Nancy Hoffmann is facing Mary Rakestraw and Tony Collins in the District 4 Greensboro City Council primary. She responded to our questionnaire; and it is found here. We had discussed Tony Collins' candidacy yesterday.
I think it is fair to say that Tony Collins is a Melderec-style liberal in the failed North Carolina tradition of "business progressivism". It appears that Nancy Hoffmann, however, is more of a standard/modern liberal.
She recently received the endorsement of the Replacements Ltd. PAC suggesting that she is an unequivocal supporter of the gay sociopolitical agenda. She tends to bow before the city's identity politics. She opposed the reopening of the White Street Landfill to residential trash; and in fact, she spoke in opposition at least one time at a city council meeting. She has served on the city's "human relations commission" that took a strident position in opposition to the landfill. She plans to seek the Simkins endorsement; but interestingly distances herself from TREBIC.
Like Collins, she uses the "quality of life" code words; and also suggests she will be a "partner" with the city's "economic development team"-- presumably at the Greensboro Partnership, which takes a liberal approach to the formulation of policy.
She admits that she would vote in favor of tax and fee increases. She also favors bonds for capital projects.
She has a business background, but that does not mean she would vote as a conservative. Her community activities have included a stint as board president of the YWCA, which is a pro-abortion organization.
Yet, in spite of all of the above, she claims on her website not to have any ideology. She claims she will not be a part of any faction in spite of her stated intention to seek the Simkins endorsement.
Only two candidates will survive the primary. I do not know which of the three candidates are likely to survive at this point.
We know exactly who we have with Mary Rakestraw. She has done a great job! It's very risky to change from a known to an unknown.
I don't like Hoffman's answers to most of the questions. Sounds like just another liberal politician.
Posted by: sensei | September 22, 2011 at 11:50 AM
Sensei, at least on the surface, it is very difficult to see how either Collins or Hoffmann will represent an improvement over Rakestraw. I hope to hear these folks at one or more of the forums and perhaps will gain more insight.
Posted by: Joe Guarino | September 22, 2011 at 01:09 PM
Mary Rakestraw is a wonderful and warm person. She truly cares about the City of Greensboro and her constituents. She is a fiscal conservative. She is very accessible to people and is very open minded.
Posted by: Joanne Wittenborn | September 22, 2011 at 11:11 PM
"She truly cares about the City of Greensboro and her constituents. She is a fiscal conservative......"
Those are qualities that the Business As Usual cabal hates, Joanne.
Posted by: bubba | September 23, 2011 at 08:14 AM
I very much appreciated Mary Rakestraw's deliberative resistance to the over-reactive hype surrounding "porn" filters on library computers and her willingness to support city staff on the matter.
Posted by: Roch101 | September 23, 2011 at 08:24 AM
Joanne and Bubba, I tend to agree.
Roch, I have been watching Ms. Rakestraw's voting record over the last couple of years. On the big issues, that is the only wrong vote I can remember offhand.
Posted by: Joe Guarino | September 23, 2011 at 08:54 AM
Not to be negative but what kind of temperament does one have to have to be impeached as President of her Homeowners Association ?
Is this a person suited for a responsible position in governing athis city ?
Just asking....
Posted by: julian | September 23, 2011 at 03:26 PM
Explain, Julian, if you feel led to do so.
Posted by: Joe Guarino | September 23, 2011 at 03:40 PM
A rumor that it was Hoffman who was removed as the CEO of her HOA.
Posted by: julian | September 23, 2011 at 04:47 PM