Laurie Cole Thinks You Are Stupid
Laurie Cole thinks you are stupid. Huh? That sure sounds inflammatory! No, it's not inflammatory. Let us explain. Cole is a smart woman. She has a law degree. She appeared on the TV show Jeopardy. She obviously has enough brainpower to know right from wrong. Unfortunately, Laurie Cole's arrogance blinds her to doing the right thing.
Laurie Cole at Recent Council Work Session
How do we justify these statements about Cole? Watch how she "finesses" a simple question with lawyeresque dodges and half-truths in this video:
As we said yesterday, this video shows a clear leadership distinction between Cole and Council challenger Blair Jenkins. But, let's break down Cole's words from the video. She was asked a REAL simple question:
QUESTION: The historic district has more houses which are not historic than which are historic. Why not just designate the individual houses as historic instead of a whole neighborhood? You allowed the old firehouse [on Church Street] to be torn down which was historic. Comments?
1. Cole states in the video that since a lawsuit is pending against the District she can have no comment. She says it's not for her to say anything.
Our comment: What does a lawsuit pending have to do with anything? Mrs. Cole you make the laws in Vienna. You are the legislator. Don't you have the ability to stand up and solve problems or is your solution to let the courts do your job for you?
2. Cole states in the video that the District was adopted to recognize one of the original residential neighborhoods in Vienna. She says it is a neighborhood district and is not directed toward particular houses.
Our comment: This is a flat out lie. Mrs. Cole has voted against two new houses in the District since 2004. She voted no twice without any objective rationale. So while Cole says the code itself does not direct toward individual houses, Laurie Cole clearly directs her votes against individual houses. Who will Cole punish next?
3. Cole states in the video that the District is "meant to preserve OR protect OR reflect OR recognize a part of Vienna's history and so it is a neighborhood based ordinance"
Our comment: Here is where Cole's arrogance really shines. Here is where she really thinks everyone is stupid. Under Cole's logic the District is to preserve OR protect OR reflect OR recognize. Which is it Mrs. Cole? Do you pick the one you feel good about that day? Does the Historic District law just blow in the wind? In terms of so-called 'preservation', reflect on Cole's prior words here.
4. Cole states in the video, "It [the District] is valid under the State of Virginia laws until proven otherwise."
Our Comment: Leaders should lead. Leaders should not "hint" that there might be a problem with a law - they should fix it. These kinds of "pass the buck" answers make Vienna look bad. Did anyone on the current Council offer any insight regarding the Historic District? Unlike Cole, Edythe Kelleher did give an answer:
We would like to see Kelleher expand more, but at least she did not nonsensically plead the fifth like Laurie Cole.
Comments
Exactly! The Windover Heights Historic District is a 'neighborhood-based recognition' of an original Town neighborhood, but that's as far as it will go. The 'preserve' and 'protect' nonsense came along when the history buffs setup their WHHD committee and turned historic neighborhood recognition i.e. street signs into a three ring circus of arbitrary, capricious, and unsubstantiated private property zoning regulation. Show me the State of Virginia law that permits this!
Speak to the issue, Ms. Cole... we are not stupid. As our elected Town government representative, you are expected to lead and to not blindly uphold faulty precedent. Your penchant for the status quo typifies our Town government, it is your safe harbor and is why the politics seem never to change in Vienna... but this stagnation ignores our problems and concerns, and does not lead us forward to solutions and progress. Change is inevitable; progress is not. Service without real leadership may win you votes today, but it fails us all tomorrow.
Posted by: Town Resident | April 13, 2006 10:01 AM
Ditto. Well said.
Posted by: Concerned Citizen | April 13, 2006 12:02 PM
Cole is fighting a fight that most intelligent citizens don't want. They would rather see our resources and energy used on issues that Vienna needs real solutions for and not wasting another darned cent on some neighborhood squabble that has forced lawsuits. And where has this got us? More tax dollars used to defend a stupid district when we could use those dollars to help Vienna! I think it's time to get rid of the whole mess. This district has nothing to do with real historicity and don't give me any more of that "the district is a district of boundaries" garbage. If you want to fight with this logic, make the whole Town a historic district and see how you like it. Heck, we can even have historic traffic lights and historic parking signs. What a joke. Get on with life and open your eyes to the issues Vienna is faced with and dump this district. We need better leadership and decisions in Vienna. It's refreshing to see citizens finally trying to fight for what is right in Vienna and not just be more Robinson-Cole pawns. To listen to Cole, she would have you think that she is trying to defend us from "something", but she refuses to admit that she has something to do with this whole mess!
Posted by: Town Voter | April 14, 2006 08:08 AM