I really like this thread because it has made me think hard about what I like and don't like about the City. And as I thought about it, it kept getting deeper and deeper. I wholeheartedly agree that the likes set Minneapolis apart from other cities. And the urban forest is wonderful. Lack of trees is one of the reasons I prefer not to live in a new suburb. And going along with the trees, at least for me, is the sidewalks. Yes, sidewalks are wonderful ribbons that tie a place together. Again few new suburbs have sidewalks. People use those sidewalks to go places - the local coffee shop, the local hardware store, the church, the drug store. In the suburbs people say they go for a walk and it is not to go anywhere, it is just to walk and usually done in the street. Now, lest anyone think I am bashing suburbs, I don't mean to. I am just pointing out some differences. As you start to define those things you like about the city, you begin to say, "Hey, if these things are important, then this is where we should be spending our money." What a wonderful way to set budget priorities. Remember a few months ago when there were a lot of posts about sidewalks. I think it meant that people do care about sidewalks and their condition. Mull this over for a while and more things flow. Like when you walk on those sidewalks you want them not only in good shape, but the want to view clean gutters and fairly tidy yards. I'm not at all for uniformity and don't freak out over wildflower front yards, but I don't like "ugly'. And if more people think it is ugly than don't think it is ugly, it is ugly in my book. Then there architecture, the wonderful variety of it in Minneapolis. Follow that up with trying to maintain the integrity of the homes and you can come to the conclusion that more money should be spent for incentives to have people keep up their homes. And, of yes, a tax policy that rewards people for doing so. There are many other ways I value variety in this city. I value diversity in the population, I value the fact that there are people from various income ranges living in close proximity. I really want to see that continue. This morning's story about the lack of affordable housing in Minneapolis - with an emphasis on this list's own Russ Peterson, says to me that we don't want to be a city of just poor or just rich. To me, that disparity between the rich and the poor is one of the real ills in this country. So the City should do what it can to foster a mix of housing styles geared to all incomes. I'm going to contemplate this some more and hope others will join in. Jan Del Calzo Lynnhurst _______________________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - Minnesota E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
