Monthly Archives: October 2014

(Community Matters) Top Ten Reasons to Vote for Steve Adler for Austin’s Mayor

#5 Transformative Leadership: Steve has a long history of bringing together all sides, listening, facilitating and moving forward consensus agendas that transform organizations, scale their good in the world. Austin needs this. Time for our council to remake itself, rise above street corner decisions to strategically directing the 11th largest city in America.

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(Community Matters) Top Ten Reasons to Vote for Steve Adler for Austin’s Mayor

#6 Steve Adler is a man of integrity who values people, above the line behavior & focuses on solving Austin’s problems. Steve’s primary opponent uses South Carolina Super PACs to spread lies and innuendo – regrettably, not uncharacteristic behavior. We’ve seen Mike’s contempt for anyone who challenges his position and against citizens and voters in emails made public through subpoena. Mike sorta means well but isn’t ready for the big chair.

post script. facts cited from AusChron: What a legacy, Martinez the first to bring super PAC money to a local Texas election*: What’s different in this case is the external “Super PAC” (IRS “527 organization”) enabled in the aftermath of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision to allow essentially unlimited “independent” spending. South Forward campaign ($10,000, at least) represents “the camel’s nose under the tent” of Texas campaign law. “It may not look like a big deal,” Wood said, “but it is a big deal, if they get away with it. … If they get away with it, everybody will be doing it.” *according to Attorney Buck Wood, an authority in these matters (he helped rewrite Texas campaign finance law in the Seven­ties).

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(Community Matters) Top Ten Reasons to Vote for Steve Adler for Austin’s Mayor

#7 It’s about Austin, not about the candidates. Steve isn’t seeking the job of mayor to realize a personal ambition. He’s stepping up to the plate, sacrificing his and his family’s monetary success to serve the city & citizens of Austin. . . because he believes Austin is headed in the wrong direction.

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(Community Matters) Top Ten Reasons to Vote for Steve Adler for Austin’s Mayor

#8 – Steve knows how to define success. Under Mike Martinez’s leadership Capital Metro slashed free rides for seniors and the disabled and borrowed $35 million – all while ridership decreased. Mike Martinez calls this success.

Over the course of the last eight years–seven of which Martinez was on the Cap Metro Board–the transit agency went from zero dollars in debt to over $35 million, cost per trip has increased by 105 percent, and overall agency expenses have doubled.  For a transit agency to take on that level of debt and expenses, there would be the expectation that ridership would also have seen a dramatic increase.  But no, ridership today is actually down by 4 percent from its numbers in 2006.

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(Community Matters) Top Ten Reasons to Vote for Steve Adler for Austin’s Mayor

#9 – If we were interviewing candidates to run our $3 billion business, what criteria would we establish? Experience & success running a business, bachelors or masters degree, transformative leadership with for profit, not for profit & government enterprises, financial acumen & demonstrated financial success? Steve Adler is the only candidate who meets all six criteria.

my top 10 list isn’t from Steve’s campaign. These reflect my personal opinions only.

(Community Matters) Top Ten Reasons to Vote for Steve Adler for Austin’s Mayor

#10 – property taxes have risen ridiculously during the last 8 years while traffic, affordability & the quality of city services have gotten worse. We need a new way forward.

Energy, water, resource recovery, clean community, transportation user fees, drainage user fees and property taxes have risen ridiculously over the last eight years – while the quality of life as measured by traffic, affordability and the quality of city services* continues to decline. Steve’s opponents claim to be frugal & judicious, good managers, but their record doesn’t support this. Do we want more of the same or a new way forward?

(*the quality of city services has declined not for lack of smart, dedicated people but due to council’s failure to provide the right resources, technology and leadership)

my top 10 list isn’t from Steve’s campaign. These reflect my personal opinions only.

(Community Matters) an epic evening at their home on the river with so many dear friends it was a completely relaxing evening. 

(Community Matters) Quick trip with Steven on business.

highlights: Henry IV at the Donmar and James 1 at the Royal National Theatre (& 2 & 3 for Steven). Dinner with Erin Cramer & Neal at Cigala on Lamb’s Conduit. Into late night conversation with Alex at Hotel Du 7e Art. Simple down time with my husband.

(Community Matters) We’re going to miss our friends the Ulmans – Sam, Clara Jane, Amy Grace & Doug.  Consider them family; the kids have a very special place in our hearts. omg – Clara is 3 going on 8. It’s an extraordinary opportunity for their family.

Columbus Dispatch: Livestrong CEO to lead Pelotonia

Columbus Business Insider: Pelotonia gets ‘global leader’ in Livestrong veteran Doug Ulman

(Community Matters) I’ve known and loved Dio & Gabel Cramer since they were born. Love Gabel’s story how until he was about 12, he thought we were family. Their mom & dad – Sonya Cohen Cramer & Reid Cramer – two of our best friends for many years. Steven’s gotten to know and love the entire family, especially over the last 6 – 8 years.

This weekend, we celebrated our relationship with these four by adopting each other as Dio’s & Gabel’s godfathers. And, an added bonus doing this in celebration of Yom Kippur.

#TakomaParkMaryland