What Can City Politicians Do For You?

The Notetaker: Thinking Out Loud Tuesday

Do you know what you expect the Mayor or Council to do for this community?  Here's what I want:

1.  Revision of the Pilot Rules 
External Audits; Residency Requirement; Diversity Rules and a second step approval process for the Edge Board.

2.  Supportive Partner for Public Education
I am not one of those who does not want to spend public funds on education.  I just want it targeted and accountable.

3. Quality Public Services 
A thirty-forty year street repaving program is unacceptable when we had a ten year cycle under Mayor Willie Herenton​'s tenure. Sidewalks for school children and a repair sidewalk programs for seniors in low income areas rather than sending them notices to place a lien of their properties. And, we have spent too many millions on bicycle lanes for less than 20 bicycles traveling down Millbranch a whole month. What happened to the pothole repair service in 24-Hours? And, I dare not talk about how Riverside Drive was destroyed.

4.  Government that values labor and keeps its promises. 
If changes must be made it should be with new employees but never, never, punish retirees who severed with honor and then you give them a bouncing check.

5.  Public access to meetings. 
Memphis can't park in your garage and parking downtown at some lots costs $15 and the meters make it costly, too. Why can't we have City Courts in the city and not downtown to provide parking for citizens?  Why can't we have public meetings on a cable station like Nashville's public meetings?  We have a city library television station?  Why can't we have public meetings televised?  Oh I know, the revolution cannot be televised. LOL

6. Reduce our crime stats and align how we measure crime with FBI stats.
Provide the Director with the resources he outlines in his budget. That process starts with the Administration and moves to the City Council.  Allow the Director the opportunity to draft and implement his plan to tackle crime without all the busy corporate hands trying to tell him what to do.  He is the professional.  Sure, he needs corporate and community input but stop trying to lead his effort. Be good team players.

Stop the excuse that we don't count our crime in the same way as the FBI.  We don't believe that crime is down, I don't care how it is counted.  But, we are a part of the state and the federal governments so there should be consistency in our measurement of crime.

We had $8 million given to us by Bloomberg and the tangible results cannot be measured and his input in that was limited. That's my view from where I sit.  We allow the corporate busybodies to convince us because they are business professionals they know what's best in education and public safety.  Respect the professions!!!

7. Income Inequality and Poverty 
The best way to deal with this is to create wealth by dividing the pie of opportunity with minority and women owned businesses, Sybille Noble, Wendi C. Thomas​, Darrell Cobbins​ and others have studied this problem.  Bring new names to the table to tackle this problem.  Sorry, if you have worked on this the last ten years and now we are less than 3% percent.  You are relieved of this burden. Give someone else a look.

I am also a little bored with always having to gatekeepers or Stephens. I am ready to call you out if you fail to do your jobs to improve this community.  I don't care if you get the check and live well, but make sure you do the work for us and can be measured.

Now, to those of you who will read this and think you can just copy what I want as a platform and put no intellectual capital into this process, get ready for me to ask you, "How?" Without that answer, you are just another empty tailored suit.

8.  Support Our Community's Youth Services Programs
As a social worker who worked as an Executive Director for American Cancer Society, Big Brothers and Big Sisters and St. Peter's Adoption Services, I am not one to think that the City must create a program for children.  We have professionals and programs already doing that. But they, need public funds to grow and expand programming.

We have Boys Clubs, Pink Eagles, Girls Clubs, Firehouse Arts Production and others  we need to invest in. Stop giving money without measurable goals and objectives to determine how effective they are in this community and onsite review dates.  You can assess the effectiveness of a program at a Council member in five minutes.  Someone in the administration needs to make those site visits and evaluate those agencies.

I loved the City's Summer Youth Jobs program and it should be restored.

I want the City to provide wonderful libraries and good programs with great security at community centers.  Why can't we offer piano lessons, dance classes, and painting classes to our youngsters?  Why must only the middle class children get a chance to develop their talents?  Now, that's an investment the city can make to offer the schools  for after school learning opportunities in collaboration with community centers.  Take the service to the school.  Brain storm, please.  You have an excellent leader, Director Janet Hooks.  But, this takes money.