Clang, Clang, Clang Went the Trolley, Ding, Ding, Dong is the Candidate

Yesterday, Mayor Greg Nickels of Seattle finally put the stake in the heart of the multi-gazillion dollar monorail boondoggle.

Pie-in-the-sky liberal social planners need not despair, however. Pullman City Council Ward 3 candidate Judy Kruger just proposed this today in the Moscow-Pullman Daily News: "Build a rail trolley system from the Compton Union Building to the corner of Main Street and Grand Avenue."

What???????? How could Pullman ever afford anything like that?? We can't even afford a $90,000 fire truck. A 2-mile long trolley line would cost millions. It's laughable. Even more laughable is her contention: "Pullman as Leavenworth” (stronger commercial architectural/zoning codes.)

That's right folks, time to break out the lederhosen and sauerkraut. Judy Krueger's model of "smart growth" is a corny, overpriced tourist trap versus the thriving, high-tech center we are becoming.

See, I told you these people see Pullman as a "Disneyland", or in this case, "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood." Judy Krueger wants to give us our very own trolley that will take riders to the "Neighborhood of Make Believe," where perhaps they will make purchase from King Friday or Henrietta Pussycat.

From Day One, PARD has droned on about Wal-Mart's low wages and bad health benefits. PARD has even proposed a "living wage" ordinance of $10.50 an hour aimed at Wal-Mart. But does Krueger honestly believe the boutique shops, sidewalk cafes, small food marts, and drugstores she wants for downtown will pay any better or have better benefits? I can't say I've ever seen such malodorous hypocrisy. Stepped in it a few times, but never saw it publicly proclaimed by a candidate for the city council.

Krueger says Wal-Mart is the antithesis of smart growth, but says it should be relocated. Which is it? The PARD board member is apparently trying to play both sides of the court. But we know what she's all about.

Don Heil, aka Mr. 1958, another candidate for Ward 3, says that "Wal-Mart presumes a more ambitious growth assumption." Personally, I want a city councilman that is ambitious about city growth.

Finally, there is the Ward 3 candidate of reality, Ann Heath. She states, with absolute accuracy, that Wal-Mart is consistent with the city's comprehensive plan. She also asserts: "Allowing substantial retail business development in other Pullman locations will help attract/retain "niche" businesses downtown by keeping resident shoppers in town and attracting shoppers from outlying areas". Amen.

The choice on Tuesday is clear. Vote for sanity. Vote Heath.