Wednesday, December 7, 2011
North Little Rock UPDATE: Pat Hays says no decision yet on re-election
Posted by Max Brantley on Wed, Dec 7, 2011 at 1:28 PM
He said on Facebook last night that he has one and that report was bracketed for me with an independent report of the same information from another North Little Rock politico who usually has his finger on the northside pulse.
Too early to call Mayor Pat Hays himself, but Scott says:
Mayor Hays is NOT running for re-election next Fall according to two sources in City Hall. Look for the newspaper article soon. Reportedly Joe Smith, the NLR City Commerce Director will be running for the Mayor's office.
Pat Hays has been playing it coy about re-election next year after what seems like a century in the office. The recent sales tax election was seen by many as something of a proxy on another re-election bid by Hays. Two proposals were narrowly defeated.
State Rep. Tracy Steele has all but made official his candidacy regardless of Hays' decision. I've had my quarrels about Steele, particularly his paying himself a handsome salary to lead a private foundation that spends most of its money on Steele's salary and depends on contributions from corporate entities that happen to also find it useful to stay friendly with an Arkansas legislator. I don't have any reason to believe he'd operate any differently as mayor. Commented one of my correspondents, however:
I know you have issues with Tracy, but I think he's at least one who cares about people in the "crescent" as I call it. Rose City up E. Washington along the river to Baring Cross, Amboy and Levy. The good ole boys downtown are all a'twitter about having to beat Tracy because he'll end their playtime.
Potential issue: The Argenta City Club, a group of Hays' movers and shakers and a building looked after by the city for their use.
UPDATE: I caught up with the mayor after lunch.
"I appreciate Scott Miller sharing what hasn't been decided yet," said the mayor (jovially). He said he was sticking for now with what he'd said before: "I'm running until I say otherwise."
He said, "to be candid," that the fact that he'd served almost 24 years and that he was nearing 65 were both factors in considering what he might do next year. He said he'd set a deadline of the first half of January to decide what he planned to do and to communicate it. "Over the holidays I'm going to give it some real serious thought," he said.
UPDATE II: Meanwhile, a statement rolls in from occasional NLR candidate and gadfly Bubba Lloyd, who says he might consider a mayoral race in 2012:
"The time has come for Mayor Pat Hays to stop complaining about his failed attempt to further burden the hard-working citizens of North Little Rock with higher taxes. The sole purpose of the recent tax proposal was to give the mayor and his cronies more of our money to waste on their pet projects."North Little Rock residents have grown weary of the arrogance of the mayor and Terry Hartwick at the North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce. They claim that "people just don't understand." Of course they understand. They understand that Hays and Hartwick wanted more of our money for their slush funds, and they said "no" even though tens of thousands of dollars were spent trying to force this down our throats.
"North Little Rock residents support the police and the firefighters. They resent it when the mayor tries to tie support for these public servants to his slush funds. But the mayor continues to talk about what he will have to cut in an effort to scare taxpayers and force them to second guess their votes. We're not going to be swayed by his scare tactics.
"The fact is that Pat Hays could care less about a streamlined, lean budget. Hays, along with aldermen such as Beth White and Linda Robinson, continue to travel the country on our dime. And Hays continues to push projects that will further burden North Little Rock taxpayers. His plan to build a lodge in Burns Park is an example of that. He can't manage to balance the budget without new taxes, yet he continues to dream up schemes that will cost the taxpayers millions of dollars and compete with private businesses.
"As he enters his final year in office, I hope Hays will not further commit North Little Rock residents to such costly projects that aren't needed."
Speaking of...
-
Tracy Steele announces for NLR mayor
February 25, 2012State Rep. Tracy Steele announced today for mayor of North Little Rock, joining Joe Smith in the race to succeed retiring Pat Hays. /more/
- More »
Comments (27)
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I do not think Tracy will care about the Crescent. He had the opportunity to afford the benefits of his private foundation to the NLR schools years ago and he did not choosing instead the LR schools.
Hays developed NLR to a good city and he cares for the city. Under his administration he enhanced bus services were funded. I believe the people in the crescent benefited from that.
As of late though, he dropped the ball on the sales tax and didn't sell it properly. As a result its citizens voted against funding for smooth road surfaces among other things. And the goose thing is bad. He compares the massacre of geese to the peaceful euthanizing of stray dogs and cats. No.
Max,
You need to set your correspondent straight.
Tracy Steele only cares about Traci Steele. His voting record in the Legislature, his double dealing, and his ugly tenure at the MLK commissions is all you need to know about this Democratic backslapper.
It is amazing how whites view black Democrats like Tracy Steele and a long list of other self-dealers as benevolent and caring politicians, while the blacks in the communities they serve see them for who they really are.
Most black voters know that the only difference between Democrats (including the black ones) and Republicans is that we know the right-leaning politicans don't give a damn about us.
The whole problem about voting today is generally the only choice you have is voting for a Democratic sell-out self-dealer and a racist Republican Kochite. Either way, voters are going to get f*&@%d.
The bottom line is that finding an honest-non-lobbyist-owned politician at any level today is near impossible, no matter the color, political stripe or leaning. Only politicos and the most ignorant get caught up in this left-right, black-white, Democrat-Republican, liberal-conservative line of bull.
The above was paid for by the Bicyclers alliance of central Arkansas.....Ya'll come on out to Dixie, Baring Cross, Rose City, Levy, Pretty much oh say 85 percent of the City and see how our Mayor Pat loves us sooooo. Yeah there are some pretty playthings, and nice stuff downtown, but it was all built at the expense the real working folks of NLR. I mean there is SOLID Proof that PHH and any of his cronies that run after him dont give a flying rats butt about anything but the money. GOOD RIDDANCE to you sir!
So dont go saying TS sold out and all that because PHH did it more in 20 years than anyone in the history of Arkansas. NLR Employees hate him, Dept heads cant do the work they need too because of "Lack of funding" BULL S***. You people are blind, or your on the take with him. Rizzardi been one of his cheerlaeders ever sense the first idea of a Bike trail came thru. Geeze people Open your eyes! The Police and fire folks get crapped on everytime they turn around. I cant believe there are people who who think this little dictator is God.
I would just like to know how NLR continues to have "effective" long-term mayors who get things done and LR has the most inefficient, ineffective government in the US.
Tracy Steele is a common, ethically-challenged shakedown artist. If NLR is foolish enough to elect him, they deserve the consequences.
Whatever happened to the give-away of the old NLR Baptist hospital campus? Has it been developed, or flipped, or what?
NLRTruth:
As the current president of Bicycle Advocacy of Central Arkansas, I can assure you that bribery isn't in our budget, and it certainly isn't in our strategic plans or even our little box of dirty tricks. It wouldn't do us any good anyway, as politicians and anyone else who would be susceptible to that form of influence won't stay bought, but are always looking for a higher bidder, after which we're forgotten.
There's been a lot of work done in the downtown and riverfront area. But the place we've been working most over the past year or so has been in Levy and Baring Cross, to connect this community better to the River Trail and the rest of town. There's a grant underway to improve Parker Street to provide a safer route from Levy and Pershing than having to ride or walk on Pike Avenue. We brought Dan Burden into town six weeks ago to help find a way to make it better and safer for walking and cycling along the MacArthur/Camp Robinson Road corridor. We've gotten Safe Routes to School grants to build sidewalks and connect homes to parks and schools in Baring Cross and in the midtown area. We've done educational clinics and earn-a-bike programs for kids in that community.
I admit that a good bit of it is still in the works, such as the grant for Parker Street not being awarded yet, waiting for this year's SRTS award from the Highway Department, and we haven't found the guy who ran over and killed Stephen Winfrey in April last year over by Pike and Broadway, but sometimes these things take time.
We're always open to suggestions how to make Our Town better for the people who live, bike, and walk here, and we'd love to hear your input.
Bye Bye Hays you old turd. Maybe we can now get rid of that damned old rusty money pit sub, he had parked on the north shore. Remember the Hogga, another old piece of rusty shit he wanted the tax payers to put on the north shore too. Everytime I pay my electric bill I think of his sorry ass!
What projects are needed is one's opinion Bubba. I disagree with Bubba using the Burns Park lodge as an example of an unecessary project. But hey, I appreciate his honesty as to what he thinks is not necessary.
In the end if the substance of his vision doesn't match mine then he doesn't get my vote. That, versus a general unsubstantiated mob mentality, is how it should work.
Darn right NLRTruth. I support Hays in large part because of his vision for a sustaintable infrastructure that supports activities out doors. Proud of it. I also don't support other things he has done and I've made that clear in prior post for years as well.
If you've never used a bicycle on the multi use trials in the city in any capacity than I think you have no useful basis to rate the contribution of these amenities.
I give Hays credit where its due.
Signed, Ron Rizzardi (Cyclist, Pedestrian, Motorist, Home Owner, Bus Rider, Park User and Tax Payer).
Hallelujah! This is the best news North Little Rock has received in years. Don't let the door hit you on the way out Patrick. Next to Obama, there is not a politician that has NEEDED to step aside for the good of the people since King Herrod. The entire city just took in a deep breath and praised God for sunnier days ahead. And let's not chaulk up another democrat in the seat just yet. We NLR people just voted down a tyrannical tax hike and who will be on the ballet for the dems come November? Obama. Like most democrats this coming November, they will go down. Heck, I might even run and I could still keep my current job. The job itself is to get out of the way to let the people thrive anyhow. I would take half the pay and watch a city rebuild itself. B Rock for Mayor!
Commodore Hays has been able to get more projects he supports passed because the NLR form of government is more czarist than LR's. Simple as that.
Re Tracy Steele- he has already shown us he can be bought. The only question is today's price.
LR has a Tsarist system also, it just isn't the mayor, city manager, or Board. It's located at the corner of Cumberland and Markham (hint: Think CofC).
Office for 20 years in North Little Rock but have lived in Little Rock for 50+ years.
I liked some of the parks and trails PH Hayes has pushed through but I am a staunch supporter of schools and PHH's goofy scam to steal school money with his Tax Increment Financing (TIF) is an embarrassment.
In my oppinion the city, county, state, country and world would be better off if PHH and the TIF mastermind Dustin McDaniel had never been born!
Scott Miller is a dickbag and very unethical in his gossip reports to the news media. Furthermore, as a school board member, he should probably stay out of posting political reports or news to local medial.
He was essentially shutdown or paid to shut his mouth in Argenta. They were sick of him bringing negative attention to the neighborhood with his gossip columns.
As for Hays, he isn't running. Candidates include, but not limited to:
Tracey Steel (career politician)
Joe Smith (city manager for several years, but a virtual unknown)
Debi Ross (a do nothing alderman and business failure)
Bubba Lloyd (his name is bubba)
James Ard (who knows, this guy runs for everything)
Mayor Hays did a great job with the growth of NLR, however has had some blackeyes with the TIF, geese, and failed tax vote. Positives include Dickey Stephens Park, River Trail, Burns Park, Argenta development. Haters gonna hate. I think his positives outweigh his negatives, however it is probably time for him to step aside. Whoever wins the election will have tough shoes to fill and the city will have alot of turnover of staff.
As to the reference that mayor hays leaving will change the activities of the argenta city club. If I have learned one thing in life it is that those in power or who have the will to influence power, typically stay that way. I wouldn't expect NLR's landowners or movers/shakers to be changed. Wards 1 and Wards 4 typically carry all of the political vote in NLR. Wards 2/3 are jokes when it comes to voter turnout. Additionally Ward 2 or 3 (can't remember which) has recently had some issue with crooked politicians.
"The Police and fire folks get crapped on everytime they turn around. I cant believe there are people who who think this little dictator is God."
Some of the police who supported Bubba Lloyd were rather ugly to many Hays supporters during the campaign. "Rather ugly" would be putting it lightly. Don't want to get crapped on? Don't be a police officer or a firefighter. Most everyone knows it isn't that great of a job.
The Quality of Life projects and programs that Pat Hays has delivered will be a very long lasting legacy. No one can say he has done anything to feather his own nest or to further a climb to higher office. He found his calling as mayor. NLR will reap the benefits for years to come, no matter what Bubba may follow. His teamwork with Buddy Villines and former mayor Tommy Swaim of J'ville brought about the Arena after a half dozen Little Rock-led efforts ended up in the crapper. His half of the river trail shames the LR half, but they will catch up. His support of seniors is miles ahead of other Arkansas cities. His support of the bus system began before he was sworn in. He inherited the hydro plant but has seen it through and it will start producing virtually free juice starting in about a year. He took over from a mayor embroiled in scandal and has led a scandal free administration (the aldermen were their own elected officials, he had nothing to do with them). Folks joke about the Navy, but the sub is a tourist attraction and by God, they are patriotic. NLR's Main Street , for those with a memory, was as dead and vacant as a Main Street could be ten years ago. The arena, the trolley, the ballpark, and other public investments have made it into a highly desireable area that is being studied by cities around the US. That's just a start....
I am a NLR resident who talked to one of the female alderman on the phone night before last. I would like to quote what she said to me. She said, "The citizens of North Little Rock are going to be unhappy with anything we do. We are damned if we do and damned if we don't so we are going to do what we want to do and what we think is best and the citizens will just have to live with that.".
The distain these aldermen show for their constituents is appalling but the attitude is pervasive in the city employees. Over half the time you are treated rudely when you call a city office on the phone.
The new ranger, who thinks that migratory birds are not here in the winter but come in June and July, said in the Oct. 17, 2011, NLR Parks and Recreation meeting that "The public may not like the hunt, but the public doesn't always know what is best.". Again, distain for the citizens of NLR and she learned it quickly. This from a park ranger who does not know that geese fly south(that's us) in the fall and north in the spring. Appalling! And this is the person who advised the city to remove the geese by hunting them. She used coyote cutouts, cardboard coyotes, as her non-lethal means of dealing with the geese. A goose is a goose but even a goose knows that something that doesn't move is not a predator.
We are in bad shape in this city and I doubt that it is repairable. Everyone who runs lies to get elected and then does whatever they want to do. None of them have any integrity.
"The new ranger, who thinks that migratory birds are not here in the winter but come in June and July, said in the Oct. 17, 2011, NLR Parks and Recreation meeting that "The public may not like the hunt, but the public doesn't always know what is best.".
Well she is right. There is alot of dumb in the public. However, the goose issue is a really bad move.
Back when I lived in North Little Rock 40-some-years ago, Casey Laman was mayor, and city government was a real circus. It does not appear that it has progressed much since that time.
I'll take a northside circus over a crooked southside card game anytime
Can't wait for all these clowns to get in a race for mayor then we'll really have something to talk about on the northside. Are there more police reports hidden about Bubba stealing a former disgraced alderman's wife only to be cold-cocked with said alderman's aluminum baseball bat that old Casey changed the police report to read wood bat, so as not to be as severe a crime.
Will old Bubba leave more dead animals in old Audrey's front yard?
Did he kill all those birds at Beebe to get back at her?
Will Skipper ever find the police report in Maumelle where old Bubba helped himself to some boos?
Will Little Jimmy jump on someone other than a NASCAR wrecker man than he bounced off of so fast?
Will Joe let the former Guard helicopter pilot in the Good Old Boys Club?
Will the amount of money the former little alderman helped himself to ever be known?
Will his federally convicted brother ever tell who else was involved in his million dollar plot? And explain how you buy a million dollar company after the feds convict you? Maybe he can teach that to Sam and Carey?
Will his cop brother turn on his other brother and tell all?
Will the pilots at NLR's private airport ever tell off on their corporate owned jets that taxes are not being paid on.
Does anybody really expect millionaires to pay taxes — See Washington?
How will alderman in NLR know how to vote without Pat telling them?
Will Budweiser become the only beer allowed to be sold in NLR?
Will anybody ever investigate the death of the wife of one of the above who dropped dead at Sonic on her way to federal court to testify?
Will Bubba and his running buddy ever return the missing ballot boxes from Ridge Road?
Which Bubba will run - the one who made millions selling Clinton political stuff claiming to be a Democrat and Bill's original FOB - or the Bubba who ran as a Republican?
Which politician can distance himself the farthest from a disgraced former NLR politico not because of the conviction but the rumors about his boyfriends?
Will Sam get out of the Forrest City federal pen in time to cut all the other candidates hair or will he continue his lessons in stylist cuts?
Will the "Wire" star solve at least one of the serious problems at the schools before he tells the new mayor how to run NLR?
Will John Rogers just buy everybody's vote in NLR and digitize them into a baseball card so the Pulaski County Election Commission can kWeep from stumbling on its own tied shoes?
Which candidate will position himself as the "Concrete Man's" best friend?
Will Karate George be able to donate directly from jail or will his campaign contributions just not be reported like the last election?
Which candidate will paint numbers of the Burns Park Geese and turn it into a betting game?
Which Karate George associate bookie will get the concession to cover the spread at the Burns Park Goose Hunt, future Squirrel Hunts, concrete laying parties and sports business?
Pat Hays has put NLR on the map! Hope he stays! Best mayor NLR has ever had end of story.
Anyone remember the scandal that got Terry Hartwick? I kinda remember but I do know that Tracy Steele and Terry Hartwick and throw in good ole Bubba are as incompetent and corrupt as they come.
Max:
Let me give you some advice. Listen carefully......Do not listen to Scott Miller he is an idiot!
Thanks
Have a great day
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