Tony Wilkins busy being born

North Carolina GOP Launches New Website

February 8, 2010 – 2:38 pm

From Jordan Shaw, NCGOP:

We’re pleased to announce the launching of the NCGOP’s new website, found at www.ncgop.org. We appreciate your patience as construction continued on the website over the past few months. We are confident that our new site will be a useful tool as we look to win a majority in 2010.

It is important to point out that this website is intended to be constantly changing. It will not remain in its current state for very long. Visitors can donate, volunteer, or sign up. They can also read a blog, post their own messages, or visit us on Facebook or Twitter. The new NCGOP.org was designed to be user-friendly and to help us win elections. We are confident it will do both.

So, we encourage you to visit www.ncgop.org, familiarize yourself with the new site, and feel free to send any comments you may have to the email address below. We look forward to interacting with you on the new NCGOP.org.

On to victory!

Jordan Shaw
NCGOP Communications Director
shaw@ncgop.org

Posted in guilford county, north carolina, politics | No Comments »

Don Moore Compliments Greensboro Coliseum

February 7, 2010 – 2:25 am

This one deserves a blog headline all to itself.

As a converted coliseum cheerleader I started softening him up last year when I first met him at a Grasshopper’s game. I believe I told him that I’d pay his 60 cents per month if he’d stop Matt bashing.

And now for the first time ever Don Moore, the most vocal critic of the coliseum in fifty years, has posted a compliment to the facility.

Don, if you and Matt sit down for lunch at Stamey’s please let me know. I’d hate to miss that photo op.

Posted in gso coliseum | 2 Comments »

On Dave Ribar’s Coliseum Parking Discount Analysis

February 6, 2010 – 2:41 pm

Dave Ribar posts an in depth look at my recently rejected proposal to discount parking for city residents at coliseum events.

Highlights of Dave’s post:

“The first problem is that lower parking fees are likely to lead to a loss in revenue to the Coliseum.

The second problem is that checking an attendee’s “local” status complicates the process of collecting a parking fee.

A third issue is that the scheme is likely to shift the incidence of paying for Coliseum events away from those who actually use the facility and toward other local residents.

To sum up, Tony’s proposal would likely reduce parking revenues; add to congestion, waiting times, and traffic problems…”

Dave’s response to a Keith Brown comment should be noted:

“For a concrete example with completely made up numbers, suppose that a given event currently draws 1,000 local cars at $20 per car; that is, that it generates $20,000 in parking revenue. Suppose now that the Coliseum cuts the parking fee for locals in half for such an event. The Coliseum will lose $10,000 on all of the local cars that would parked in its lots at the original $20 price, so we start down $10,000. However, as you and Tony have pointed out, there will be a demand response. The question is how big will this have to be?”

Thanks Dave for raising some legitimate concerns which I had already considered before making the proposal.

Let me backtrack and approach the same end result with a different process.

This idea stems from the fact that a family of four in Greensboro contributes around $2.40 per month to the Greensboro Coliseum via their city taxes. $0.60 per person. There are approximately 250K to 500K people in the surrounding area who get the identical benefits of having a coliseum…but contribute nothing toward the upkeep of the facility.

How about a simpler solution Dave? Since we know there are practically no additional costs involved in mailing a notice in your water bill how about we offer city residents a discount on refreshments. A coupon in your water bill for a free drink, popcorn, etc. Something in or around a $5 price range. (I was thinking more in line of a $2-$5 discount on parking instead of your mentioned $10 discount.)

Or we could just ask the County to pony up about $900K a year so the entire county splits the cost. Speaker from the floor that idea and see how many straight faces you see.

Dave, do we agree on principal? That it would be appropriate to give investors some type of return on their investment versus non investors receiving the same benefits as investors?

Posted in greensboro, gso coliseum, politics | 4 Comments »

Coliseum Commission Update: No Parking Discount, Yet.

February 4, 2010 – 4:12 pm

The War Memorial Commission met on Thursday with no major issues on the table. The excellent coliseum staff continues to perform well under adverse economic and weather related conditions.

Gymnastics, the circus, both ACC Tournaments, the Gun Show, John Mayer, and Curious George are among the upcoming events. I have my orders from home that we will be attending Curious George. Go, park, and buy plenty of popcorn.

Matt Brown discussed the ongoing procedures resulting in an effort to come in under budget for the Aquatics Center.

Under new business I brought up the following idea. Had there ever been discussion of giving tax paying city residents any type of economic incentive to visit the coliseum such as a discount on parking fees? A sort of return on their annual $1.8M investment.

Matt stated there was discussion under CM Castarphen at one time but the collection of two different parking fees increased the possibility of corruption and no action was taken. Florence Gatten stated the council had discussed this four years ago but implementation was a problem.

I made the motion for: “this commission to ask the executive staff at the Greensboro Coliseum to discuss the possibility of giving parking discounts to city residents”.

Seconded by MacArthur Davis and also voting in the affirmative were Mary Dowdell and Zack Matheny. Someone challenges Zack’s eligibility to vote as council liason. City Legal Mike Williams leaves the room, returns, and declares that Zack Matheny can not vote.

The motion fails 3-5. Keep in mind this motion was only to discuss the possibility of parking discounts. A cordial conversation took place after the vote and one comment was made that they did not want to take the coliseum staffs time with this issue.

I was allowed to explain how gentle and generic the motion was and that roughly 225,000 residents of Guilford County got the same benefits of the Greensboro Coliseum with absolutley no investment. Giving the investors, you and I, some type of small incentive may generate more parking revenue and certainly could soften the next bond vote ($35M for the auditorium?) and some attitudes of the necessary hefty parking fees.

A minor issue but it would have been a major “thank you” for taxpayers.

Thanks for the update from Andrew Brown: “Hi Tony – following up on two items from today’s meeting… as part of the Coliseum’s 50^th anniversary celebration in October, a complimentary parking pass (good for any Coliseum Complex event) was included with all water bills to City residents in November.”

It seems that takes care of the implementation problem.

Joe Guarino and Ed Cone and Dave Ribar.

Posted in greensboro, gso coliseum, politics | 13 Comments »

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

February 3, 2010 – 11:55 pm

I can’t get enough of this 2008 hit starring Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, and Mila Kunis. I find myself watching it about once a month and laughing harder every time.

Some notable lines:

“and now I have the freshest cereal”

“hi”, “hi”, “hi’, “hi’, …”do you want to gag me?”, “well, yeah, now I do”

“if I know Sarah I just ruined her day”

“are those sad tissues or happy tissues?”

And if for no other reason, watch it to see the “Dracula” song below and the musical that follows later. For some mindless entertainment, this movie is a great one.

Posted in uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Contradiction in Skip Alston RECALL Story

January 29, 2010 – 10:52 am

Scooper Jordan Green says of Alston in his original story:

“Alston also denied mentioning a possible recall initiative.”

Amanda and Joe report today:

“Alston said he mentioned a recall election to the mayor as one of a number of possible results…”

Gibson, Shaw, Davis, Cashion, or Perkins would make an excellent Chairman of the Guilford County Board Of Commissioners.

Posted in greensboro, guilford county, politics | 7 Comments »

The salt trucks are ready.

January 28, 2010 – 11:41 pm

According to the local TV stations the salt trucks are ready in case we get winter weather on Friday and Saturday.

If you happened to get lucky and watch the same channel I did you would have seen salt trucks from four counties on the same screen.

Take in a deep breath, exhale, and relax. The salt trucks are ready.

Posted in uncategorized | 1 Comment »

News & Record Softens Alston Headline

January 28, 2010 – 11:33 pm

The original title of the story was something like, “Alston Accused of Threatening Mayor, Council Members Over Hotel” as you can see in the url below. That’s exciting stuff.

http://www.news-record.com/content/2010/01/27/article/alston_accused_of_threatening_mayor_council_members_over_hotel

But by print time it was softened to some sissified “Greensboro Officials Felt Pressure Over Hotel”. They could have felt pressure from that evening’s broccoli souffle. That’s boring and not a story headline.

Whichever headline applies Alston has apologized, or either expressed regret for being outed. I’m not sure which.

Posted in greensboro, guilford county, politics | 1 Comment »