www.HarryDavis2010.com

www.HarryDavis2010.com

We're asking Rochester to set out firm and concrete goals and then build a plan to achieve them. What values guide us as a city?

Mayor Duffy's "Project Green" http://www.harry2009.com/node/476 is a decent start but doesn't go nearly far enough. It's essentially a strategy for dealing with one particular aspect of the city's status, rather than the comprehensive strategic plan that Rochester needs. Certainly it would be fine to include it in any such plan.

What would be neat to see is "Rochester 2030" or something similar, a strategic plan for Rochester's next 20 years of development, including some of the suggestions from Project Green but also covering more growth ideas, such as (just a few to start) -

1) Transit lines (light rail, BRT) and integration between local and inter-city transit (HSR, Greyhound, Airport)

2) Community Center Schools (integrate services like libraries, clinics, neighbourhood athletics, and so on with school buildings that are open to the public during business hours).

3) Neighbourhood "bottom-up" development - think Toronto's Business Development Districts fused with Project Green's community garden plans, South Wedge Planning Committee.

4) Tearing out the damn Inner Loop! (Hey a guy can dream)

5) Incentives for mixed-use development over vacant lots, particularly in Center City with denser development.

6) Broadband infrastructure - this is huge in bringing young people in and keeping them here.

Essentially we're asking Rochester to set out firm and concrete goals and then build a plan to achieve them. What values guide us as a city and how do we apply those values to our living space?

Once we have the goals and the common values, then we can start to implement ideas for achieving those goals and supporting those values. We also want Rochester to be nimble in responding to good ideas from the populace - a sort of central hotline for city development ideas (a website is easiest and cheapest) would not be amiss.

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Harry Davis bio/"What's Happening?"

Hello, Supporters,

Thank you for all of your help! I will try to fill you in on who is Harry Davis and why you should vote for Harry as one of the next At-Large Seats on the Rochester City Council.

Harry Davis for Rochester City Council is endorsed by both the Green Party of Monroe County and the Working Families Party for both the Democratic Primary of September 15, 2009 and the General Election of November 3, 2009.

The first part will be an ongoing dialog, "What's Happening" on the issues of each day. As each "What's Happening?" today" post is replaced by a newer post, the older post will move to the top of the Blog post to your right.

Below that, the second part will be a sort of historical bio of Harry Davis so you can know where I am coming from. I will try to update this post every two days or so leading up to the Sepember 15, 2009 Democratic Primary.
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"What's Happening?"
Friday, October 23, 2009

In response to City Newspaper's story on Mayor Duffy:
http://www.rochester-citynews.com/news/articles/2009/10/DEAR-MAYOR-DUFFY...

Bob DeYager said on Oct. 22, 2009 at 9:00pm
I think Mayor Duffy is great. A few years ago, in the bitter cold, as the switch to the Liberty Pole was being flipped on, Mayor Duffy told the onlookers that "This is the downtown of the future." Well, two or three years have passed, and I really do see an improvement in downtown, BUT it's been a relatively insignificant improvement. It's time to step it up, Mr. Mayor! Well we've come this far, now let's really see what we can do. You know that the potential is there, so let 'er rip!! Don't sell us short, or act out of desparation. Give Rochester the hustle and bustle it needs, but do it the right way!!
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I say:

Four years ago, I watched at every debate as Mayoral candidate Robert Duffy campaigned, "Rochester is a jewel; it just needs to be dusted off." I told Mr. Duffy at every debate that ren square is the white elephant in the room. It must be put down. It is now four years later and any jewel that lies beneath downtown Rochester has yet to be dusted off!
Why did Mayor Duffy wait so long to stop ren square? I know the answer:

please read this letter from the Building Trades union:
http://www.box.net/shared/e5c0spt34o

It's called "Camapign Cash". Maggie got $800,000 from her people too. To say she would build ren square. Unions, building trades to be specific, fund campaigns. OK, but shouldn't they be concerned with what they build? Apparently not! They imply Harry Davis stopped ren square so now they have no work & won't support Harry's city council bid.

Yes, the albatross of ren square has finally bitten the dust but why did it take another four years for our city leadership to do this? Rochester has had an elected body of Democrats governing it for a long time now but I have witnessed our city be led by the Republicans of Monroe County, insisting that a $ 1/4 billion bus garage at Main & Clinton was the answer to bringing jobs & prosperity to our city.

Mayor Duffy sunk the fast ferry ASAP. There was no campaign cash there. Why did he not sink ren square, 1,000 fast ferries? Campaign cash is the answer. The unions funded Mayor Duffy to build ren square.
http://www.box.net/shared/e5c0spt34o

I know the building trades don't like me because they think I stopped ren square, all by myself! I wish. But my main concern now is bringing jobs to Rochester by using President Obama's High Speed Rail money - $116 million, if we do our job right. I want to make Rochester into a world-class city, not just another city with a bus garage. I know unions, I was a CWA member once. I know unions are about jobs. They will build anything anywhere anytime. It is the job of leaders to decide what to build and our leaders have failed us here. I want to work every day on city council to plan how to rebuild downtown Rochester and bring jobs to Rochester.

The Rochester Building and Construction Trades Council says: (quote from the above letter):

"...the sole purpose of his (Harry Davis) run for City Council is to prevent our members from working. As I am sure you know, our members are facing a hard winter without the promised work of Renaissance Square and the prospect of any union endorsing a person so adamantly opposed to our jobs would add insult to injury. I ask you, and the Executive Board, to weigh these facts should you meet with Harry Davis and to consider withholding the Labor Federation's endorsement." Frank Wirt

Voters, this is why ren square was not stopped for so long by two Mayors and many city councils. And why we may not see full citizen participation with our current list of business as usual candidates.

This past July, petitions were presented to the Board of Elections with about 1,700 signatures nominating me , Harry Davis for Mayor of Rochester. I want to thank all of those people who supported this effort. I declined this draft for the Mayor's office deciding instead to place all of our efforts to winning a seat on the Rochester City Council. I was criticized by City Newspaper for being too "persistent and passionate." It was said that "once he latches onto an idea, he never lets go." But the local media supported all of those who are responsible for the past four years! I say that endorsing the status quo is tantamount to having things remain the same. Rochester is in severe crisis with dwindling funds available and deserves critical introspection of where it is going. The future of the core of Rochester has been in a vacuum for too long. My position on Renaissance Square has been exactly the same since 2003. During that time, $20 million was wasted on ren square.

Mayor Duffy needs to bring intelligent advice to the development of downtown. I don’t think that moving a bus station 20 feet north is the way to plan a city. The Mayor must throw his weight behind the work of the 2008 vision plan of the Rochester Regional Community Design Center. It’s a comprehensive look at what we can do to make Rochester not just livable, but make it a shining model for the 21st century.

What is the Mayor doing to make certain that this vision becomes reality? I don't know but I want to workl with Mayor Duffy on this. And I can work with the Mayor! Just two weeks ago, I met with Mayor Duffy's office to work on a separate economic development idea. Yes, I CAN work with city government to bring jobs to Rochester, I CAN & DO work with Mayor Duffy RIGHT NOW!

On November 3, I say vote for me, Harry Davis, Working Families Party, 9E on the ballot for city council.

Also, please do a write-in vote for Harry Davis for Mayor of Rochester. Yes, I don't expect to be elected Mayor with a write-in but I do want Mayor Duffy to hire me to bring vision to downtown Rochester and a write-in vote for Harry will send this message. I want to tell you the voter, everyday, what is being done or not done to bring jobs to downtown Rochester. I will do so on my web site, Harry2009.com

We now must look past ren square and create jobs with an inter-modal transit and high speed rail at the Amtrak station with President Obama's $8 billion for high speed rail. We must rebuild Rochester into a world class city. Don't blow our second chance for jobs.

We must use the RRCDC 2008 Vision Plan. We can't design the rebirth of downtown Rochester without a plan that has everybody included. This week, it was announced that Midtown will have high end units for sale. No mixed! This is wrong!
We need a plan. I do not feel comfortable that downtown will change is a better direction with the current officeholders, and wanna bes inn the election. Remember, there is campaign cash to influence them! I am not supported by the Dem or Repub party so no one will tell me what to do. Only the voters!
High-speed rail is the biggest economic development for upstate in 150 years, since the Erie Canal.

btw, the above union letter from Frank Wirt was actually written by my friend, Clarke Conde, Editor of the Labor News. Do you know who Clarke was campaign manager for 3 years ago for Monroe County Exec? Andy Stainton! Yes, even Clarke knew the folly of ren square. We have talked about this for hours, including last night. Andy Stainton had a sole agenda of no ren square. Clarke totally agreed then!

High-speed rail is the biggest economic development for upstate in 150 years, since the Erie Canal.

Thank you........................................................................................

Harry Davis Bio

Democratic Candidate Harry Davis: The Political Train Who Said He Could
fom Smugtown Beacon

http://www.smugtownbeacon.com/news.php?viewStory=291

Harry Davis is quite a person, whether or not you in any way agree with his views or his political style. He has overcome great odds and personal set-backs to arrive at age 58, with such an optimistic view on public service, and what Rochester could be.

Davis, a Rochester native and a Brighton High School graduate (1969), was born at Genesee Hospital. Davis moved around quite a bit as a youngster, and young adult (Buffalo; Aspen, CO; Canada; and Pittsburgh, to name but a few). Harry received a B.A. in English from SUNY Buffalo, yet his immediate, 20-something interests did not stop there. In no particular order, Mr. Davis claims to have completed, or at least attempted the following:

* Former advanced skier.

* Was a medalist in the NY State 880 meter relay.

* A 'roadie' for the defunct but locally famous musical band "Bahama Mama".

* Owned an antique store on Park Avenue.

* Worked for KSPN radio and TV in Aspen, CO; engineering and some disc jockey responsibilities.

* Ran a small newspaper in Rochester called "The Journal" (a "counter culture" publication).

* Assisted an Aspen City Commissioner in 1982.

* Worked for Greenpeace as a video producer in 1988 (spent a lot of time in Canada and the Great Lakes region with Greenpeace).

* After all his travels and attempts (and successes?!) at 'progressive' politics, returned to Rochester to visit a family member in 2001. While home, contracted Bacterial Meningitis, which caused Harry "profound health effects".

* The result of this invasive infection was the loss of use of large portions of his feet. Remember, Davis had been an accomplished skier and track star.

As stated earlier, this is Harry Davis' third run for public office. In 2003, Harry pursued Rochester City Council as a 'write-in' candidate (not successful). In 2005, Davis ran again for council, campaigning with Chris Maj (pronounced "may"), who supported the legalization (or at least the de-criminalization) of marijuana. During that ill-fated 2005 campaign, Davis also became friendly with politicos Chris Edes & Max Kessler.

Since this author did attend one of the City Democratic designation meetings, I did get to witness Davis in action. He was articulate, intelligent, if a bit intense. However, I believe one factor that really hurt Davis during the 2009 Democratic designation process was his emphasis on virtually one issue, and one issue alone: Davis' vehement opposition to RenSquare.

It's not that a majority of city dwellers or suburbanites are necessarily enthusiastically on-board with RenSquares construction, it's simply that Davis' insistence that it was by some measures the only issue, I think, may have turned off some potential Davis' supporters. Perhaps.

I must say, when I interviewed Harry Davis at my Sibley Tower office, I was impressed by his at once down-to-earth nature, yet his passionate opposition to everything RenSquare. Davis, at least one-on-one, comes off as a truly nice guy, who really cares about Rochester.

When I asked him why he was so steadfastly opposed to RenSquare, he answered quickly, and cogently.

"Chris, I first opposed RenSquare about the time it was first introduced in 2003, for these reasons: I think it represents urban sprawl, it is inconsistent with 'Smart Growth', and a bus garage is stupid and absolutely not what should be done in that space (N. Clinton at Main and Mortimer)."

Davis went onto state: "RenSquare is of course a union bonanza, but the bus shelter will end up being a homeless shelter."

Harry Davis feels that, like Louise Slaughter, we should build an intermodal facility near Central Avenue, where the current Amtrak Station stands. Davis calls the possibility of high-speed rail coming to Rochester "the biggest transportation opportunity since the construction of the Erie Canal".

Finally, if Harry Davis wants to appear on September's Democratic primary ballot, he must receive the petition signatures of at least 5% of all City registered Democrats, or pray for a heavy write-in vote. He should pursue the former.

Although Davis faces a challenging field of candidates this year for a seat on the City Council, win or lose, I hardly think we've heard the last of Davis. Harry Davis will never go gently into that good night.

Christopher J. Wilmot served as a Legislator in the Monroe County Legislature from 1996-2005. He is currently a film producer, and is the owner of several other small businesses.