TIMES Endorses Pam Cap for Mayor

Northwest Indiana Times
EDITORIAL: We pick Cap for Calumet City mayor

| Friday, April 03, 2009
The ballot doesn't reflect it, but Calumet City voters have a choice to make in the mayor's race. Incumbent Mayor Michelle Markiewicz Qualkinbush faces write-in candidate Pam Cap.

It's a difficult choice, but only because neither candidate is exactly what is needed for the changing city.

To her credit, Qualkinbush has been working on the mess she inherited when her predecessor was forced out of office and into the prison system.

She recognizes the need to cut payroll, which is good.

Cap, on the other hand, wants to beef up the public works payroll, saying the city would save money by reversing the outsourcing Qualkinbush put in place. Maybe her math adds up and she is right, but it's an issue needing to be scrutinized carefully to make sure it's a smart decision. We're concerned about it.

Cap, a police sergeant, understandably has some concerns about the way law enforcement works in the city. Officers need to re-establish personal, positive relationships with citizens, she said. Cap would reorganize the department, starting with the chief. Make sure to remember that Cap wanted to be chief but was passed over by Qualkinbush.

Qualkinbush, in discussing police issues, focuses on the River Oaks Shopping Center area. She wants to be sure this tax-generating center remains safe and accessible.

We like Cap's idea of riverwalks along the Grand Calumet and Little Calumet rivers, complete with good restaurants, but she needs a plan on how this can happen.

Qualkinbush recognizes the city's economic development challenges. "It's tough being two blocks from Indiana," she told us. "Sales taxes are less" on the Indiana side. How true.

Our decision in this race did not come without considerable discussion.

Qualkinbush hasn't shined. We're not sure about Cap's motives, but she does raise some serious questions about the city and offers specific suggestions for places to cut spending and how to achieve economic development.

Frankly, while either candidate can do the job of mayor, neither offers the strong leadership the city needs.

With reservations, we give Cap a slight nod to be mayor of Calumet City. Your opinion, please
Who would you choose for mayor of Calumet City? Why?
Share your thoughts at http://nwi.com/opinion

I'd vote for Michelle for 2 reasons....

1)She has the experience of running the city. Cap doesn't.

2) Cap wasn't even smart enough to figure out that her name couldn't be put on the ballot.

Artie60438 wrote:

I'd vote for Michelle for 2 reasons....

1)She has the experience of running the city. Cap doesn't.

2) Cap wasn't even smart enough to figure out that her name couldn't be put on the ballot.

1) Right, she ran the city into the ground. Crime, and her salary are up. My "fat little mayor makes $150,000 per year.
2) The only reason she got bumped off the ballot, is because the Election Board was chaired by Qualkenbush, the City Clerk, and a sitting alderman. She used the excuse that Cap is a cop so she can't run for mayor. So Qualkenbush knocked her off the ballot and thought she'd run unopposed. I hope she gets her ass kicked.

LoisLane wrote:

The only reason she got bumped off the ballot, is because the Election Board was chaired by Qualkenbush, the City Clerk, and a sitting alderman. She used the excuse that Cap is a cop so she can't run for mayor. So Qualkenbush knocked her off the ballot and thought she'd run unopposed. I hope she gets her ass kicked.

That's not what happened...

Court knocks Cap off Cal City ballot
BY GREGORY TEJEDA
Times Corespondent | Tuesday, February 17, 2009

CHICAGO | A three-judge panel of the Illinois Appellate Court ruled against the mayoral campaign of Calumet City Police Sgt Pam Cap, saying that notifying the members of the electoral board and not the city clerk wasn't sufficient.

The Appeals Court heard arguments from attorneys for Cap, Kellie Nelson, and a city clerk candidate and whose electoral board removed both from the Feb 24 Democratic primary.

The appellate court panel said it was focused strictly on the matter of whether officials were notified properly because" "There can be no jurisdiction (of the courts) if there was not strict compliance with the election code," said Appellate Justice Patrick J Quinn.
http://nwitimes.com/articles/2009/02/17//updates/breaking_news/doc499b3acf14206642773593.txt

Artie60438 wrote:

LoisLane wrote:

The only reason she got bumped off the ballot, is because the Election Board was chaired by Qualkenbush, the City Clerk, and a sitting alderman. She used the excuse that Cap is a cop so she can't run for mayor. So Qualkenbush knocked her off the ballot and thought she'd run unopposed. I hope she gets her ass kicked.

That's not what happened...

Court knocks Cap off Cal City ballot
BY GREGORY TEJEDA
Times Corespondent | Tuesday, February 17, 2009

CHICAGO | A three-judge panel of the Illinois Appellate Court ruled against the mayoral campaign of Calumet City Police Sgt Pam Cap, saying that notifying the members of the electoral board and not the city clerk wasn't sufficient.

The Appeals Court heard arguments from attorneys for Cap, Kellie Nelson, and a city clerk candidate and whose electoral board removed both from the Feb 24 Democratic primary.

The appellate court panel said it was focused strictly on the matter of whether officials were notified properly because" "There can be no jurisdiction (of the courts) if there was not strict compliance with the election code," said Appellate Justice Patrick J Quinn.
http://nwitimes.com/articles/2009/02/17//updates/breaking_news/doc499b3acf14206642773593.txt

It was apples and oranges, and a trivial point. Qualkenbush is actually worse than Genova was. You wouldn't believe the stupid little projects she has in store with this city that haven't been made public.

...and this is what I POSTED Feb. 16th, Entitled, "It's a shame"

"Most (electoral boards) are reasonable, but because we have so many, we have a lot of problems," said Orr who testified before the House Elections Committee in Springfield Wednesday. "We've got problems with delays, problems with politics. As (one lawmaker) said today, it's nuts because we have all these people recusing themselves because you have incumbents ruling on the properness of their opponents' petitions."
One option is for Orr's office to assume the duties of local electoral boards. That way, professionals who know election code and court precedent would rule on ballot challenges.
"I'm not looking for more work, but we have a serious problem that is really not in the public interest," Orr said. "It's pretty sad and a betrayal of democratic values" when newcomers get kicked off the ballot for technical, political reasons.
McLaughlin's slate faces mayoral challenger Gerald Maher, Patrice Pykett for clerk and Kenneth Wzorek, Kenneth Houston and Marian Klemme for trustees. They followed tradition in Cook County by objecting to their opponents' petitions for petty reasons. It's really a waste of time.
I don't favor one side or the other in Orland Park's election. I would be writing the same column had McLaughlin's slate tried to remove Maher's slate from the ballot for silly reasons.
The point is, electoral boards need to be revamped or erased altogether. The list of candidates and potential candidates scatched out by their local electoral boards is long and tired.
A police sergeant in Calumet City, Pam Cap, is dangling by threads in her battle to challenge incumbent mayor Michelle Qualkinbush. She has resorted to the courts, but time is running out.
If we're going to talk about election reform and campaign funding all the rest, let's start where it really counts - in your towns.
Do away with electoral boards. It's a start.


http://www.southtownstar.com/news/mcqueary/1426552,021209mcqueary.article

How can Ms. Qualkinbush look at herself in the mirror each morning?
UrRight

If she won, after the complete taliation of votes, she won by being a snake. Period. Many elderly people that don't read the newspapers were mislead when she offered that free lunch at Tom's and bussed to the polling places.

If you still have your same mayor, and want to complain, blame it on yourself if you found it too difficult to go out and vote for "change". Any other person, other than Qualk would have been better. Seems it slipped the minds of voters that they (Qualk and her herd of cattle) already own businesses, but now are entitled to life-long insurance/medical plans that far exceed what Enron (who went bust) ever offered their own employees, or the CEO's themselves.

What gives me satisfaction is that if Qualk comes out the winner, it was due to her own mis-deeds. Her own terms of "endearment" for herself. She's the same flake that left office before she took over.

The night of the election, I happened to have been at Memorial Drive and Wentworth, waiting to make a left. Right in front of Memorial Park, a couple of squad cars had 4 gang-bangers sprawled with their hands down on the trunk of their car...I couldn't help but pull over and watch, wondering if this was a publicity stunt since it was down a block from Pam Capp's office.

I then read Friday's edition of NWITimes, on-line, and read that they were being frisked because of so called throwing bricks, fights, with rival gang members. Then the election turn-out made sense to me, because it was stated that this had been occuring for some time, now, though never exposed in the newspaper. Well, if it's that bad where you see the pants hanging half-way down their butts, and smiling while the cops were behind them frisking them, do you really expect their parents to be "SO CONCERNED" to vote?

If Qualkinbush wins, she didn't win anything but a good life insurance policy, big retirement funds, and the best medical care in the world.

I don't feel sorry for the Calumet City that is no longer. I feel sorry for those that can't sell and get the hell out and give her a reason to a mayor that just doesn't care about anyone but herself and supporting her Enron-type CEO insurance policy in place for not just her, but the rest of the money-hunger mongers that already own businesses in Cal City. You have to be nuts to want to stay there, and you have my sympathy, if you are forced to stay because of this ridiculous economy brought forth by someone who declared, "Change". He in fact, the Messiah, wants to focus on "housing". Bring it on!

I in fact hope Obama believes so strongly as a community activist to preach his talk and open the doors to all the winos, the destitute, the poor.....to walk his talk. Here I go again...going from a mayor to the President of the USA who had no comment on the American stuck in a red floater boat, with snipers aiming, waiting for his approval, and he told a reporter, when asked about it, "I'm focusing on housing". Well, open the White House to make your point....Good God, help these poor politicians help the "poor".

I wish Michelle would give in and walk her talk...take in a few gangbangers and make a half-way house in the house she doesn't live in. And, it's a fact well-known, she doesn't reside there.

Ask Big White Guy, he mentioned it on the board. He is reputable. He wouldn't state it without facts or proof.

So, good luck residents of Cal City, to those who didn't bother to vote. My sympathy towards the elderly they so easily manipulated.

You didn't win as a public servant, Ms. Qaulkinbush. You manipulated the system to make sure you won. You gave hardly anyone a choice. I wonder how you can look yourself in the eye, knowing you didn't give your city a choice. By trickery.

Read the posting I made on Feb. 16th, and you will understand HOW Qualkinbush won. She was not elected based on integrity. Only "trickery" and "manipulation".

UrRight wrote:

Read the posting I made on Feb. 16th, and you will understand HOW Qualkinbush won. She was not elected based on integrity. Only "trickery" and "manipulation".

Yeah right It's not Michelle's fault that Cap was too stupid to figure out that her name wouldn't be allowed on the ballot.

Meanwhile,the Times also endorsed Don Sciackitano in Lansing who lost.

So, is it official? Is Pam really not the winner? Wasn't it to be confirmed later this month?

It's not official yet. The final totals are supposed to be announced today,but Michelle won reelection in a landslide.

Qualkinbush emerges as winner in Cal City mayoral race
By Times Staff | Wednesday, April 08, 2009 |
CALUMET CITY | Incumbent Calumet City Mayor Michelle Markiewicz Qualkinbush won Tuesday's election, beating write-in candidate Calumet City police Sgt. Pam Cap.

According to unofficial results from the Cook County Clerk's Office, Qualkinbush garnered 2,962 votes or 59.47 percent of the vote. Voters cast 2,019 write-in ballots, about 40.53 percent of the vote.

The actual number of write-in votes for Cap will not be available until about April 22.
http://www.nwi.com/articles/2009/04/08/updates/breaking_news/doc49dd0af2569db659857295.txt

And DON'T forget this that not only happened in Cal City but other communities, which caused this remark/reaction:

"I'm not looking for more work, but we have a serious problem that is really not in the public interest," Orr said. "It's pretty sad and a betrayal of democratic values" when newcomers get kicked off the ballot for technical, political reasons.

She didn't win, regardless of how she won.

"She," meaning Qack and the seven business men or alderman who get paid for controlling the votes.

They are brown-noses all because their own business(es) would never DREAM of offering their OWN employees what they get in benefits, and including HEALTH INSURANCE.

Remember when they were for legalizing immigration or at some point, making it legal for whomever was here? Check Nick's kitchen. Betcha can't find one legal immigrant cooking up that food. In fact, the greeters are paid "CASH," no salary. Always been that way, unless he got wise before someone called it to his attention. He was my friend until I found out the illegal crap going on in the grill part. But, he has Enron benefits, while owning a sucessful business, gets paid as an alderman where the cops congregate, and gets paid Enron health benefits? I can't figure out why Qualk and him just don't admit where they really live, and whom they hire illegally. I have my facts, my proof.

Ask them to debate me before they dispute me. Everyone knows what goes on in Cal City, even when they pass so called state laws. They find ways around it, and remain silent when other businesses do what they do to protect their businesses. It's no secret...I found out..and it didn't take long.

Maybe it's time to expose it to the States Attorney, Lisa Madigan. When you smell skunks, there are skuks. Time to rig Phil Kadner/Kristen McQuery's phone.

And I don't care who you voted for. They're liars.