Here’s your slate of transit-friendly candidates, according to RichmondRail.org:
The RichmondRail political action committee (RRail GPAC) has endorsed the following candidates for Houston City Council and Controller. These candidates have told the committee that
* they will support the Richmond-to-Cummins alignment for the University light rail line if chosen by the METRO board, and
* they have pledged to work with the City and METRO to make the resulting street as attractive and pedestrian-friendly as possible.Candidate endorsements for 2007 City of Houston elections
City Controller: Annise Parker
City Council, At-Large Position 1: Peter Brown
City Council, At-Large Position 2: Sue Lovell
City Council, At-Large Position 3: Melissa Noriega
City Council, At-Large Position 4: no endorsement
City Council, At-Large Position 5: Jolanda Jones
City Council, At-Large Position 5: Joe Trevino
City Council, District A: no endorsement
City Council, District B: Kenneth Perkins
City Council, District C: Anne Clutterbuck
City Council, District C: Alfred Molison
City Council, District D: Wanda Adams
City Council, District D: Keith Caldwell
City Council, District E: William Williams
City Council, District F: M.J. Khan
City Council, District G: no endorsement
City Council, District H: Adrian Garcia
City Council, District I: no endorsementBackground
Surveys were sent to all candidates running in the November 6 City of Houston elections. Candidates were asked the following questions:* Do you support Rail on Richmond from Main to Cummins?
* Will you vote to approve the franchise agreements necessary to allow for the construction of rail on Richmond from Main to Cummins?
* Will you work for, and vote to fund, such improvements along Richmond Avenue in order to make our new light rail system truly neighborhood and pedestrian friendly?
* Will you partner with Metro and the Community to develop meaningful programs to mitigate the negative impacts of the light rail projects?RRail GPAC supports all candidates whose responses were in alignment with the committee.
I asked why there were no endorsements in either the Mayor’s race or in At Large #4, and was told that it was due to a lack of response to the survey; the Mayor’s office told them they are not doing candidate questionnaires this year because they got so many of them. So there you have it.