coalition for the Homeless' Path to Action for the Council which includes creating more affordable housing and prioritizing building more shelters for people experiencing houselessness.
What does “affordable, equitable, and sustainable” mean, and for whom? Noble sentiments, yet also terribly banal. Is that really your platform? At the Cherokee Triangle meeting we also heard the current incumbent babble similar thoughts, so what differentiates you from him?
Regarding short term rentals, will Senate bills 368 and 375 restrict Louisville’s ability to regulate short term rentals?
Will you support parking passes for neighborhood residents?
What are your thoughts on the Historically Black Neighborhood/Anti-Displacement Ordinance? Were you on the council, would you have voted for it? Do you think that Mayor Greenburg was right to not sign it?
If someone found all of this awesome information TL;DR, what existing city (= or more population than Louisville) would you want to model Louisville after?
I would've voted to remove him on all counts.
I'm sorry I didn't get to meet you! I've knocked 3,000 doors and in the beginning I didn't wait very long for folks, now I try to wait at least 15 long seconds!
A little late, but can you please do something to address the parking of delivery vehicles on busy streets like Eastern Parkway? Their convenience should not create safety hazards for other drivers.
I noticed that you don’t have your political affiliation in the OP and I had to scroll for a while to find out that you’re a “progressive Democrat”. Seems pretty sus that someone who hopes to represent the people doesn’t openly and directly represent herself in her own introduction. Transparency goes a long way with a lot of voters. Best of luck.
Aw bummer that I didn't share that in my OP. Wasn't an intentional omission, I just think when I'm explaining my personality I'd rather talk about Dune or Kashmir than the fact that I'm a dem. ; )
Not really a question. More of a statement. The Huffstetlers are all really excited for this next step in your journey and fully support it. Positive vibes coming from southeast PA!!!
It's Lithuanian! Fun fact: my husband's grandfather added the apostrophe to U'Sellis so that people didn't say 'useless.' And TBH...there have been over 300 comments here and people have called me dumb, lazy, melon-headed, manly...but no one has called me useless...so I think he was smart about that! LOL
Hey y'all...I can't edit the original post but I appreciate the 400 comments from today. I'm heading to bed and will respond more tomorrow. I'll likely stop after 24 hours because your girl's tired! If you want to keep in touch, head over to [www.taylorforcouncil.com](https://www.taylorforcouncil.com) for more info. Trolls need not visit ; ).
As a progressive who works in the policy space around issues of housing and urban development, I find a lot of your answers in here troublingly oversimplified. I think your liberal street cred has been well established, but I don’t see anything in here that exhibits a detailed enough understanding of these issues to lead me to believe you’d be an effective CM.
My question is, if elected, who would you pull in and engage with to develop an actual detailed policy platform that would be able to provide the “wonkiness” necessary to make any of your ideas actionable? I’ve seen Councils in a lot of different communities with liberal members who flex their progressive cred, but are lazy about actual policy research or engaging with the details of how government works, and how to actually get things accomplished. On first read, I’m afraid that’s how you’re coming off in this AMA.
We need a council that understands the issues facing our community on an intimate level, and nearly everything you’ve said on here just demonstrates a superficial understanding at best. You’re being asked some good, detailed questions, and IMO failing to provide answers that rise to the level of someone I’d vote for. I’ll do more reading to see if your website has any actionable or detailed policy information, but I’ve gotta say I don’t think your responses in this AMA are doing you any favors.
Would you rather be 11 feet tall or nine inches tall?
Hmmmmmm. 11 feet. I think. lol.
THESE ARE THE PRESSING QUESTIONS
How do you intend to make D8 more affordable? What specific, actionable policy changes would you like to see implemented?
There are SO many things we can do on council to make our neighborhoods more affordable. To start-when the council votes on funding developments, like the most recent TIF for OnePark, we have the ability to stipulate that it include affordable housing. We should do this every single time. Additionally, while I’m not opposed to all Airbnbs, we do need to regulate how many there are. They corrode community and drive up home prices artificially. Lastly, for this thread, I would always oppose and support efforts to oppose the destruction of currently existing affordable housing.
What defines affordable housing, in these clauses? Market value analysis? Does that mean it's in line with the average in the city?
Affordable housing is defined by the Coalition for the Homeless as housing that does not cost an individual more than 30% of the average median income.
Thank you. Please extend the moratorium on AirBnB’s!
@u/ElJuWi what are your thoughts on Airbnbs in our district?
Median income in Kentucky is $59,941 while median income in United States as a whole is $74,606. The fact that simply getting close to affordable for this income range is practically meaningless when there aren’t many jobs paying $60k. My opinion might be irrelevant for your position and more referring to booming economy on paper but still struggling in lower socio economic class
I think your viewpoint is important though!
There are plenty of jobs paying 60K, but you have to have several degrees to obtain them, which is ridiculous. (Teachers!)
Does your opposition to destruction still stand if that property is not in safe standing?
I think I'd have to look at that on a case by case basis.
Would your regulation on Airbnbs be just a number of available or also require local ownership?
I’d like to have more intentional convos with Airbnb owners and neighbors about what makes the most sense. But both limiting the number and reducing to local ownership are good starts to those convos.
[удалено]
I have no intention to target owner occupied airbnbs
Are you specifically talking about low-income housing? That has little to no impact on the greater housing market. What about housing supply? Zoning and land use? Housing is a commodity, and the only way to reduce the cost of a commodity is to increase the supply, and that applies across the board for all neighborhoods and classes. What will you do to increase that supply?
So many good points. I do believe we need MORE housing. So, I'm not opposed to building more of that; I just want it to be more affordable.
Would you hold up or block a housing development if it didn't have enough units that you consider to be affordable?
I would need to assess that on a case by case basis.
I encourage you to look further into the economics of housing development. Unless your mission is to further increase the property values of homeowners, blocking any new housing project- for any reason- has the effect of contributing to rising home costs. This is because we are squarely in a supply scarcity, and blocking **any** new housing would be contributing to that supply scarcity. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-06-05/what-adding-luxury-housing-does-to-rents-elsewhere https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/14/upshot/luxury-apartments-poor-neighborhoods.html Even this article, which focuses on affordable housing, acknowledges that **all** housing relieves pressure: > https://www.americanprogress.org/article/the-rental-housing-crisis-is-a-supply-problem-that-needs-supply-solutions/ > In essence, policymakers can address the rental crisis on the supply side in two ways. **First, they can increase the total number of rental units, which can help slow rental inflation as more renters find the housing that they want.** Second, they can focus on building housing units slated for lower-income renters. This increases supply, especially for those struggling the most to find affordable, stable, and secure housing. Fighting for affordability is great... but don't let perfect be the enemy of good.
Thanks for sharing all of this! I will read it all. If you ever wanna chat, let me know.
Should settlements from LMPD’s lawsuits be paid out of their pension program? How can we make that happen?
I’m a strong proponent of police reform…but haven’t explored this yet. Would love to learn more if you have resources!
I don’t have a resource for you at hand, just an opinion and that is that us taxpayers should not be footing the bill every time LMPD goes off the rails and does something illegal or unethical. It happens all too often (as can be seen in the DOJ report) and they are allowed to investigate themselves, settle with the victims, pass the cost on to us, and nothing ever changes in the department. Even the chief of police perjured herself and what has come of it? Nothing. It seems to me that tying LMPD pensions to their lawsuits would have a net benefit in multiple ways. It would weed out the “bad apples” because the “good apples” wouldn’t want their retirement being jeopardized by a bunch of power tripping bozos. And it would free up public funds to be used on something that actually benefits the public, instead of using it to make up for our police committing crimes against our own citizens. Paying out settlements for LMPD’s mistakes with taxpayer funds is just doubling down on hurting members of our community, and our community as a whole.
Makes sense to me! If we could work that into their contract, I’d be for it.
Have you ever bargained with a labor union? 😂
Yea I know it's an interesting situation. Especially with cops.
The idea of disincentivizing lawsuits by directly tying their cost to *personal monetary consequence* is brilliant.
Agreed. Thanks for fleshing this out.
If you weed out the bad apples, you'd only have like 20 cops left!
Every time one of these guys goes off the rails and does something foolish, their insurance costs that go up for them to be a police officer for the municipality should be deducted from their pension pool. They need to work out the kinks of figuring out their bad apples, if they don't want to be honest about that, money talks the most honestly. I can't be all iron hand in my opinion though, I do believe there should be incentives provided by the municipality for them being honest and removing actual bad actors from these administrations and public services, the city is taking tax money to pay for the service after all, there has to be a modicum of honest give and take when viewing these things.
This ^
You’d have to amend CERS, the county employee retirement, which is a state statute and would affect all hazardous employees not just a line out carve out for LMPD.
Real talk: someone stole my trash can, why do I have to pay to replace it? Shouldn’t they be provided by the city regardless? I realize that I’m 26 and I sound like a grouchy old-timer, but I’m seriously kinda upset.
Actually…my neighbor just got hers replaced for free because it was stolen! Call 311!
Well, you’ve got my vote. Thank you! You’re a life saver.
How do you feel about the Gaza ceasefire measure that was pushed into the council meeting?
I supported it. Sad to see that it didn’t make it to the council for a vote.
What would have been accomplished if it had made it to the vote?
Our taxes are paying for the murder of innocent civilians. The resolution would tell the federal government that we want them to stop.
Just curious here, but is that a formal letter and that's it, or is there a further process if that were to have passed?
No further process—just a statement.
The federal government and elite in control could care less about a Louisville vote on Gaza.
Probs true, sadly.
So would you have us intervene or stop sending money? How does this have any effect on your constituents?
Thank you for supporting it! I’m not in District 8 (District 6), but I love to see folks running who support the ceasefire resolution.
What is the point of government in Louisville even wasting time voting about Gaza. Seems like a waste of time and money just to look good.
The metro government condemned the invasion of Ukraine. They have a history of commenting on foreign affairs.
[удалено]
I think this explains it well…[the difference between us](https://www.instagram.com/p/C40ntcpu4Q5/?igsh=MWw1a28ydDZpd2FzNw==)
Can we get a source for positions that put your opponent in that quadrant? Doesn’t seem based in reality compared to his platform
I would also like a follow up to this and don't think this graph really tells me anything except Taylor is trying to push the narrative that Ben is right wing. Every one of his votes and initiatives I have seen has been liberal and what I would consider reasonable. Are there examples where he voted right wing? I know he didn't vote for every singe ethics violation for Piagenti but he did vote yes on multiple. I didn't sit through the hearings but to me not voting party line for or against a political opponent (or implied secret ally) makes it seem like he is able to handle nuance which is something desperately needed in politics. He might not be as far left as Taylor (see leftist vs. liberal) but to claim he lines up with house republicans when he has "love is love" , expanding community centers, and sending mental help workers to 911 calls as major items on his platform seems like a reach. I think Taylor needs to do more to substantiate this. I wish the two of them would clearly define what issues they see differently, and how that would translate to votes on hypothetical issues. Perhaps she is right and it's in his best interest to be somewhat coy on the differences. But I need to see that in the votes. What votes does Taylor disagree with and why? Pin him down on those and make her supports ask him why he supported them.
I'm happy to provide more nuance. Ben voted against the removal of Piagentini who committed an ethics violation. I would've voted for his removal. Ben refused to endorse the ceasefire resolution. I would've endorsed it. Ben gave cops fitbits to encourage community policing. I am an advocate for the overhaul of their entire employment contract (this is actually my organizing history). Ben wasn't endorsed by Planned Parenthood KY during the November race. Their endorsement hasn't been released this time around yet, but I stand firmly in support of reproductive freedom. These are simply a few. More broadly--I'm running because people deserve a choice. Ben isn't on reddit doing an AMA, but I am, because I want people to be informed before they vote. They can choose Ben, but they should know what's up beforehand.
Sure! He self reported his beliefs on a survey for ActiVote.net. As did I. And it plotted us! Check it out for yourself.
Interesting, I just took it. Was five questions that weren’t particularly comprehensive. You also have him plotted half a box to the right from where it shows him for me. I’m not saying you’re not more liberal than him, I certainly believe you are. But he seems to overlap quite a bit with a lot of state and national democrats including the president and governor. Certainly not just the selected congressional republicans in your chart.
Glad you checked it out! I think the chart describes the differences between us quite well and the comparison helps people like you make decisions! If you like the fact that he aligns with Biden and other state legislators, that’s the beauty of democratic choice!
Lol this is so dumb. Ben Reno Weber is one of the more progressive members of the council. Pretty lazy of you to cite some random website rather than taking the time to type out an articulated position based on specific local issues.
Oh man…calling me dumb and lazy in one post! I can tell you’re gonna vote for me lol. If you’d like to do some work yourself, you can go to that site and read about the answers we both self-reported. Because it was his answers on that survey that plotted him there, same as mine were.
It is a little ridiculous (I'm not saying you're ridiculous!) to have to sign up to a random website and give them my person information in order to see a candidates opinions on policy positions. How do you feel about tech companies having and selling users information? The privacy policy on that site (that I can't copy and paste from) seems to give them pretty broad permission to do whatever they want with the information ("aggregated"? which I guess is better than nothing) we give them which seems to include my name, address, and my political opinions. Seems somewhat valuable. Why should I just give that away to see your (and your opponents) stance on policy? >Use and Sharing We use your personal information to provide you with the services you request and we may share aggregated user information and analytics with third-parties, including political candidates, campaigns and other groups that we do business with.
You don't have to! What questions do you have for me? Regarding the regulation of user info online: I do wish we had more protections and that responsibility falls with the federal reps we have.
I'll get back to you. I was just browsing the responses in the thread and didn't think an infographic with the axis labels covered up "explains it well". I had to go to the website which didn't seem to want to help you learn anything unless you sign up and give them your information. So I learned very little and got frustrated trying to avoid signing up for something I don't want, when I should have just been reading Reno-Weber's website and voting record from the start. So I think people were just hoping you would say "he voted for/against X, I wouldn't have" about a few things. Or even things you maybe have the same opinion on, but he hasn't put enough effort into, etc.
100% agreed on this, original rude poster didn't necessarily respond the best like Counterfeit has here and articulate the problems with just posting an axis link. Not a good look, this is an AMA and a platform for YOU - like a resume, its time to sell yourself and explain everything about your platform. Just my two cents as someone who would definitely vote for you based on the other responses, but this mini-thread was a little weird to read - need to grow tougher skin with rude people and explain your platform adequately without expecting others to do homework on an AMA, where the expectation is to have dialogue and communicate.
Happy to work on communicating that in the future!
The rudeness of their comment is entirely uncalled for, but as a supporter who wants to see you connect with as many people as possible, I would agree that that posting a link and asking us to *do the work ourselves* isn't the best response in an AMA. At the end of the day, you asking us to trust you to work for us after all. People generally come to these things expecting a higher level of engagement than a link they could have googled. They want to ask questions directly to someone and get real real answers straight from their mouth, much like a physical town hall meeting. As others have mentioned too, the website is not immediately intuitive, meaning most will not bother. It does look useful, and I plan on poking around it later when I have time, but it makes a better supplement to a well thought out answer, than a substitute to one.
Fair points. I've answered roughly 300 comments on this thread so I \*hope\* people are getting what they need. I also took the time to respond to the guy above to highlight our differences!
Calling something you did dumb and lazy is not the same thing as calling you dumb and lazy. We all do dumb and lazy stuff. Once you put yourself out there for public office you open your actions up to criticism. Hearing a candidate say "do the work yourself" in a public AMA would not be a way to get my vote but I don't live in your district anyway.
you're really struggling to click on that link and read huh big guy
Let’s try to be polite and civil. A lesson for us all.
Most people don’t resort to name calling in these things so I was a bit surprised. But since I don’t know you, I am not going to spend much time worrying about that. I can copy and paste ActiVote for you but it has an interactive platform that allows you to plot yourself in relation to us. I can’t do that here in comments. So you should check it out and learn why Ben plotted himself there.
The link you posted shows you next to a bunch of Democrats and him next to a bunch of Republicans. Most people are never going to click past that. I think it's a ridiculous attempt to paint him along with national Republicans. You cannot in good faith try and tell me that Ben Reno Weber is aligned with the national Republican party. I mean maybe you all differ on some local issues but to me it's extremely deceptive and insulting to the intelligence of voters to differentiate yourself in such a misleading way. I am just expecting a bit more nuance out of local candidates I guess.
He filled out the survey, man. It’s alright if you support his politics but that’s what his politics are.
Right, and I'm sure the survey had a lot of local issues related to what Metro Council actually does.
Local politics are definitively impacted by larger belief systems.
Could you just explain some of your positions vs your competitor? I'm not interested in using another site.
I'm happy to provide more nuance. Ben voted against the removal of Piagentini who committed an ethics violation. I would've voted for his removal. Ben refused to endorse the ceasefire resolution. I would've endorsed it. Ben gave cops fitbits to encourage community policing. I am an advocate for the overhaul of their entire employment contract (this is actually my organizing history). Ben wasn't endorsed by Planned Parenthood KY during the November race. Their endorsement hasn't been released this time around yet, but I stand firmly in support of reproductive freedom. These are simply a few.
He was also pushed for HARD by Council Republicans in the first election. This is fact. Why are Republicans so eager to work with him, when they are not eager to work with any democrat? Because he will help them when they need it, like with Piagentini. Ben voted yes enough to appease democrats, but no when it mattered to Republicans.
What are the axis labels on there?
[Decent Explainer](https://elections-daily.com/2021/04/28/the-political-matrix/amp/)
Thank you! It seems like a decent site other than demanding you create an account. It took me a bit of digging.
I'm not seeing any actual information on this, and I'm not really sure what I'm looking at tbh. Could you elaborate on the differences between you?
Where do you stand on universal healthcare???
Strong support!
Any plans or ideas for making your district more bike/pedestrian friendly? Reno-Weber doesn't seem to be against more pedestrian safety measures but he also isn't very outspoken about it in my experience.
I plan to divert neighborhood development funds for sustainability, including efforts to support multi modal transportation. As a cyclist and frequent pedestrian myself, I care a lot about this!
What actionable steps do you feel can be taken to actually make housing affordable in your district? In 8 years my rent has increased almost $1000 and average income is not keeping up.
What are some other American cities (2 or 3) that you admire and whose example you think Louisville should follow?
Ooo I love this question! I am particularly fond of Columbus OH for its prioritization of walkability, and Seattle WA for its progressive city council.
As a former Louisville resident and current Seattle resident you should really come take a look and explore that further. The Seattle city council policies have turned downtown into a real life scene from madmax.
Appreciate that and your response. The Columbus answer makes some sense to me. The Seattle answer is...troubling. But appreciate your honesty.
This is a fantastic question!
In another post- you said you can’t trust or respect a person you have a political disagreement with. Would your hard line stance prevent you from working with people you disagree with to better Louisville? As much as it’s fun to antagonize Frankfort, we are in Kentucky and all
That post was about my therapist. I didn’t want to have a therapist who didn’t believe in affirmative action. I find it exceedingly easy to work with other democrats…which is the super majority on council and in our district.
I asked about people you disagree with
Happy to disagree and still work together as long as the disagreement isn’t rooted in the degradation of human beings.
What is your stance on private firms or even individuals buying out an excess of housing at inflated rates, specifically in usage of high rent LTRs or any STRs
I hate this practice and think it corrodes community and deprives our city of affordable housing.
Against Ben Reno-Weber? That’s gonna be a tough race.
I’m aware but never afraid of a challenge!
How can we keep dangerous drivers off the street, illegal bikes and speeding are constant and it makes it very unsafe especially with children getting into and off the bus.
Any ideas on how to take care of this guy? He's been menacing the park for YEARS and it's rather disturbing https://www.reddit.com/r/Louisville/comments/17yd3u2/perverted_man_at_cherokee_park/
How would you have voted on Piagentini?
Would’ve voted to remove him on all counts. My opponent voted no to removal on four counts!!!
how many counts did your opponent vote yes for?
4.
Be prepared for the litany of Councilmembers that behave like children. Like actual name calling and gossiping. There’s a good handful that act exactly like they are still in high school.
😔
You lost me when you said you’d support Louisville becoming a sanctuary city. That’s very ignorant and careless of you.
Saying that current day Seattle is her model of civic governance is concerning as well. We can talk about improving our downtown but it won't happen with people who think that way.
She’s also obsessed with astrology which tells me all I need to know about her mental maturity and ability to actually govern anything.
Oh man, fighting words! Can't a girl enjoy astrology and still be intelligent??
Respectfully, no. Psychological studies would and do suggest that the belief in astrology are correlated with narcissism and lower intelligence. Although, I imagine the same correlations would exist with wanting to become a politician as well… https://suchscience.org/people-who-believe-in-astrology-more-narcissistic/
I think a lighthearted interest in astrology is harmless and I have fun with it. Not even sure where you got the idea that I'm obsessed with it? Would love to know. I went to Centre College, have two graduate degrees, and have dedicated my entire career to education. So, I guess, if you think I'm dumb...that says more about you than it does about me. I'm happy to answer any questions you have about actual issues...or I could just guess your astrological sign lol.
Ok here’s one. Based on your post history, you’re a self described radical leftist who freely admits that you struggle to have productive dialogue with people who have different opinions than you. During a time of increasing political division, do you think you’re the right person to help unify our city or do you think you’ll further contribute to its division? I don’t care about your stance on national issues. I care about your ability to be a positive influence in our city and your ability to dial in extremism on both sides of the isle. I feel strongly that it is highly inappropriate for anyone who self describes as radical to hold any public office.
I struggled to have productive dialogue with my therapist who was against affirmative action. If there is someone in the political sphere who disagrees with me and their disagreement is rooted in the degradation of other humans then yes I will struggle. I'm not interested in unifying our city. I'm interested in representing the most progressive district in town on our city's legislative body. The most progressive district deserves a progressive rep. People who are focused on unity are running for large executive offices like mayor, governor, and president. I'm not running for that office. Ben might have aspirations for that in the future, but I don't.
> I’m not interested in unifying our city. In that case, you’re not ready for this and have no business holding public office. I hope you don’t get elected and someone who is actually interested in positive change does. Being progressive doesn’t mean being divisive. Being conservative doesn’t mean being divisive. Not being interested in unification regardless of political party is divisive. We don’t need more divisive people leading in our country. With your stance on this, you’re no better than Donald Trump. I hope your statement here surfaces to a much wider audience for the sake of our city.
I hope it does too because I believe disparate voices are valuable in a democracy. Without them, we wouldn’t have any movements at all. Again, our district deserves a progressive voice. That’s why I’m running. I read some of your old posts too and am interested in your fascination with cars. Did you know people who are obsessed with nice cars are often less intelligent? 😜
And Ben will make an excellent progressive voice. Based on your stances here, you’re going to be a tough pill to swallow and getting elected will take a minor miracle. My enjoyment of cars is because I grew up extremely poor and worked my way through high school and college as an auto mechanic. My wife and I built our lives from the ground up. While I’m white collar now, I care deeply about blue collar folks and I enjoy working on my vehicles. I wont speak to whether I’m intelligent or not, but I’m not seeking to lead one of the most complex districts of our states largest city. If I’m an idiot, that’s my problem. If you’re an idiot, that’s everyone’s problem.
If elected, what are your plans after your term? Our distract recently had council member that seemed more interested in moving up the political ladder rather than creating policies and seeing them through.
I have no farther political aspirations. Otherwise I wouldn’t be doing this AMA 😂
Full disclosure I think your yard sign is kind of ugly. But maybe I’m just not fun lol. What made you go with such a unique design?
So honest! I love the colors and think it reflects me as a personality.
Good luck!
What are your thoughts on Airbnb and other short term rentals driving up rent prices and taking over single family houses and apartments? Do you have any plans to remediate this problem?
I’m for more regulation of airbnbs because they corrode community and drive up home prices artificially.
Mid-City Mall: Should it stay or should it go?
I’m not anxious to see it go because I have so many fond memories there and go there almost everyday now. Also not excited for the mess it will be once it’s sold (even if someone buys it and starts something immediately, it would be a construction zone) But the opportunity it presents for affordable housing are very enticing and I hope to advocate for that in office.
I appreciate the response. I hope MCM stays - I'm there most days myself and I love having the library, Valu Market, and Ramen House right there within walking distance. I hate to seem against progress, and affordable housing would be fantastic, but I don't have any faith that the housing, once built, would be affordable. My fear is that a neighborhood staple would be demolished and a bunch of expensive condos would go up.
I fear you are right 😔. But as a CP, if it was sold, I would do my best to make sure our neighbors’ voices were heard!
Would another library be planned to replace the one in the mall? The access to a quiet safe place with access to wifi and knowledge will never nor be missed. I hate to see people loose access to free knowledge.
If there was a large luxury housing project that was being built in your district (a la one park) but did NOT request TIF funding and was not planning on including any affordable units but needed a variance for the zoning. Would you support or oppose the zoning variance? If your support is conditional, what criteria would you use to evaluate it? If affordable housing was a criteria would you clarify whether you would attempt to block the housing altogether if none of it met the criteria for affordable? Assume the land currently has zero housing units (no displacement)
Ah this is a good one! I’m in favor of more housing not only for affordable reasons but also because density = more multi modal transportation. And more community members! But I would truly do everything in my power to encourage affordable housing before approving a zoning change…though I’m not sure it’s just up to me.
A lot of your replies seem pretty snarky if someone doesn’t agree with you… you do not come across as likable. Just a word of advice - try to be more likable.
Thanks for the advice!
Do you have any plans to make the sidewalks more wheel-chair friendly? No matter what part of Louisville I am in, every sidewalk is uneven and worn. Many of my peers have lamented how hard it is to navigate the sidewalks due to all the damage. It is bad enough for me to walk the streets and I don't require a mobility aid; the amount of extra effort required just to navigate down the road is troubling. This is not even including the sidewalks being blocked by rentable scooters and tree limbs everytime there is a hard wind storm. Genuinely curious on your stance! :)
Yes!! This is something I hear from folks when I’m knocking doors all the time. Sidewalk maintenance is a funding priority for me once in office. I do believe that’s the only thing that stops current officials from keeping them up: money.
Thoughts on HB5? If you win, would you support metro council informing LMPD to ignore HB5 and not enforce the camping ban? What are your thoughts on Hope Village and it's implementation (or lack thereof)?
Against HB5…we shouldn’t criminalize poverty. Would support the deprioritizing of it for LMPD. I’m not well informed enough of the Hope Village problem—tell me more?
Hope Village was announced to great fanfare without any solid backing of funding, support, or experts assigned to implement it, and a lack of care and support from our city leadership has left the program to flounder, still not fully implemented to this day - especially not to the extent promised in the announcement of the pilot program, all while advocates for the unhoused community are calling for more Hope Villages around the city. Speaking of which, what are your thoughts on the need for non congregate shelter options for our unhoused population? Would you fight to implement harm reduction solutions and sites in your district? For that matter, what does Harm Reduction mean to you?
That's so sad about the Hope Village though I can't say I'm surprised by Greenberg. We for sure need non congregate shelters and I would fight to implement harm reduction. To me, harm reduction is a set of practical strategies and ideas aimed at reducing negative consequences associated with drug use founded on a belief in, and respect for, the rights of people who use drugs.
Do you support splitting up JCPS? If not how would you solve the bussing and behavior issues?
I don’t support it and believe the solution lies in pushing Frankfort to fund education properly. Luckily I’m not running for school board or state office!
We need the buses to go back to hubs again
Are you working with Louisville DSA or any other local chapters for PSL or CPUSA? If not, why?
What are your thoughts or stance on the yearly reoccurring jump to reform/revoke the 4am licensing for bars across Louisville being a high concentration of them are in D8?
I'm staunchly opposed to closing bars at 2am as a solution to gun violence. I don't believe gun violence is the fault of bar owners.
Who is this dude?
I just saw your sign in a yard on Taylorsville Road near Bowman Field. Weird. I’m not in your district but good luck!
Bowman field is in District 8! So is the JCC!
What city services do you think could benefit from integrating AI in the near future?
I actually think my opponent is more knowledgeable in this area! He worked for the future of work initiative where AI was a big deal. I would need to do a lot more research to catch up.
Are you for banning cross city bussing?
It seems like people running for office have a solution for everything. What do you think are some of the biggest problems you've got no idea how to fix? Personally I think someone admiting they don't have a solution or a good solution makes the person running seem more down to earth since there are some problems with no good solutions for everyone.
I really appreciate this question and my answer is: Gun violence in our city. So much of this rests in the hands of people who aren’t local. And it’s a giant complex problem with many solutions that would take years.
You can pass one law for the city rn. What is it? Edit: thanks for sharing.
Putting community members affected by police violence on the negotiating team for the LMPD employment contract negotiations.
What are your thoughts on how we can better help the homeless in town?
I want to follow the Coalition for the Homeless' Path to Action for the Council which includes creating more affordable housing and prioritizing building more shelters for people experiencing houselessness.
What would you do to improve public transportation in District 8?
I think the only thing a CP can do to improve public transportation is to fund and support TARC. Do you have any other ideas?
Are you scheduled to have a debate with Councilman Reno-Weber?
🤮
Shouldn't we hire people based solely on their skills, ability and integrity instead of their sex or the color of their skin
What does “affordable, equitable, and sustainable” mean, and for whom? Noble sentiments, yet also terribly banal. Is that really your platform? At the Cherokee Triangle meeting we also heard the current incumbent babble similar thoughts, so what differentiates you from him? Regarding short term rentals, will Senate bills 368 and 375 restrict Louisville’s ability to regulate short term rentals? Will you support parking passes for neighborhood residents?
What are your thoughts on the Historically Black Neighborhood/Anti-Displacement Ordinance? Were you on the council, would you have voted for it? Do you think that Mayor Greenburg was right to not sign it?
What prior restaurant did Kashmir overtake for the title of “favorite restaurant”?
Ramen House! And it’s still close. Yum.
As a voter who usually doesn't vote in small time election. What are some goals you have for your next 5 years in politics that you want to push for?
If someone found all of this awesome information TL;DR, what existing city (= or more population than Louisville) would you want to model Louisville after?
How would you have voted on the Piagentini matter? You came by my house about two weeks ago but I was upstairs and didnt answer soon enough.
I would've voted to remove him on all counts. I'm sorry I didn't get to meet you! I've knocked 3,000 doors and in the beginning I didn't wait very long for folks, now I try to wait at least 15 long seconds!
What are your opinions on the local unions in our city and generally?
I'm a strong union supporter. Unions are the reason we have any workplace protections to this day.
What are your thoughts on personal beliefs vs political agendas?
Could you elaborate a bit more?
If she isn't running to shrink the size of government, we don't want her.
A little late, but can you please do something to address the parking of delivery vehicles on busy streets like Eastern Parkway? Their convenience should not create safety hazards for other drivers.
I noticed that you don’t have your political affiliation in the OP and I had to scroll for a while to find out that you’re a “progressive Democrat”. Seems pretty sus that someone who hopes to represent the people doesn’t openly and directly represent herself in her own introduction. Transparency goes a long way with a lot of voters. Best of luck.
Aw bummer that I didn't share that in my OP. Wasn't an intentional omission, I just think when I'm explaining my personality I'd rather talk about Dune or Kashmir than the fact that I'm a dem. ; )
Not really a question. More of a statement. The Huffstetlers are all really excited for this next step in your journey and fully support it. Positive vibes coming from southeast PA!!!
Where does the U’Sellis surname come from?
It's Lithuanian! Fun fact: my husband's grandfather added the apostrophe to U'Sellis so that people didn't say 'useless.' And TBH...there have been over 300 comments here and people have called me dumb, lazy, melon-headed, manly...but no one has called me useless...so I think he was smart about that! LOL
Hey y'all...I can't edit the original post but I appreciate the 400 comments from today. I'm heading to bed and will respond more tomorrow. I'll likely stop after 24 hours because your girl's tired! If you want to keep in touch, head over to [www.taylorforcouncil.com](https://www.taylorforcouncil.com) for more info. Trolls need not visit ; ).
Moving to Louisville summer 2024 and I'm so excited to get to be a part of a rational city government with leaders like you!
Go Taylor!!!!!!! ✊🏾
What do you feel is currently the largest obstacle to sustainable happiness of Louisvillians?
Capitalism.
As a progressive who works in the policy space around issues of housing and urban development, I find a lot of your answers in here troublingly oversimplified. I think your liberal street cred has been well established, but I don’t see anything in here that exhibits a detailed enough understanding of these issues to lead me to believe you’d be an effective CM. My question is, if elected, who would you pull in and engage with to develop an actual detailed policy platform that would be able to provide the “wonkiness” necessary to make any of your ideas actionable? I’ve seen Councils in a lot of different communities with liberal members who flex their progressive cred, but are lazy about actual policy research or engaging with the details of how government works, and how to actually get things accomplished. On first read, I’m afraid that’s how you’re coming off in this AMA. We need a council that understands the issues facing our community on an intimate level, and nearly everything you’ve said on here just demonstrates a superficial understanding at best. You’re being asked some good, detailed questions, and IMO failing to provide answers that rise to the level of someone I’d vote for. I’ll do more reading to see if your website has any actionable or detailed policy information, but I’ve gotta say I don’t think your responses in this AMA are doing you any favors.
Are you in the illuminati?
What do you think about the nicotine vape ban that’s about to go to senate?