National media outlets tend to gloss over this stuff. It's not that they don't care or are trying to spin it one way or another, but relative to other cities in this country, Nickels has been pretty green. And it looks they make the "cares about constituents" claim based on two examples that I think you'd be hard-pressed to compare to another mayor's efforts. Just the tone of it - "Want a green planet? It's this simple..." - belies the author's unfamiliarity with the reality on the ground.

Well, Erica...

I may think he hasn't been the best at showing leadership, but I will tell you this:

The mandatory bike racks/lockers are interesting. My company is building a new office building along Aurora and we are required to have some area for bikes. I just sent a bike locker brochure to one of our engineers.

So for you and Dan, he is working really hard. ;)

Nickels is an excellent mayor. I feel like he represents my intrests quite well despite some well-intentioned missteps like the night life ordeal.

He is a very strong and likable personality who exists within a context of an extremely reactionary surrounding area that would eat Seattle whole if it could.

They care about the public face (positive), the fixed potholes, and the new sidewalks, SLUT, and Sound Transit going to the Airport.

They don't care about the other things.

From that viewpoint, given that the City Council is unwilling to stand up for itself, he's a great Mayor.

Want it to change? Elect better City Council members.

Nickels is about as green as the stuff that falls out of my asshole, and about as fragrant. He hasn't done FUCK ALL about global warming except generate mountains of paper.

How do his constituents feel about his utter failure in leadership on the monorail, the viaduct, night life, and now the Sonics?

Nickels=Seattle loses.

Seattle did have one embarrassment even in making the list -- it was behind Tacoma (#5), which was credited for the significant improvements there over the last decade or so.

Yeah, but Tacoma can't get press - and Nickels, say what you will, can.

Hasn't anyone taken a basic PR course there?

Nickels is a pip.

His persona lacks glam but aside from that he is fine.

Our council members are zombies in deep foggy space.

Want to have the shivers, think Conlin as mayor, he is going to run, so I hear.

Course Erica and Conlin can delight in the legislated demise of the plastic grocery bag as earth shattering civic stuff.

Fuck Mayor McCheese, I can't wait to see who's going to challenge him for re-election.

@8: The list was in the press, so both cities "got press."

But you're right in general -- being in Seattle's media market, it's tough for Tacoma to get a lot of attention. Not that I, as a former Seattlelite and current Tacoman care much -- being off the radar is part of Tacoma's charm.

@8: The list was in the press, so both cities "got press."

But you're right in general -- being in Seattle's media market, it's tough for Tacoma to get a lot of attention. Not that I, as a former Seattlelite and current Tacoman care much -- being off the radar is part of Tacoma's charm.

Conlin?

OMFG, we'll all die in process ...

@5: Whether the mayor is green or not, I cannot take criticism on this topic seriously from a guy who agree with Skolnick about "preserving" the viaduct.

Remember when Nickels yanked out all the parking meters and said he was going to replace them with bike racks? How's that coming, Greg?

No, see, it's all part of his one, sweeping, internally consistent plan. Nightclubs and alcohol use up precious resources, resources that could be turned to organic farming and creating green office buildings. And Nickels hasn't been advocating this line of thinking on paper, but rather through the internet. Wait, that explains everything! MY SOCK PUPPET IS THE MAYOR.

/crazy