Shreveport's 2014 Mayoral Candidates (credit, student loan, refrigerator)

[Chance and Change]

How do these people feel they can cycle from one high pay post between various organizations to another?

I do recall Dr. Dawkings discussing how the deterioration of school facilities had eroded over the years prior to his arrival and he said many system were more than 25 yrs behind the times. Now, how can this be over-looked.
This job is not about some Name recognition game, nor is it about cycling people who have termed out in their previous positions.

Shreveport has issue with catering to a culture of "micro-managing types", and people who are reluctant to make decisions and push a forward agenda. They look at excuses before they look at pursuing viable options to move things forward. they have a "hold people back" mentality which is pervasive. they don't want people to do the jobs, they want them to be puppets on a string, so that the ego can get stroked of the person who should be about progress. But people are not going to push anything forward, they quickly get into "job protection mode" and forget that there is much work that needs a positive push and positive progressive actions. This city did not fall by itself, it fell because of its own system and the mentalities within it.

This culture is hung up on "protocol obsessions" so deep until nothing can get done, certainly this mentality voids out the whole concept of collaborations, therefore things just continue to deteriorate. (They) stifle the system from doing what it potentially could do. Too many people are too eager to want someone to know they are in charge, until they have no idea of the power and progress that is gained through delegation.Therefore everything is left to degrade and the only things that get fixed, is when it is beyond any reasonable suitable repair, and still they put a band-aid on it.

This city did not fall by itself, it fell because of its own system and the mentalities within it. TOO MANY are afraid to make a change toward progress, so they get hung up on the fears of improving things, because no one is going to stand up for anything to get done. Many people are concerned about protecting their pension, the easiest way to do that, is do not promote change and follow the old tired and worn out methods, even while the city crumbles. If anyone does try to change something, block them, stall them out, hold them back and if that does not work, throw them under the bus, when you run over them, put it in reverse and back over them again. In a functional system, the best way to protect your pension, is to be a pro-active person who promotes change, improves process and take actions to get things done. Unfortunately; this progressive culture of "get things done" mentality exist in Bossier, but is lacking in Shreveport. Bossier understand that investing today, and fixing things today, prepares for the future, while Shreveport simply does not have that cultural mentality within its systems. Sadly, it has not existed for quite some time.
One thing is certain, we need to insure that no more Joe Shyne types on the council and no more Bryant Wooley types on the council.

NOW, WHO CAN BE A MAYOR WHICH CAN CHANGE THIS?

These things won't get fixed nor changed unless someone is in office who has the sensibilities to empower people to do the jobs and push forward with progressing things. Then mandate them to do so.

[Chance and Change]

Sad that the system is so twisted, when the people in these communities realize how much dollars they put into the Money Circulation of the City and Demand some Respect for their communities, only then will there be change, but it has to be both City and Regional State Reps, who need to stand up, speak and and work to change these things.

No outside force will do it for them. Time has proven that fact for generations.

[Chilly Gentilly]

Any thoughts on Shreveport's new mayor, Ollie Tyler?

[BeenThereDunThat]

Oh I think she'll do as she's done in her other past jobs. Except unlike state education jobs, she'll have to deal with a divisive city council and discover that she'll have to do more than just show up and occupy an office. Plus you know her handlers will give her a script to follow.

[Dr Dough]

I agree that it'll be extremely challenging for her to make any progress. The city council is a disaster, and the city has been so poorly managed for so long, it would take the rest of her life to fix all of the problems Shreveport has.

I do feel she was probably the most "qualified" and I use that term loosely. Most of the other candidates seemed way WAY WWAAAYY out of their league in those laughable debates - most of them seemed like they just woke up in the morning and decided they wanted to run for mayor.

I mean seriously Ollie what's first on the list?

The Roads?
Downtown?
Water/Sewer?
Dog Park Drama?
Fire Dept Scandal?
Corrupt political leaders?
The increasing homeless population?
Misappropriation of city funds?


Just to name a few.... and I'm sure others can add to it.

GOOD LUCK OLLIE - you'll need it!

[Chilly Gentilly]

In a city like Shreveport, where political-musical chairs is the norm, residents have to know they're getting more of the same...which is NOTHING, but a new face to make lofty promises. What happened to "Next Great City of the South"??

Speaking of, does anyone know of Cedric's current ambitions? I'm curious.

[BeenThereDunThat]

I believe I've stated here before that Ms Tyler's had a really good history of getting high-level jobs, hanging in there for a few years and then bailing when the going got tough. Her main accomplishment has been at self-promotion as I've not found anything in her resume to indicate she did more than show up and not get fired. It's been pointed out that when she was interim superintendent of Caddo Schools... enrollment dropped, test scores dropped, costs rose.... and she couldn't deal with the pressures of a divisive school board... so she left. Why anyone thinks this will be a different experience as mayor with the city council... is simply absurd. It will be a repeat as it is the classic scenario for the "definition of insanity". But then again, Shreveport gets what it seems to deserve as far as political leadership is concerned. Nothing new here.

Incidentally...if you want to learn more about the new mayor's background as education administrator and the people around her who have benefited from their association... take a gander at this link:

http://forward-now.com/2014/08/01/th...uperintendent/

[BeenThereDunThat]

Originally Posted by Chilly Gentilly

In a city like Shreveport, where political-musical chairs is the norm, residents have to know they're getting more of the same...which is NOTHING, but a new face to make lofty promises. What happened to "Next Great City of the South"??

Speaking of, does anyone know of Cedric's current ambitions? I'm curious.

Maybe he'll learn to manage city municipal bonds

[JWG223]

Originally Posted by Chilly Gentilly

In a city like Shreveport, where political-musical chairs is the norm, residents have to know they're getting more of the same...which is NOTHING, but a new face to make lofty promises. What happened to "Next Great City of the South"??

Speaking of, does anyone know of Cedric's current ambitions? I'm curious.

Was Shreveport actually ever called that? Article?
Probably BBQ, buffets, etc.

[JWG223]

Originally Posted by Dr Dough

I agree that it'll be extremely challenging for her to make any progress. The city council is a disaster, and the city has been so poorly managed for so long, it would take the rest of her life to fix all of the problems Shreveport has.

I do feel she was probably the most "qualified" and I use that term loosely. Most of the other candidates seemed way WAY WWAAAYY out of their league in those laughable debates - most of them seemed like they just woke up in the morning and decided they wanted to run for mayor.

I mean seriously Ollie what's first on the list?

The Roads?
Downtown?
Water/Sewer?
Dog Park Drama?
Fire Dept Scandal?
Corrupt political leaders?
The increasing homeless population?
Misappropriation of city funds?


Just to name a few.... and I'm sure others can add to it.

GOOD LUCK OLLIE - you'll need it!

The Mayor does not operate in a vaccuum, as I am sure you know. Noone can fix Shreveport. It's like trying to bring peace to the Gaza Strip. The citizens are a mess, the politicians are a mess, it's just a proto-Detroit on a smaller scale.