The First Ponyville Mayoral Debate! (Open: Read the Rules)

[SteelEagle]

                                                                                                   


The Mayor nodded as she searched for the next question. "Candidate Rich, If Ponyville is hit with an economic crisis, what is the first program you cut? Or, do you choose to raise revenues, and how?"

[Blueblood]

 

"By preference, a small but even cut across all expenditures."  Spoiled was quick to respond; this was very much in her wheelhouse, and an issue which she'd dedicated thought to even before considering being a mayoral candidate.  "It never struck me as wise to increase compulsory taxation during hard times, but special requests for donations to cover potential shortfalls would probably be employed in acute cases.  I am pleased to say that Ponyville's town government already runs without any great deal of unnecessary or inefficient expenditure, but that does mean that there are no non-essential programs that make for easy targets in a crisis.  That's based off the current budget, by the way; obviously any proposed investment or development spending increases I would enact would have to be put on hold to handle and stabilize the situation."

[StrongCopper]

It was something about the political scene that Strong Copper had never really understood; Why they couldn't just answer 'I don't know, but I intend to find out' if they legit didn't know the answer to the question? One would think that a small show of humility and honesty would be respected.

 

At any rate, the next question came and he cleared his throat a little before answering. "If you do not mind me asking, what exactly has caused the economic crisis in the first place?  Which businesses and industries in particular have been hit and are currently in more trouble then the others?" He paused for a moment before letting his gaze wonder over the crowd before continuing "As much as I would love to give a clear cut answer to the question, the truth is that my response would be dependent on the situation itself. The goal would be to try and stabilize the situation in Ponyville before it had a chance to spiral out of control and in the name of that sometimes budgets have to be tightened or new sources of revenue have to be found.  All I can promise is that if the situation arises, I will seek out the council of those more educated in how to bring the economy back into balance and try and develop the best plan possible for the circumstances."

[SteelEagle]

                                                                                                     

"Candidate Copper," the Mayor began quickly to make up for lost time, "how would you rate the job performance of Princess Twilight Sparkle, and do you think there is more Canterlot can do to support our town?"

[StrongCopper]

"Considering that without Princess Sparkle there is a very real possibility that the Equestria most of us have grown up in wouldn't be here anymore,  I think it goes without question that she has done a pretty good job so far. I haven't had the pleasure of meeting her myself, but from what I've been able to gleam she'll continue to try her hardest to do the best she can going forward." Was all that Copper felt like needed to be said in relation to the first part of that question. He did however take a moment to consider his answer for the second through.

 

"Do I believe that there is more that Canterlot could be doing to support Ponyville? Absolutely. Will it? That's... more complicated." The look on Strong Copper's face was that of someone who understood the issue from both sides... and there was a good chance that one side didn't want to hear what the other had to say. "While I have little doubt that Princess Sparkle's positive relationship with Ponyville will see it getting a bit more support then would normally be expected, she is now in charge of all of Equestria. From the smallest and most humble of hamlets to the sprawling cities, most of them will be trying to compete for her time, attention and resources... all three of which are limited resources and can only be spread so far."

 

"So while I will more then happily accept whatever resources and support that Canterlot can offer, but I strongly believe Ponyville should strive to be as self sustaining as possible. The less involvement we need from the Princess, the less stressful her job will be and the more she can focus on areas that aren't as well off as us."

[Blueblood]

 

Now here was an interesting question, but also a somewhat delicate one.  While Spoiled Rich had many and varied opinions about the influence of Princess Twilight upon Ponyville, she couldn't afford to be as free with them here as at the Rich family dinner table.  The purple pony was popular here, and it was altogether for the best to trade up on that favor, rather than waste political capital trying to tamp it down.  Fortunately, the way Mayor Mare phrased the question allowed her to take a tack on the question.

 

"It all depends on if you're asking about Canterlot the city, or are specifically referring to Crown initiative and funding.  The best thing that Canterlot the city ever did for ponyville was give us it's..."  She paused to try to think of a better word than 'rejects', which some political instinct warned her would not go over well.  "Shall we say, it's refugees?  There are many here today for whom the Mountain City of Marble was just not a good social or economic fit, Princess Twilight being technically among them!  Many take a house here because they actually can, and quite a few of our signature businesses are run by urban exiles.  All of whom have integrated themselves very well.
"If I were to give a suggestion to the Crown side of the question, I would make such resettlement an act of policy, rather than a happy accident.  Celestia knows that Canterlot is not short of ponies who would do much better in less... rarified environments.  Not all are aware of the opportunities which would await them in a growing country town.  It has the double benefit of also relieving pressure in that city, making it much more likely that such a policy will actually be enacted!  The easiest deals to cut are those which benefit both sides, after all."

[StrongCopper]

Strong Copper actually turned to look at Spoiled and raised an eyebrow at her, a look of actual anger starting to grow but keeping things civil in tone. "Oh I'm sorry. Are you honestly suggesting that Canterlot is in a state of political crisis? That it is so unstable and dangerous that ponies have no choice but to flee it? "  A deep breath to collect himself and stop things from growing into a shouting match, but when he continued there was a steel of warning in his tone. "You might try to hide it behind pretty words, but deciding to leave Canterlot to live elsewhere is not a personal failure. And trying to make resettlement a crown policy? Are you truly that mad?"

[Blueblood]

 

The vehemence of Copper's response was unexpected; Spoiled hadn't been so naive to think that absolutely everything she said would be interpreted charitably, but that certainly sounded like a leap of logic to her!  With a genuinely surprised reaction, she leaned a little away from him behind her podium.  Apparently, her research upon Strong Copper hadn't uncovered all his triggers, but fortunately, her research into the issues under discussion gave her what she hoped was an unambiguously exonerating reply:

"All I am saying, Mr. Copper, is that what several citizens fear will happen to Ponyville if growth is not managed properly, namely pricing out and class pressure, is already happening in Canterlot.  That is why it is feared, because it does happen.  The capital's loss has in many cases our gain, but that doesn't mean that everypony who's barely scraping by has the wherewithal to foot the bill for their own moving expenses, or have any reserves to support themselves until they find a productive place in their destination.  I had thought it obvious enough that the Crown would have every reason to open the treasury to assist in such movements, for the mutual benefit of Canterlot, Ponyville, and other towns besides.  But do tell me your objections to this idea, Mr. Copper.  Are you prepared to maintain that everypony has the resources to alleviate their own misery, with no need for the Crown or Mayoral Office to bother about them?  Do you think that Canterlot is simply the shining city in which nopony could possibly face social exclusion from the local nobility and their clients?  If not, them please explain your issues, with either my words or myself, as it is clear that you have them."

[StrongCopper]

For a moment, it looked like Strong Copper was going to verbally lash out at Spoiled in anger. Her choice of words had triggered memories of a period in his life where... well, he didn't know who he was or where he was meant to be in the world. He had come into his cutie mark years later then most. While the world hadn't really cared at the time, Copper had always been his own harshest critic... and for a long, long time the idea of being a failure of a pony had haunted him.

 

However, instead he managed to reign himself in. One hoof came down on his speakers podium hard to steady himself while another hoof was raised in a motion to silently say to the current Mayor that he was fine, he just needed a moment. Breathing deeply, the fire that had been sparked faded until he was finally in a place where he was confident in talking again. "I would like to apologize.  Miss Rich's remarks brought to mind my last few years of living in Canterlot;  I'm sure many of you have learned by now, my special talent is in dealing with dangerous animals... and as you can imagine, there aren't that many dangerous, wild animals running around Canterlot. I didn't discover my talent or earn my cutie mark until years after everyone else my age had earned theirs. It got so bad that I was visiting distant relatives to see if I could find my talent... and the fact that I had to leave Canterlot in order to find my talent at all made a number of Canterlot nobility view me as a failure. Oh, they never said it to my face because that would be rude, but it bled into how they acted and talked with me."

 

"That doesn't excuse my outburst through. It was unprofessional for me to get angry and even more so for doing so towards my opponent for something she honestly had no way of knowing about." Turning to Miss Rich, he bowed his head remorsefully as he muttered "I am sorry."

 

Turning back to Mayor Mare, he politely requested "Please continue with the next question. I believe it was for Candidate Rich." 

[SteelEagle]

                                                                                         

"Excellent passion on display, both of you," the mayor said as she turned to Candidate Rich. "If you received a grant of 1 million bits to use for Ponyville any way you wanted, what would you do with it and why?"
 

[Blueblood]

 

Well, that situation was diffused somewhat.  "Apology accepted."  Spoiled remarked, regaining her professional cool as she patted down her mane.  Interesting that her husband's investigations hadn't turned up that little detail yet, but with that in mind, Copper's move to Ponyville made all the more sense in her mind.  He was one of a number that included Berry Punch, Lyra, BonBon, and even, as mentioned before, Princess Twilight.  Canterlotian exiles, the lot.  Much of what made Ponyville great came from their efforts, joined with the native "old families", if the Apples and the Riches could really be called that.

 

Next question was a bit of a softball, perhaps an act by the Mayor to pour some oil over troubled waters.  An appreciated effort.  "Well, a good deal of that, more than half, would go into infrastructure upgrades.  Specifically into replacing the dirt roads with cobblestones.  Packed earth just does not stand up well to rising cart traffic; money invested now will save much work and bits in maintenance down the road."  Not to mention, make walking into town a more clean and attractive prospect to a mare like her, but no need to emphasize that.  "But with the remaining surplus, I would actually like to invest in the local art and architecture community.  Recently, our town aesthetic has grown more... eclectic over time, departing further and further from the rustic charm that first defined its identity.  While I have no desire to stand in the way of progress, I don't want to see the town I call home degenerate into a chaotic mess with no aesthetic identity in the name of growth.  Every city with a claim to greatness has its own look, and I think it's high time we knew what ours was.  I will defer to those with aesthetic judgments better than my own, but I desire for those judgments to be organic and rooted in those that live here."

[StrongCopper]

With a completely straight face, Strong Copper answered "I would wait until the first distraction big enough where my disappearance wouldn't be noticed for a few days before absconding with the grant money and using it to establish myself as king of the pirates. If I am finally brought to justice, grow old and bored or am murdered in my sleep by one of my many concubines, whichever comes first, I will spread word about where I have buried my massive horde of ill gotten gains across the planet in order to spark the greatest gold rush this world has ever- *Snork*"   He couldn't keep it up. Laughing for a few seconds, with his shoulders shaking Copper forced himself to recollect himself "Sorry, sorry. After how heated the last question got, I felt a little humor would be welcomed."

 

Taking one last deep breath as the chuckles finally ended, Copper got back to business "Seriously through. A lot of it would go into infrastructure. I know, not that exciting but a lot of what Local Government is meant to do is ensure that their areas needs are met. However, once all the little tasks that prevent Ponyville from falling apart and making it comfortably functional are complete, depending on how much is left over things might get a little interesting. Assuming enough money was left over that projects can be pursued, there will be a town meeting called so that what Ponyville needs and what it wants can be examined and, if possible, put into practice."

[SteelEagle]

                                                                                                   

The Mayor coughed, then took her time for a drink of water. "Sorry for the delay. Back to the questions.  Candidate Copper, If elected, how do you plan to spend your first 90 days in office?"

[StrongCopper]

For a moment, Copper pondered the question, taking a deep breath as he prepared his answer. "Honestly? I believe that there will be a period of time where I am adjusting to the position. Getting to understand the work, as well as getting an idea of what Ponyville wants and needs for the future. After all, any change in leadership will take some time to adjust to, regardless of who is stepping up to take over. After that..." he paused again, before finishing "After that, I don't know what it's going to look like. All I can promise is that I will do the best I can so that Ponyville prospers and everyone who wants to live here can do so comfortably. Exactly how that is going to manifest..." He shrugged "Who can say? I don't have the ability to see the future after all."

[SteelEagle]

                                                                                                            

 

 

"Thank you for your response," The Mayor said with a smile before she turned her attention to Spoiled Rich. "Several years have passed since the... closing of the Golden Oaks Library. Candidate Rich, do you feel the Castle of Friendship has been able to adequately provide the community services once provided by the library? If not, what would you do to fix things?"

[Blueblood]

 

Hm, interesting question.  Spoiled Rich didn't often visit the library, having other ponies fetch books for her.  Nonetheless, she had little problems with how Golden Oaks was managed, and couldn't really say that the new home for the Ponyville Library served her needs any less.  Still... "As far as providing reading material and research help, the library has if anything improved.  As a social hub for bibliophiles... I've heard from several fellow citizens that they still feel weird about hosting book clubs in a palace.  The rustic and welcoming architecture of Golden Oaks served a function for welcoming in ponies that, to my knowledge, has yet to be replaced.  But without the ability to clear a lot in the center of town to build a replacement building, there isn't much that can be done.  Perhaps a wing of Town Hall could be reserved for a reading room?  I understand that not all of the building is constantly in use."  Not her own pet issue, but it couldn't hurt to generate concern

 

[StrongCopper]

For a moment, Strong Copper clicked his tongue a little, pondering the situation before finally speaking. "I do confess, I do have plans for the Castle of Friendship in relation to its duties as a library. Granted, these plans would be highly dependent on Princess Sparkle's opinion on them due to the fact that... well it is her property, even if she lends some of it to serve a public good. Namely, to expand it and the services it has to offer. While the School of Friendship is a grand start to bringing other species together in harmony, I would love to see the Castle of Friendship library expanded to house works of culture and history from all across the world. It would serve as a good place for intellectuals and scholars from all across the those nations with friendly relations with Equestria, as well as those closer to home, to gather, intermingle and learn about distant cultures and the history of our world from other perspectives. While it would clearly be a major benefit to those studying at the School and local education in general, but it would further cement Ponyville's growing reputation as a center of learning and arts."

 

Copper stopped himself from going further... and honestly he could have. Depending on the size of the Friendship Castle once properly examined, ideas of it serving as a cultural museum and quarters for researchers to stay in Ponyville also sprung up; Even the Castle itself would have a number of researchers who would love to try and have a look at it to figure out the nature of its very construction!... But he forced his excitement down as he bashfully rubbed the back of his head. "But I'm getting ahead of myself. As I said before, the Castle is Princess Sparkle's property and will require her input before any plans for the future are made."

[SteelEagle]

                                                                                        

"Thank you for your responses," she said as she shifted towards Strong Copper. "Candidate Copper, what do you feel is the best course of action to take in order to better contain wildlife originating from the Everfree Forest?"

[StrongCopper]

"A challenging question." Copper began, straightening himself up a little now that they were focusing on a subject that he had made a major part of his campaign. "There are many out there who would believe that the best way to handle the wildlife originating from the Everfree Forest would be to destroy it, much like what has happened to many 'inconvenient areas' in Equestria's vast history. However, its a rather short sighted idea. The animals that dwell within the Forest have just as much right to live there as... say... the Apple family living on their farmlands."

 

"That said, my plans for reducing Everfree wildlife from causing damage to Ponyville and its citizens are simple, but hopefully effective. The first and honestly most simple is... a fence." He couldn't help but chuckle softly as he shook his head "You heard me right. A well built fence that raises so high into the air and travels a respectable distance into the ground between Ponyville and the Everfree would go a surprisingly long way towards discouraging most animals from heading into Ponyville. Doesn't even have to surround Ponyville or the Everfree to be effective, just a long wall that blocks Ponyville off from direct access would be enough to turn back most opportunists seeking an easy meal. Even creatures with the raw power to break the fence would for the most part leave it alone unless there was an immediate reason for wanting to be on the Ponyville side of it, such as storing meat or livestock animals like pigs within scent and hearing range." A simple plan, but a surprisingly effective one.

 

"The second idea off the top of my head would, like converting the Castle of Friendship into a multicultural library, require a conversation with Princess Sparkle. See, a lot of why the Everfree is so dangerous and scary is because it isn't that well understood. My recommendation to Princess Sparkle would be to establish a research facility in or near Ponyville who's purpose would be to simply study the Everfree Forest. Discover and record the flora and fauna that live there, figure out the rules that its exists by and if possible apply things discovered there to benefit Ponyville and Equestra as a whole. After all knowing what lives near Ponyville would go a long way towards tailoring means of ensuring they don't wander to close to the town itself."