Ever wonder how Worcester would survive a really huu--uge natural disaster, war or massive economic downturn? I do.
So does Kathryn A. Foster, Prior to assuming her current
position in 2005, Foster was associate professor and chair of the University at
Buffalo Department of Urban and Regional Planning. She also served as
Director of Research at the Regional Institute from its founding in 1997 to 2003.
Foster earned her Ph.D. in public and international affairs from Princeton
University.
Here is how the "big Woo" stacks up with the top and bottom 25, using what is called a Z-score.
1 Rochester, MN 1.23
2 Bismarck, ND 1.18
3 Minn-St. Paul 1.09
4 Barnstable, MA 1.07
5 Dubuque, IA 0.99
6 Cdar Rapids, IA 0.96
7 Appleton, WI 0.91
8 Boulder, CO 0.87
9 Worcester, MA 0.87
10 Washington, DC 0.87
11 Casper, WY 0.86
12 Des Moines, IA 0.83
13 Portland, ME 0.82
14 Sheboygan, WI 0.79
15 Raleigh, NC 0.78
16 La Crosse, WI 0.76
17 Harrisburg, PA 0.75
18 Manchester, NH 0.75
19 Madison, WI 0.73
20 Boston, MA-NH 0.72
21 Springfield, IL 0.70
22 Burlington, VT 0.70
23 Allentown, PA 0.66
24 Sioux Falls, SD 0.65
25 Seattle, WA 0.64
338 Waco, TX -0.77
339 Jonesboro, AR -0.78
340 Yakima, WA -0.83
341 Gainesville, FL -0.84
342 El Paso, TX -0.88
343 Auburn-Opelika, AL -0.90
344 Fresno, CA -0.91
345 Dalton, GA -0.92
346 Salinas, CA -0.95
347 Pine Bluff, AR -0.97
348 Athens, GA -0.98
349 Greenville, NC -1.01
350 Jacksonville, NC -1.02
351 Madera, CA -1.08
352 Bakersfield, CA -1.10
353 Laredo, TX -1.18
354 Brownsville, TX -1.22
355 Visalia, CA -1.23
356 Hinesville, GA -1.32
357 Hanford, CA -1.39
358 El Centro, CA -1.41
359 Merced, CA -1.41
360 McAllen, TX -1.43
361 College Station, TX -1.66
See all 361 metro markets here
http://brr.berkeley.edu/rci/data/ranking
Foster is currently working on a book on
governance systems—including the European Union, Iroquois Confederacy,
National Football League, University of California system, General Motors and
the Internet—to glean lessons and insights for U.S. metropolitan regions.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
What web based building permits can do for Worcester
It was very exciting to read that the City is now moving to 21st century procedures in that all building permits --building, fire, electrical, gas, plumbing and mechanical--can be web based starting July 31.
For anyone who has ever gone down to Meade Street to obtain information on how to get a permit, spoken with a City employee there, tried to wrangle an inspector with a "dumb" question or free advice, this new development is a godsend.
But the biggest winner will be the citizens of Worcester.
Generally permits prices are based on what the estimated amount of the job entails, and then the permittee (whether owner or licensed contractor) pays the City a fee on some percentage.
Most of the time for rookies like me agonize over the language of the building code (source: mass.gov) to make certain that the specs I am giving the City for the permit surpass the minimum requirements.
I also take pictures and do rough blueprints drawings, usually by hand, to enable the inspectors to identify any potential problem areas. In my experience all of the folks are Meade Street and the inspectors who have shown up on my "jobsite" have been both extremely helpful and extremely busy. I try at all times to be quick with my questions out of respect to their time.
But why does Internet based permitting warrant a comment?
It's because it will save the City money, save building owners and contractors money and that means something big:
It will allow for more development in the City. And that's GREAT news. Because more development makes for more housing, more jobs, increased revenue to the City's coffers and more overall spending.
For anyone who has ever gone down to Meade Street to obtain information on how to get a permit, spoken with a City employee there, tried to wrangle an inspector with a "dumb" question or free advice, this new development is a godsend.
But the biggest winner will be the citizens of Worcester.
Generally permits prices are based on what the estimated amount of the job entails, and then the permittee (whether owner or licensed contractor) pays the City a fee on some percentage.
Most of the time for rookies like me agonize over the language of the building code (source: mass.gov) to make certain that the specs I am giving the City for the permit surpass the minimum requirements.
I also take pictures and do rough blueprints drawings, usually by hand, to enable the inspectors to identify any potential problem areas. In my experience all of the folks are Meade Street and the inspectors who have shown up on my "jobsite" have been both extremely helpful and extremely busy. I try at all times to be quick with my questions out of respect to their time.
But why does Internet based permitting warrant a comment?
It's because it will save the City money, save building owners and contractors money and that means something big:
It will allow for more development in the City. And that's GREAT news. Because more development makes for more housing, more jobs, increased revenue to the City's coffers and more overall spending.
Friday, January 21, 2011
The Visitor's Center Story Today in the Telegram
The Visitor's Center Story Today in the Telegram
A major loss to the City was detailed in the Telegram today here:
http://telegram.com/article/20110121/NEWS/101210523/1101
It was about the razing of the visitor center that was lost to arson a few years ago.
Part One-- Every Worcesterite is a Sculptor
Every Worcesterite today has to think like a sculptor. I will explain why in a minute, but for now, let's bemoan what we just lost.
Losing that building was a tough blow for Worcester fans like me. It had a great location that stood near major roads(Millbury, McKeon, Providence and of course, 146). It stood at a natural entry way and cross walk to older Worcester neighborhoods and the Blackstone River.
There was great promise.
I was really looking forward to visitors --finally!--getting a view of Worcester that emphasized our innovative industrial past with Worcester today: just as innovative, exciting and even more so.
However, I have to respectfully disagree with the city manager that it should be relocated to a more central, downtown location. Because not only is the downtown hard to get to, new visitors make up their minds by the time they reach Kelley Square. That location is a lift off point west, east and north.
Not everyone stopping at a visitor center has an urgent need for a "cultural exchange," most of the time they have an urgent need to relieve themselves or to grab something to eat.
If we can use their brief visit here and lure them to return or invest here, that's what we want.
If we can change the way they perceive this old, slightly confusing industrial city to a more positive, interesting burg, that's awesome.
Maybe we gotta stop calling it the "visitor center" and start calling it the "perception center".
When an unsuspecting RhodeIslander or DCU visitor stops by our new visitor center that's our moment to tantalize them with greatness. That's why every Worcesterite is a sculptor today. We have a great opportunity to sculpt something where the fetus of our visitor center once stood.
I want people to think like sculptors today because I know how wild good art can be when I am least expecting it.
A dynamic piece of art dazzles me. I stop, stare, pause and –the really great part—then I start making weird connections in a positive, thought provoking way.
Every new visitor to Worcester is ours for one, brief moment. They are our clay to mold and to shape new.
Really great art causes you to shake your head, pause and contemplate other stuff. You make connections tying in weird stuff like meta-physics and geography,or cybertechnology and medicine, or the old industrial and an imagined yet unforeseen sparkling future.
You know what? People want to be dazzled. We search for bedazzlement and beyond all the time. It’s part of our nature. Let’s stop thinking of it as just a building.
Let’s be good hosts and do something that inspires our guests to return again and again. We can’t waste this precious opportunity.
All that because someone chose that place to use the bathroom.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Part Two-- Diners and Crompton Park
A few years ago I visited the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. Without going into great detail, I highly recommend it for any lover of U.S. history. Among other things old Henry did (besides receiving the Grand Cross of the German Eagle) was create a fantastic museum to inspire Michigan's future adults.
He collected much stuff from central New England, including a lot of old millwork machines and some pistols made in Grafton, MA before the Civil War.
In the transportation area stands an authentic Worcester diner complete down to the inner signage, interior decor and flatware.
Worcesterites will love it because there isn't anything as detailed like it here, and there should be.
I was amazed--and proud--that I could answer questions about it when visitors from all over the country packed the thing. It was getting as much attention as the museum's #1 attraction nearby, JFK's infamous Lincoln Continental.
The diner idea makes a lot of sense to me. (Just don't make a partner of the Kenmore this time, guys. Pleeee--ase?)
One of my thought was to place this to the right of a northward bound driver on 146 because the roads and the now empty spot already exist. We all love an exciting reuse of an old mill building to something really cool. (Digital Equipment's old headquarters/research center in a huge, ugly building in Maynard comes to mind because innovation happened a lot there.)
I always have problems with our old mill buildings. Not just because so they are so damned ugly and reminders of worker oppression, it's because they block out roads, rivers and sunlight. People can't think past them. That’s the message they give me anyway.
And since "perception becomes reality," perception is really, really important.
The environment for today's cool stuff like iPhones and video games can be replicated anywhere, not just San Francisco.
I know it's hard for our local government guys to think like advertising agents. It's not what we are supposed to ask of them. What we want from them is fiscal management and essential services--like plowing. And they always come through for me. I don’t ask them to be sculptors, but i do ask you.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Worc's Blogging Community: A Thing of Beauty, Breath of Freedom
Two to three years ago a caller into WCRN told then-radio show host Dianne Williamson (arguably Worcester’s most influential media person with Jordan Levy second) that he wanted to take over her column in the Telegram for one day.
I called in right after, not to excoriate him, but rather to rather inform him that the Telegram won't necessarily go on forever. I told him to create his OWN news outlet, be it a radio show, a webcast or a competitor to the local newspaper. I challenged him to go out and create his own soap box.
You see, twelve years ago I sold Internet access (mostly aggregate dialup services) to companies like AOL, Juno, Prodigy, MSN etc. Because I had the chance to do so, I wanted to do something for my hometown, unfortunately I didn't hear positively from the Telegram. They weren't interested or I never did get to the right person.
The news organization that combines news with social media will be, in my humble opinion, the leader of the pack as the challenges mount for the newspaper industry.
Twelve years ago AOL was dominating the then-Internet market, but the "news" you got on AOL was bland or Hollywood reporting. AOL, itself, didn't offer real Internet until they were forced into it. They wanted their people to stay within AOL's own sandbox.
The good thing that AOL (and later Yahoo) showed the world was how easy it was to group up like minded people. Internet access made the world smaller and—I would argue—friendlier. AOL was a much, much easier system than what any other system had--including Microsoft, APPle, etc.
Social networking had just begun.
Today we are not far from Internet taking over most of television, and Facebook has taken over what AOL used to do. While the opportunity to compete against the Telegram (i.e.NY Times corp) exists, the challenges facing a a start up news blog are compounded by the takeover of the Internet by the major media and cable companies.
Back in the early days, major media and giant carriers like Verizon blocked efforts by the micro-startups for connectivity. They stood by the sidelines. Cable companies didn't really want to do Internet because it competed with television. The potential for media piracy was too great and would severely tick off the movie studios and other media. (Even today in Worcester Charter cable is a monopoly with minimal competition from, who else, Verizon.)
There is great beauty in Worcester’s having its own bloggnig community is the freedom with which individuals can express their views and find newsworthy items not covered in traditional media.
Yet the challenge for society in this techy era is how responsible will these “reporters” be when it is as easy to be “responsible” as it is to be anonymous and/or cyberbullying?
And who’s gonna issue them the kind of press pass that gives you real access to, say, the statehouse? And what local entity—except the Telegram –has the money and legal capacity to challenge, say, the Rojas case, or some other government entity?
--jpm01609
I called in right after, not to excoriate him, but rather to rather inform him that the Telegram won't necessarily go on forever. I told him to create his OWN news outlet, be it a radio show, a webcast or a competitor to the local newspaper. I challenged him to go out and create his own soap box.
You see, twelve years ago I sold Internet access (mostly aggregate dialup services) to companies like AOL, Juno, Prodigy, MSN etc. Because I had the chance to do so, I wanted to do something for my hometown, unfortunately I didn't hear positively from the Telegram. They weren't interested or I never did get to the right person.
The news organization that combines news with social media will be, in my humble opinion, the leader of the pack as the challenges mount for the newspaper industry.
Twelve years ago AOL was dominating the then-Internet market, but the "news" you got on AOL was bland or Hollywood reporting. AOL, itself, didn't offer real Internet until they were forced into it. They wanted their people to stay within AOL's own sandbox.
The good thing that AOL (and later Yahoo) showed the world was how easy it was to group up like minded people. Internet access made the world smaller and—I would argue—friendlier. AOL was a much, much easier system than what any other system had--including Microsoft, APPle, etc.
Social networking had just begun.
Today we are not far from Internet taking over most of television, and Facebook has taken over what AOL used to do. While the opportunity to compete against the Telegram (i.e.NY Times corp) exists, the challenges facing a a start up news blog are compounded by the takeover of the Internet by the major media and cable companies.
Back in the early days, major media and giant carriers like Verizon blocked efforts by the micro-startups for connectivity. They stood by the sidelines. Cable companies didn't really want to do Internet because it competed with television. The potential for media piracy was too great and would severely tick off the movie studios and other media. (Even today in Worcester Charter cable is a monopoly with minimal competition from, who else, Verizon.)
There is great beauty in Worcester’s having its own bloggnig community is the freedom with which individuals can express their views and find newsworthy items not covered in traditional media.
Yet the challenge for society in this techy era is how responsible will these “reporters” be when it is as easy to be “responsible” as it is to be anonymous and/or cyberbullying?
And who’s gonna issue them the kind of press pass that gives you real access to, say, the statehouse? And what local entity—except the Telegram –has the money and legal capacity to challenge, say, the Rojas case, or some other government entity?
--jpm01609
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Christmas Light Sync'ed to Music--Indoor only
The Christmas shopping was officially finished a week ago, so I now I am taking on the Christmas lights for the house. Unfortunately on Sunday last week it rained and I ended up looking into some Christmas displays of rather drastic proportions.
In the last few years folks across America have been making these massive, computer controlled, synchronized outdoor, uh, flamboyant Christmas displays and then getting tons of cars to come by, and then putting the whole thing up on YouTube. Wow. What a country.
I learned a lot about how to make a mega, multi-string (30+) Christmas light display on the exterior of your house and then run the whole thing through an older PC.
While other people seem to get lost in the true meaning of the traditional, post- solstice-maximum-family-dysfunctionalism time of year, tragically, I won't be able to spring that Yuletide "fun" on my Elm Park neighbors this year.
I had big plans. Relly big. I was even going to run it WSRS (96.9FM) and that probably would have gotten me publicity too.
I learned that there is no simple consensus for a 30 "channel" (i.e. string) system. Even when I soldered all that stuff together, I had to weather proof some of it and actually program some of it in BASIC computer language. Yech! I took BASIC in 1980 and hated it. But I guess even Santa himself has to adopt to modern technologies even when he'd rather be building simple wooden toys.
The good news is that simple (3 channel) set ups can be built using an old pair of computer speakers, a little solder and some cheap parts from Radio Shack or Stark Electronics on Franklin Street. Anything more would fry the lights or your computer system.
Here are the directions that you, too, can build to delight your family and tie in to your favorite Christmas CDs or radio broadcasts(via Internet):
http://sites.google.com/site/rybitski/musicsyncronizedchristmaslights
This is for a simple system. Anything else coasts around $100 minimum and assumes you know how to solder, program and have an older PC to use for this. Oh well, Sox fans, there is always next year.
Anyway, along the way I found some megadisplays like this guy. He tied his system to a Guitar Hero.
href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXjbMIZzAgs">
Maybe it was the Dad who did it all for his overindulged kid. Jesus Christ, how about annoying your neighbors with that kind of nonsense? And I thought mini bikes were bad!
People really DO go nutty at this time of year. Whatever happened to hanging around a campfire with your fellow Druids,drinking glug and procreating? Isn't that what this season is all about? Maybe these megadisplays are compensating for something else.
Thoughts on HOLY CROSS vs. the City of Worcester
Downtown Worcester used to be filled with Holy Cross students. Whether using the bus station, the rail station or walking to local pubs, Holy Cross students (Crusaders) and Worcesterites were used to each other. But in the last 8 decades walls have gone up on both sides.
Worcesterites flocked to Holy Cross in April 1938 to witness the opening game of the Boston Red Sox that year and witness Ted Williams first at bat. In those days, the Red Sox played in various local venues to encourage ticket sales and the HC baseball field was in a different spot (see pic).
In the mid 1950s Bob Cousy played at the Worcester Auditorium and made Holy Cross the NACCP champs. that some of the students actually walked from the campus to that northern part of the central downtown area. That rarely happens today.
In 1955-1965 the Interstate Highway Act and the construction of I290 permanently built a divide between the Holy Cross campus and downtown Worcester. In 1972 Holy Cross began accepting women; today women are the majority there. As a landlord myself, I have learned how women—from all ways of life—see safety and security far, far more intensely than any male. What this means to campus life is that women do not stray alone or far from campus.
It was also around this time that the drinking age was lowered to 18 years old. From that point forward much of the campus drinking at Holy Cross and on other campuses remained on campus. On campus drinking was encouraged for safety and for PR, but students loved it because it was, well, cheaper to pay a fixed rate at a keg party rather than pay for brews at a local bar. Either way, it meant students now stayed on campus, rather than leave it.
Is Holy Cross a gated community to contain the rambunctiousness or to keep the mob out?
In the late 1990s cell phones became popular and enabled parents to stay in touch with their children much easier. While this electronic umbilical cord has been a safety net both for worried parents and for nervous teens, the criticism of “helicopter parenting” has been that adolescents aren’t experiencing adult life or making adult decisions on their own.
Add social networking to the mix and you get parents literally spying on their kids’ networks, peers and social groups. Inevitably moms and dads interfere and block whatever hazards might happen to their own kids. And when tuitions are $200K for 4 years, can you blame them?
- - - - - - -
It is absurd to think that WPI and Clark U are so magnanimous regarding PILOT.
Clark gave, what, $150K over 20 years. Chicken scratch. On top of that, The City gave Clark Downing Street from Main to Park Ave. Get real, people.
And when WPI gave in to PILOT, the City gave WPI West Street from Institute to Salisbury. The City isn't gaining, it's just a sideways deal.
In both of these PILOT deals, the City gave in for real estate. So what if the City gave Holy Cross the Caro Street neighborhood in exchange for financial fealty. IT could happen. Would that make everyone happy?
It's just kind of interesting that the timing of this most recent brewhaha with Holy Cross occurred around the timing of the the business vs. residential tax debate. Extortion might be the wrong word to use, but if Mr. McFarland finds a horse's head in his bed some morning, I wouldn't be surprised.
-----
It bothers me a lot that we haven't heard or seen any new incidents of HC kids uprising this year or the past year. All the comments about the bad behavior seem to be from a few years ago. I mean, how can it happen when both the college and the City spend a ton of money on police detail over there.
When I think of this recent town vs gown exchange going on, it underscores to me the great lengths that the City Council will go to show to the "community" that, as a City, we reject academics and youth in general. Does that explain why the state of MA or the City of Worcester's populations continue to decrease?
Does that explain why our downtown is filled with lower income (for the most part) rather than the young high earning recent graduates of our local colleges? Is that why our graduates flee--yes, flee--to the bigger, hipper, more happenin' urban areas that welcome the inevitable clash of ideas, culture and energy that young people bring?
When the state gets its act together and brings expanded rail service to Worcester, Worcester will see--I hope--more abundant opportunities for young people in Worcester. Inevitably Worcester will have to accept its new role as an international city rather than the parochial backwater it has allowed itself to become.
------
I can't help thinking of the irony. Holy Cross, founded in 1843 and set afire by Protestant/Know Nothing types in 1852 has become a target by City dwellers--again. Only this time it is the Catholic majority and Worcester voters with the most wrath.
In the last 5 decades the RCC has dealt with dwindling parish populations, sex scandals, the Pill, pro-life and several other assorted culture wars of the era. The influence of the Diocese in local politics decreased. Local parishes that once were filled to capacity now barely survive.
It would be fair to say that most Catholics in Worcester are "foot in the door" or "Catholic in name only" types. I can't help thinking that--to a certain degree- the anti HC rhetoric is coming from the voices of people who are angry at all things Catholic, mainly the Catholic majority itself.
Pretty ironic, huh?
Worcesterites flocked to Holy Cross in April 1938 to witness the opening game of the Boston Red Sox that year and witness Ted Williams first at bat. In those days, the Red Sox played in various local venues to encourage ticket sales and the HC baseball field was in a different spot (see pic).
In the mid 1950s Bob Cousy played at the Worcester Auditorium and made Holy Cross the NACCP champs. that some of the students actually walked from the campus to that northern part of the central downtown area. That rarely happens today.
In 1955-1965 the Interstate Highway Act and the construction of I290 permanently built a divide between the Holy Cross campus and downtown Worcester. In 1972 Holy Cross began accepting women; today women are the majority there. As a landlord myself, I have learned how women—from all ways of life—see safety and security far, far more intensely than any male. What this means to campus life is that women do not stray alone or far from campus.
It was also around this time that the drinking age was lowered to 18 years old. From that point forward much of the campus drinking at Holy Cross and on other campuses remained on campus. On campus drinking was encouraged for safety and for PR, but students loved it because it was, well, cheaper to pay a fixed rate at a keg party rather than pay for brews at a local bar. Either way, it meant students now stayed on campus, rather than leave it.
Is Holy Cross a gated community to contain the rambunctiousness or to keep the mob out?
In the late 1990s cell phones became popular and enabled parents to stay in touch with their children much easier. While this electronic umbilical cord has been a safety net both for worried parents and for nervous teens, the criticism of “helicopter parenting” has been that adolescents aren’t experiencing adult life or making adult decisions on their own.
Add social networking to the mix and you get parents literally spying on their kids’ networks, peers and social groups. Inevitably moms and dads interfere and block whatever hazards might happen to their own kids. And when tuitions are $200K for 4 years, can you blame them?
- - - - - - -
It is absurd to think that WPI and Clark U are so magnanimous regarding PILOT.
Clark gave, what, $150K over 20 years. Chicken scratch. On top of that, The City gave Clark Downing Street from Main to Park Ave. Get real, people.
And when WPI gave in to PILOT, the City gave WPI West Street from Institute to Salisbury. The City isn't gaining, it's just a sideways deal.
In both of these PILOT deals, the City gave in for real estate. So what if the City gave Holy Cross the Caro Street neighborhood in exchange for financial fealty. IT could happen. Would that make everyone happy?
It's just kind of interesting that the timing of this most recent brewhaha with Holy Cross occurred around the timing of the the business vs. residential tax debate. Extortion might be the wrong word to use, but if Mr. McFarland finds a horse's head in his bed some morning, I wouldn't be surprised.
-----
It bothers me a lot that we haven't heard or seen any new incidents of HC kids uprising this year or the past year. All the comments about the bad behavior seem to be from a few years ago. I mean, how can it happen when both the college and the City spend a ton of money on police detail over there.
When I think of this recent town vs gown exchange going on, it underscores to me the great lengths that the City Council will go to show to the "community" that, as a City, we reject academics and youth in general. Does that explain why the state of MA or the City of Worcester's populations continue to decrease?
Does that explain why our downtown is filled with lower income (for the most part) rather than the young high earning recent graduates of our local colleges? Is that why our graduates flee--yes, flee--to the bigger, hipper, more happenin' urban areas that welcome the inevitable clash of ideas, culture and energy that young people bring?
When the state gets its act together and brings expanded rail service to Worcester, Worcester will see--I hope--more abundant opportunities for young people in Worcester. Inevitably Worcester will have to accept its new role as an international city rather than the parochial backwater it has allowed itself to become.
------
I can't help thinking of the irony. Holy Cross, founded in 1843 and set afire by Protestant/Know Nothing types in 1852 has become a target by City dwellers--again. Only this time it is the Catholic majority and Worcester voters with the most wrath.
In the last 5 decades the RCC has dealt with dwindling parish populations, sex scandals, the Pill, pro-life and several other assorted culture wars of the era. The influence of the Diocese in local politics decreased. Local parishes that once were filled to capacity now barely survive.
It would be fair to say that most Catholics in Worcester are "foot in the door" or "Catholic in name only" types. I can't help thinking that--to a certain degree- the anti HC rhetoric is coming from the voices of people who are angry at all things Catholic, mainly the Catholic majority itself.
Pretty ironic, huh?
Friday, October 29, 2010
Political Signage and the Right to Be Outrageous
The Worcester Planning Board recently discussed limiting the rights of people to post more than two political signs in this article today
On political signs and the First Amendment
Maybe this could only happen in a one party state like Massachusetts.
a) If I feel strongly enough about something, I will be happy to defy any governmental protestations(local, national, even neighborhood) and advertise accordingly--especially on my front lawn. Any efforts to squash the rights of an individual's right to political freedom is silly --and dangerous. While i applaud the folks who want to cut pack on political signage for environmental reasons, political freedom overwhelmingly trumps all. Or did the blood of our forefathers get shed for nothing?
b) Renter and other nonproperty owners aren't addressed. What rights do they have? Would they have to get the permission of a landlord or a condo committee to put up signs? That also begs the issue of an issue or a candidate that conflicts with the landlord's view.
I don't understand what the actual problem people are having with political signs. When we have had only 18 percent of registered voters actually vote, it means there is a tyranny of a minority over the majority. That so few bother to vote is a deep concern. Whenever I see a mass of political signs, I see it as a joyous moment akin to flowers in bloom at springtime.
Advocates for less signs are stifling democracy (small "d"). They want to snuff out our beloved freedom of speech and our beloved American right to be outrageous. They should be ashamed.
On political signs and the First Amendment
Maybe this could only happen in a one party state like Massachusetts.
a) If I feel strongly enough about something, I will be happy to defy any governmental protestations(local, national, even neighborhood) and advertise accordingly--especially on my front lawn. Any efforts to squash the rights of an individual's right to political freedom is silly --and dangerous. While i applaud the folks who want to cut pack on political signage for environmental reasons, political freedom overwhelmingly trumps all. Or did the blood of our forefathers get shed for nothing?
b) Renter and other nonproperty owners aren't addressed. What rights do they have? Would they have to get the permission of a landlord or a condo committee to put up signs? That also begs the issue of an issue or a candidate that conflicts with the landlord's view.
I don't understand what the actual problem people are having with political signs. When we have had only 18 percent of registered voters actually vote, it means there is a tyranny of a minority over the majority. That so few bother to vote is a deep concern. Whenever I see a mass of political signs, I see it as a joyous moment akin to flowers in bloom at springtime.
Advocates for less signs are stifling democracy (small "d"). They want to snuff out our beloved freedom of speech and our beloved American right to be outrageous. They should be ashamed.
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