Chris Fox TV Spot

Mayoral Debate Last Night

Paul Foer hosted a debate for Mayoral candidates last night, and you know the rule--when more than 1 candidate is in the same place, we write about it! Paul, realizing that writing about his own debate would constitute "100% bullshit", asked me to write a bit about the event. In return, I promised to keep the BS level to between 20%-44%.

All of the candidates were repeatedly invited. Six of the nine attended: Cohen, Fox, McFall, Pierre, Renaut, and Shropshire. Don't know where Cordle was. Don't know where Sears-Deppa was. Word is that Wayne Taylor was hosting his own meet and greet somewhere.

The debate was much more moderated than the recent HACA forum. Paul asked questions, either of his choice or submitted by the audience, and would interrupt candidates if they answered something that was not the question, or if they exceeded their time, or if they were "grandstanding". (Josh Cohen requested permission to grandstand, to which Paul replied "don't you always?"). The candidates were all able to practice avoiding a question when an audience member asked what they knew about "corporate memory" and "city employee hiring practices". Now, I switched from the business school to the behavioral & social sciences school halfway through college, but I have never heard of 'corporate memory'. The person who asked that question must have been some kind of consultant.

I thought the debate went well, with the first half focusing on general things, and the second half focusing on transportation. The candidates reaffirmed their positions on the city manager, and the budget woes. Regarding transportation, the general agreement was that the bus system, ADA compliance, sidewalk usability, and overall management of transportation was laughable. One could argue that Paul interjected a bit more of his own philosophy than was appropriate. One could more successfully argue that Paul has been building credibility on a wide variety of issues, and mentioned those issues to spur debate. One could most successfully argue that a bit of interjection made the debate entertaining, which is a requirement when listening to 6 people talk about the same thing for 2 hours.

Here's what I thought about the candidates' performances:

Josh Cohen:

Josh was characteristically somber and well informed on the issues. Perhaps in a reflection of his personality, he suggested that the reason the city and county haven't been able to get along is that the city has failed to approach the county in a position of humility.

Best Moment: Candidates were asked to distinguish themselves from the candidate sitting to their right, an apparent attempt to get them to attack each other. Josh was sitting at the end of the table, with nobody to his right, and Shropshire was sitting at the other end of the table. Josh got up and said "Sorry Sam, but you are not to my right". Get it? More liberal? Political humor!

Three Word Summary of Closing Statement: Development, Spending, Attitude.

Chris Fox:

Chris is looking more and more comfortable as he participates in more events. He hasn't had as much experience in political-type events, which actually benefits him at these events because he hasn't had experience lying to the public or failing to answer questions. He stuck to the platform he has been developing: let's save money wherever possible, let's bring professional city management, let's bring common sense to government: such as equipping buses with air conditioning.

Best Moment: When asked how he is different from the other candidates, he looked at the other candidates, smiled, and said "I'm the only one here who's guaranteed to be on the general election ballot". The audience laughed, as did the other candidates--certainly a nervous laughter that reminded them of their tough fight ahead.

Three Word Summary of Closing Statement: Common Sense Decisions.

Trudy McFall:

In 11th grade speech class, we could win our debates either on content or on "speaker points". I think Trudy did really well on speaker points. She smiled a lot, was engaging, and communicated her vision reasonably well. She made it a point to emphasize 2 things: her attendance and involvement in even the most laborious city meetings, and her experience running both public and private organizations.

Best Moment: "I started my business like most small businesses start--sitting with my co-founder at a desk in a small room with my entire life on the line, determined to make it work".

Three Word Summary of Closing Statement: Experience Running Organizations.

Zina Pierre:

Zina does well at these events and this was no exception. She doesn't support the city manager, but made efforts to reassure voters that accountability would be maintained under her administration. She seems to keep locals in mind, making sure to oppose the idea of moving a city ladder truck nearer to Parole, saying that seniors in a nearby 6-story high-rise would be put in greater danger.

Best Moment: When talking about transportation, Zina went on a bit of a tangent. Paul interrupted her, reminding her that the question was about her experience with the bus system. 'Our bus system sucks' was her response, and then she sat down, realizing that no further elaboration was needed.

Three Word Summary of Closing Statement: Reform, Revitalization, Reinvestment.

Gil Renaut:

Gil's style is what I envision my style would be were I to run for office. He answers the questions without a lot of flash or puff, and is able to convey vast knowledge of the issues and vast sense in approaching problems. He does well to position himself as a Democrat candidate somewhat unique from the other candidates, perhaps more conservative than his primary election opponents.

Best Moment: When talking about the city manager, Cohen said there would always be politics in local government, to which Gil responded 'I think we can take the politics out of potholes'.

Three Word Summary of Closing Statement: Bring People Together.

Sam Shropshire:

Sam was certainly the most grandiose of the candidates, offering passionate and typically idealistic justifications for his policies. In some instances he seemed to stick to his rehearsed views on general topics rather than address the specific questions, even when abruptly interrupted by Paul for doing just that.

Best Moment: An audience member asked about the Market House, saying 'how did this happen? It wasn't just the mayor...the council voted on it', to which Sam replied 'yes, there were 7 or 9 votes for Site Realty, but we were 7 or 9 unprofessionals and we didn't know what we were doing'.

Three Word Summary of Closing Statement: No Tax Cap.

Baltimore Sun Profiles Chris Fox

See HERE for the original article or read below for the text.

By Olivia Bobrowsky
July 19, 2009

Chris Fox landed his first job before he turned 7. He took up a paper route, mowed lawns, shoveled snow and then served hot dogs on a street corner in Washington from the age of 12 to 19.

In all those years, the 35-year-old Annapolis resident said he never wanted to get into politics.

That was before he left his stand, bounced around the hospitality industry and opened an Irish pub on Church Circle in 2002. Since then, repeatedly trekking up to city hall to fight business policies made him grow tired of the current administration.

He quit complaining in 2007 and started a petition to join the 2009 mayoral race. Five-hundred signatures later, the independent candidate is officially on the ballot.

"Our nation was founded by regular people who were mistreated by their leaders," Fox said. "We need to stand up and fight."

Although Fox's fight stems from his business grievances, his biggest issue concerns the proposed city manager form of government. He's encouraging Annapolitans to sign the petition to push forth the referendum, and said if he's elected, he'll hire a professional city manager right away.

But he clarified that it's not enough to change the title of city administrator and call it a day. If he's elected, he said he'll make sure the city manager focuses on day-to-day operations, including the budget - giving aldermen more accountability.

A city manager would have had the oversight to sidestep the Market House issue, he said. But it's too late for what-ifs, so Fox has developed a comprehensive, long-term plan for the property. He wants to divide Market House into two parts, a cold side and a hot side. A wall would separate a fresh market and deli from vendors who serve hot food.

"When you have pizza next to flowers and fudge, the airspace is never going to work," he said. A malfunctioning heating-and-cooling system led to a legal battle over the property in 2006. "I've had structural engineers look at my plan and they say it's very feasible and cost effective."

Fox urges the city to avoid a long-term deal regarding Market House until the next administration takes over. Then, he wants the space filled with locally owned and employed shops.

Annapolis' businesses come into play again as part of Fox's proposed solution to the city's public housing problem. He wants to get physically and mentally capable residents out of public housing and into local jobs through a tax credit program.

"It's not feasible for them to drive in a car to Baltimore or D.C. to go to work," he said. "Local businesses have to be part of the solution."

Eric Brown, the executive director of Annapolis' Housing Authority, said Fox's solution is "worthwhile" to explore, although it all banks on whether the city can afford it.

"The Housing Authority is looking to continue a partnership with the city with respect to enhancing affordable housing opportunities in the area," said Brown, who doesn't endorse any candidate.

In order to fund such a program, which Fox proposes would reward businesses with a one-time tax credit of $2,000 per public-housing resident hired, Fox emphasized the need to cut expenditures. For example, he said, the city's decision to spend $75,000 predicting where the water level will be in (ninety-)five years was excessive.

Still, he doesn't support the proposed cap on property taxes. He'd like to lower the taxes, if possible, but said imposing a limit is irresponsible.

"You can't handcuff local government into making necessary expenditures," he said. "What if they [government officials] have to raise taxes by a penny and they can't do it?"

All of these issues, he said, revolve around common sense, a message that's reflected in his campaign theme. If he were in office at the time, he never would have let Market House sign a 20-year lease with Site Realty, he said. And if he's ever in office, he'll make sure no business has to suffer all the little headaches he's had as owner of the Sly Fox Pub.

Joe Mack, an Annapolis real estate appraiser who has known Fox for about seven years, said Fox will serve the city well even though he's never been involved with politics.

"His lack of experience is one of his greatest attributes because he doesn't have any serious political affiliation," Mack said. "There's no room for partisan politics in a small city government."

Experienced people are the ones responsible for most of Annapolis' misfortunes, Fox said.

"We need someone who loves this town and has a good vision regardless of experience," he said. "I don't think anyone is more qualified."

Fox Officially Files Candidacy

Yesterday, Chris Fox filed a certificate of candidacy, and officially became the first candidate to qaulify for the general election.

Candidates who run as a Republican or Democrat have to participate in the primary election process, and a continuously updated list of those candidates can be seen HERE. As an independent, Fox had to obtain 500 signatures from registered city voters, with a minimum of 5o from each ward. The signature drive took the Fox campaign to hundreds of doors in each of the wards, and its recent completion signifies a spot on the general election ballot.

I am providing you with the following press release for further enjoyment:

Chris Fox
www.FoxForMayor.com

Press Statement Contact: Devin Heritage
FOR IMMEDIATE RELASE 301-717-0167
JULY 2, 2009 devin@foxformayor.com

Independent Candidate Fox Officially Files Candidacy

Annapolis, MD – Chris Fox officially filed for candidacy to run for the elected position of Mayor of Annapolis, Maryland today. Fox is running as an independent candidate, which requires him to secure 500 signatures from registered voters in the City of Annapolis in order for his name to appear on the ballot this Fall.

On June 30, 2009, the City of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County approved Fox’s petition to run for Mayor of Annapolis. Fox is a longtime downtown resident and business owner that believes the partisan bickering at City Hall has only hurt residents of Annapolis.

“Republicans and Democrats vote along party lines; it is my fear that the council all too often considers other motives when voting on legislation.” Fox stated, “When voting the only consideration should be ‘What is best for Annapolis?’”

Fox plans to run a grass roots campaign focusing on a number of key issues but not limited to:

· A need for a City Manager form of government
· A reduction in property taxes through government transparency
· Creation of a thriving market place
· Providing a clear path through job placement for residents of public housing.

Bio for Chris Fox:

Chris was born in Prince George's County, the 13th of 16 children. He now resides in downtown Annapolis, where he has lived for the better part of the last 14 years.

After working in the restaurant industry around the country for several years, Chris opened Sly Fox Pub with his brother Andrew Fox in 2002. The brothers revitalized a historic property on Franklin St. and Church Circle, setting out to create a casual atmosphere to serve locals and offer a refreshing alternative to the downtown restaurant scene. It was this business venture that sparked Chris's interest in politics. Frustrated with the city's policies towards local businesses, Chris began to follow the political process. Fox soon came to the conclusion that being part of the decision process ultimately results in better solutions. It is this commitment that drives his mayoral campaign.

Chris is not what you would expect from a politician--far from it. Fox is what you would expect your neighbor to be: concerned about the community, unafraid to tell it like it is, and willing to fight for his beliefs. Fox understands that some may characterize his current political experience as a disadvantage, however, Fox feels the city of Annapolis can only benefit from a Mayor unbiased by party lines and focused on the needs of Annapolitans. Annapolis voters can bring about the day when an elected official is finally able to bring common sense to government.

Fox For Mayor

So, as you may know I am the campaign manager for Chris Fox, who is running for Mayor this cycle. I am not going to use this blog to campaign because these are my opinions and not Chris' opinions.

That being said, I am going to publicize his web site right now because (1) I want him to win and (2) I designed the website from scratch, and I am proud that it functions. I previously knew nothing about web design, and now I know 1% of everything there is to know about the web design, which makes me a web design expert.

The site is foxformayor.com, and you can certainly make donations*. But remember, my thoughts are on this site, and Chris' thoughts are on his site.

(*subtle hint)