The candidates disagree about how to encourage affordable housing and whether to strengthen rental regulations but they find common ground on matters surrounding inclusivity and climate change.
I read your website weeks ago, and I read it last time you were running too. That's why I'm absolutely not going to vote for you. Honestly surprised thst you even responded to Jeff but I suppose you just can't resist the publicity.
I can resist publicity; however, it's important to dispel misinformation and to note slanted and biased coverage.
I'm sorry to hear that, after reading my Web site, you do not agree with my proposals to make Laramie's government ethical, transparent, fair, efficient, and responsive. My contact information is on that page; I'd be interested in having you e-mail and tell me with what on that page you disagree.
I'd like all those obviously good things that you claim to suppory, but I have zero faith in your property owner centric concerns fueled by obvious business owner greivances. You can yap all you want about being both a landlord and a tenant but it's obvious where your loyalty lies.
So, it is specifically landlord/tenant issues on which you think we disagree? Do you agree with me on other issues? In that case, we may not be that far apart after all.
In any event, as I've said in many forums, being both a landlord and a tenant gives me a unique perspective: I can see things from both sides. I don't have any prejudice or "loyalty" to one side or the other; I want outcomes to be fair. I also have experience with different methods of dealing with landlord/tenant issues. (For example, some jurisdictions, such as the State of Connecticut and the cities of Chicago and New York, have "housing courts" which deal specifically with housing). And I have gone to court as a tenant to enforce my rights, so I know from a tenant's perspective what is involved.
What is becoming evident, 31 months after Laramie's rental housing ordinance was passed, is that the City has neither the resources, nor the expertise, nor the staff to enforce a strict licensing regime. Nor do we want to bloat local government, or make it yet more intrusive, as a means of doing so. We've done enough harm to everyone - including tenants - already. In fact, tenants have complained to me that they've wasted valuable time going to the City and should have gone straight to court.
Experiences in other cities - including the one from which our ordinance was indiscriminately copied - show that landlord/tenant disputes vary tremendously in scope and often have a lot of messy details. They require a judge (not a bureaucrat), with the full power to award damages (and levy on bank accounts and other assets if they're not paid), void leases, halt evictions, and order specific performance. And in Wyoming, this can only be done at the Small Claims/Circuit Court level. (In Wyoming, they are the same court.) Cities are not empowered to do these things. At most, they can only hassle a landlord, and even that is constitutionally questionable. (No challenge has yet reached the Wyoming Supreme Court, but similar regimes have been ruled unconstitutional in other states.)
Want justice and fairness for everyone? The way to get it is by doing what has worked elsewhere; not by shoehorning in an additional layer of bureaucracy that can't do the job. Again, this is not speculation; we've seen what works in other cities and states and what is not working here. Let's not mindlessly repeat others' errors. As a member of Council, I hope to lead our city toward better solutions, not repeat or preserve past mistakes. And I know that, as a leader, I'll need to speak to and listen to everyone and DEMONSTRATE the validity of my ideas. So, again, my door (and telephone lines) are open. Rather than going back and forth on a message board, give me a call. I'll promise that I'll listen to your concerns and take them into account as I propose solutions.
Impressed by you finally learning to talk like a proper politician, but my fundamental concern here is that landlords shouldn't be allowed in politics. We'd be wasting both of our time.
Thank you Jeff for the expert reporting. It's always helpful when going to the polls. I hope Melanie wins this round! If we're lucky maybe Glass will learn that no-one in town looks at him with respect.
Sorry to disappoint you, Louise (Is that your actual name? You sound an awful lot like another commenter on this blog), but quite a few Laramie residents have told me that they respect me and agree with my views. Perhaps you will find yourself to be better liked if you are more respectful and civil yourself. Ad hominem attacks are inappropriate.
As usual, Jeff -- a blogger, not a reporter -- presents slanted views of the candidates, in my case emphasizing what I am AGAINST rather than highlighting what I am FOR.
Jeff conveniently fails to mention that I strongly favor tenants' rights (I am both a tenant and a landlord and have been to court as both), and oppose Laramie's rental housing ordinance because it has had negative rather than positive effects. It has severely impacted our city's supply of affordable housing and has proven to be a boondoggle, rather than a help, for tenants. (More than half of the complaints the City has received have simply not been handled at all. Of the remainder, fewer than half have been resolved. And of those few that HAVE been resolved, it has mostly occurred via direct communication between landlords and tenants or via the Circuit Court.) The City cannot get tenants out of leases; cannot award monetary damages to tenants; cannot halt evictions; cannot recover tenants' security deposits; and has caused many rental properties to be taken off the market or sold off to out-of-town private equity firms, which are by far the worst landlords. Jeff also falsely states that I oppose affordable housing measures, when in fact I am the only candidate who has come forward with constructive suggestions that would actually create more of it. (Increasing density, creating accessory dwelling units, eliminating garages, and removing vital parking fatten developers' wallets but do not make housing affordable; in fact, tenants and home buyers get less and pay more.)
Finally, Jeff falsely claims that I am not "eager to join the conversation" with regard to changes to the ordinance. Nothing could be further from the truth. I may differ with my opponents -- I would favor removing unnecessary mandates which clearly are doing harm rather than good -- but I'm always civil and glad to discuss the issues.
glad to see so much more worthwhile competition than last election for my vote against Brett Glass!
Sounds like Jeff has led you astray. Please see the sources of ACCURATE information I've posted above.
I read your website weeks ago, and I read it last time you were running too. That's why I'm absolutely not going to vote for you. Honestly surprised thst you even responded to Jeff but I suppose you just can't resist the publicity.
I can resist publicity; however, it's important to dispel misinformation and to note slanted and biased coverage.
I'm sorry to hear that, after reading my Web site, you do not agree with my proposals to make Laramie's government ethical, transparent, fair, efficient, and responsive. My contact information is on that page; I'd be interested in having you e-mail and tell me with what on that page you disagree.
I'd like all those obviously good things that you claim to suppory, but I have zero faith in your property owner centric concerns fueled by obvious business owner greivances. You can yap all you want about being both a landlord and a tenant but it's obvious where your loyalty lies.
So, it is specifically landlord/tenant issues on which you think we disagree? Do you agree with me on other issues? In that case, we may not be that far apart after all.
In any event, as I've said in many forums, being both a landlord and a tenant gives me a unique perspective: I can see things from both sides. I don't have any prejudice or "loyalty" to one side or the other; I want outcomes to be fair. I also have experience with different methods of dealing with landlord/tenant issues. (For example, some jurisdictions, such as the State of Connecticut and the cities of Chicago and New York, have "housing courts" which deal specifically with housing). And I have gone to court as a tenant to enforce my rights, so I know from a tenant's perspective what is involved.
What is becoming evident, 31 months after Laramie's rental housing ordinance was passed, is that the City has neither the resources, nor the expertise, nor the staff to enforce a strict licensing regime. Nor do we want to bloat local government, or make it yet more intrusive, as a means of doing so. We've done enough harm to everyone - including tenants - already. In fact, tenants have complained to me that they've wasted valuable time going to the City and should have gone straight to court.
Experiences in other cities - including the one from which our ordinance was indiscriminately copied - show that landlord/tenant disputes vary tremendously in scope and often have a lot of messy details. They require a judge (not a bureaucrat), with the full power to award damages (and levy on bank accounts and other assets if they're not paid), void leases, halt evictions, and order specific performance. And in Wyoming, this can only be done at the Small Claims/Circuit Court level. (In Wyoming, they are the same court.) Cities are not empowered to do these things. At most, they can only hassle a landlord, and even that is constitutionally questionable. (No challenge has yet reached the Wyoming Supreme Court, but similar regimes have been ruled unconstitutional in other states.)
Want justice and fairness for everyone? The way to get it is by doing what has worked elsewhere; not by shoehorning in an additional layer of bureaucracy that can't do the job. Again, this is not speculation; we've seen what works in other cities and states and what is not working here. Let's not mindlessly repeat others' errors. As a member of Council, I hope to lead our city toward better solutions, not repeat or preserve past mistakes. And I know that, as a leader, I'll need to speak to and listen to everyone and DEMONSTRATE the validity of my ideas. So, again, my door (and telephone lines) are open. Rather than going back and forth on a message board, give me a call. I'll promise that I'll listen to your concerns and take them into account as I propose solutions.
Impressed by you finally learning to talk like a proper politician, but my fundamental concern here is that landlords shouldn't be allowed in politics. We'd be wasting both of our time.
Thank you Jeff for the expert reporting. It's always helpful when going to the polls. I hope Melanie wins this round! If we're lucky maybe Glass will learn that no-one in town looks at him with respect.
Sorry to disappoint you, Louise (Is that your actual name? You sound an awful lot like another commenter on this blog), but quite a few Laramie residents have told me that they respect me and agree with my views. Perhaps you will find yourself to be better liked if you are more respectful and civil yourself. Ad hominem attacks are inappropriate.
As usual, Jeff -- a blogger, not a reporter -- presents slanted views of the candidates, in my case emphasizing what I am AGAINST rather than highlighting what I am FOR.
Jeff conveniently fails to mention that I strongly favor tenants' rights (I am both a tenant and a landlord and have been to court as both), and oppose Laramie's rental housing ordinance because it has had negative rather than positive effects. It has severely impacted our city's supply of affordable housing and has proven to be a boondoggle, rather than a help, for tenants. (More than half of the complaints the City has received have simply not been handled at all. Of the remainder, fewer than half have been resolved. And of those few that HAVE been resolved, it has mostly occurred via direct communication between landlords and tenants or via the Circuit Court.) The City cannot get tenants out of leases; cannot award monetary damages to tenants; cannot halt evictions; cannot recover tenants' security deposits; and has caused many rental properties to be taken off the market or sold off to out-of-town private equity firms, which are by far the worst landlords. Jeff also falsely states that I oppose affordable housing measures, when in fact I am the only candidate who has come forward with constructive suggestions that would actually create more of it. (Increasing density, creating accessory dwelling units, eliminating garages, and removing vital parking fatten developers' wallets but do not make housing affordable; in fact, tenants and home buyers get less and pay more.)
Finally, Jeff falsely claims that I am not "eager to join the conversation" with regard to changes to the ordinance. Nothing could be further from the truth. I may differ with my opponents -- I would favor removing unnecessary mandates which clearly are doing harm rather than good -- but I'm always civil and glad to discuss the issues.
I am the only Ward 2 candidate who is politically moderate and has presented concrete solutions for the problems that most concern Laramie citizens. For an unbiased, accurate account of my views on the issues, see my Web site at http://voteglass.org; my interview with Eric Henderson of KOCA for #TheTalkShop at https://www.facebook.com/1TALKSHOP/videos/the-talk-shop-candidateawarenesstour2024-hosted-brett-glass-candidate-for-city-c/489625153495929 and the followup at https://www.facebook.com/1TALKSHOP/videos/brett-glass-city-council-candidate-ward-2-in-laramie-wyoming-makes-a-second-visi/362593166723130; or the League of Women Voters' voting guide at https://wyominglwv.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-Albany-County-LWV_Boomerang-Primary-Voter-Guide.pdf. And take Jeff's highly slanted coverage with a grain of salt. He appears to be interested not in providing accurate election information but rather in attempting to promote specific candidates whom he favors and trashing those he does not.