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Hello, Everyone as you may know I have made some pretty critical posts on Baltimore..
I was born and raised there. Lived there for 18 or 19 of my 23 years. When given the opportunity, I moved into the county...
I would like to share some of my ideas on how Baltimore could become better. I would love for Baltimore to successful.
I'll start this with the Famous "I ANAL" notice.
I Am Not A Lawyer...
Maybe some of these are un-enforceable, maybe they are already in place.
1.) I would like to see a stricter curfew for the youth.
Let be honest, Baltimore is ALOT like Chicago, much of the violence is committed by majority black youth. For their Safety and the safety of innocent bystanders, they should not be out on the street without good reason.
I know the juvenile curfew center just opened. But I wonder why the curfew rules are not more strict. Why not add a bigger fine for the offenders parents/guardians?
1st time Offense, $250
2nd time Offense, $500 plus, some sort of meeting or probation for the parent. Maybe community Service
3rd time. $1000, Jail Time for the parent, or a month of community for both the child and parent. After the first 2 offenses It would be obvious the parent does not care.
4th..Maybe take the child away?
Just to add do not allow child use the MTA on a school day. Make them use ID. If they are sick a family should be a to pick them up, if a family member can't..then get a faculty member to take the kid to the hospital or call a ambulance
2.)Make The Entire Family Responsible!
If a child or a family member in a household is a chronic troublemaker. Bullying, Violent, Ganglike Behavior. If a child is going to school and being disruptive. If he/she is out vandalizing private property, Shoplifting/Robbing Stores, Fighting..etc
Sometimes I feel Parents do not care what their child does, cause they know they will get that welfare check, or those food stamps every month no matter what.
There is no penalty for not controlling their kids. (That I know of)
Maybe if there was a policy. That would revoke suspend welfare payments and food stamps, if a child is chronic troublemaker. Encourage...No Force the Parent/Guardian to be more involved.
3.)More Neighborhood Watching Groups
This one drives me nuts every time I see it. Almost everytime there is a tragic shooting, people hit the streets saying the police should have been around a lot often. My opinion the police should not be asked to "babysit" your local neighborhood. It's kinda pathetic.
The strategy of going to a local corner every other week, month or after every tragic event and singing "We will OverCome", and yelling "Stop The Violence", is obviously not working.
Get a group of trustworthy Local People together and patrol the streets yourselves. A group of local residents has a good chance of knowing the neighborhood, and its resident better then any cop.
4.) Drug Test Those who are on Welfare.
I believe Florida is working on a system like this. I'm not sure if Baltimore/or the State has a program like this. It should be common sense that drug addicts should not get welfare..
I have a friend who is a teacher in Baltimore. Paid $400 out of pocket for notebooks, school accessories, and uniforms for a few students at the school. Had a issue with her bank account a few weeks later, had a issue paying the rent. Tried to get some help I believe from social service only to be told she makes to much. It's kinda said the system is more to help a crack job, then a hard working person. Luckily a few parents, and people from the school helped her.
5.) Have more Community Events.
^Something that would give good reason not to commit a crime.
6.) Create Better Job Prep Program
As a Assistant Manager, or Manager (Depending on the day),
I do a lot of interviews and look at a lot of resumes.
I believe there needs to be some Mandatory Job Preparation course in the high schools.
It's crazy the amount of younger people who don't know how to make a good first impression. Girls who come into interviews with ripped jeans, holes in them very tight, shirts that ride up reveiling stretch marks.
Guys who where baggy hanging off the butt Jeans, smelling like cigarette, or weed or whatever tattoos everywhere.
Bad internet etiquette. Email like "blackytstoscrew@gmail," "f__kmehnow@gmail, pheightcripsjamal@aol (these are types of email addresses I have received..not actually the real email address.)
I was always taught when I was younger that if you don't make a good impression. Your interviewer will put your application in "File 7." (The Trash).
I use to not take that seriously, till now..
======================
Those are just some opinions of mines.
Like I said I'm not a politician, or a lawyer.
Just a guy who lives out in the county, but travels to Baltimore to visit family, work, and listens to the news everyday.
Please excuse any typos..
Not the best typist.
I am Bilingual also so, hopefully everyone can understand.
First of all, I wish the titles of threads like this would be changed. For some reason Baltimore is painted as this awful place filled with anarchy, and titles like this don't help. I'd rather see something like who to help lower class Baltimore. Chicago, LA and Washington DC have the same problems, and they are looked at as Star Studded Cities.
Baltimore does not need to be saved, in my opinion it is one of the hidden gems in this country. If you read business journals, and the news and follow real estate, you will see many accolades and improvements. This was rated the #1 place for college graduates, it is one of the richest major Cities in America, it has the best Hospitals in the world, it has great undergrad and grad college programs, and the Real Estate Bubble and Economic Crash here is doesn't even belong in the same conversation as most Cities in America. This is a tremendous place, and if you live in a good neighborhood and keep your nose clean, it is as safe as anywhere. Plus if you look around, there is cranes, scaffolding, and construction crews everywhere you look.... far from a place that needs to be saved.
If you want to see the bad areas in Baltimore improve, I say you take a long look at voting for Otis Rolley. Otis is not part of the political machine, but merely a guy who cares about Baltimore and not his own Political Agenda. All of the representatives in the bad areas have allowed these areas to suffer, and Rolley is planning on restructuring everything and putting every City Leader on notice. His main Agendas are Safety, Schools, and making Baltimore more Business and Real Estate Friendly. That is what this City needs, not people looking to climb the US Political ladder or fill their wives bras with 70k checks when the feds come.
If you want to make a difference, demand new leadership in these bad neighborhoods.
First of all, I wish the titles of threads like this would be changed. For some reason Baltimore is painted as this awful place filled with anarchy, and titles like this don't help. I'd rather see something like who to help lower class Baltimore. Chicago, LA and Washington DC have the same problems, and they are looked at as Star Studded Cities.
Baltimore does not need to be saved, in my opinion it is one of the hidden gems in this country. If you read business journals, and the news and follow real estate, you will see many accolades and improvements. This was rated the #1 place for college graduates, it is one of the richest major Cities in America, it has the best Hospitals in the world, it has great undergrad and grad college programs, and the Real Estate Bubble and Economic Crash here is doesn't even belong in the same conversation as most Cities in America. This is a tremendous place, and if you live in a good neighborhood and keep your nose clean, it is as safe as anywhere. Plus if you look around, there is cranes, scaffolding, and construction crews everywhere you look.... far from a place that needs to be saved.
If you want to see the bad areas in Baltimore improve, I say you take a long look at voting for Otis Rolley. Otis is not part of the political machine, but merely a guy who cares about Baltimore and not his own Political Agenda. All of the representatives in the bad areas have allowed these areas to suffer, and Rolley is planning on restructuring everything and putting every City Leader on notice. His main Agendas are Safety, Schools, and making Baltimore more Business and Real Estate Friendly. That is what this City needs, not people looking to climb the US Political ladder or fill their wives bras with 70k checks when the feds come.
If you want to make a difference, demand new leadership in these bad neighborhoods.
Your Baltimore seems to be doing great, Jermaine88's Baltimore is one of the most poverty, drug, and crime filled places in the United States. Will the "real" Baltimore please stand up?
Rather than continually defending the few "safe zones" in the city and discounting the problems of most of the city, it would be better to focus on the problems that are affecting "both" Baltimore. Like:
1. Declining population totals which lead to a heavier tax burden on those that remain. It is hard for a city built for nearly 1,000,000 people to fund itself on a tax base of 600,000, which means a heavier burden on those that choose to stay.
2. A public school system that as a whole performs very poorly and greatly hurts the city's ability to attract and keep working class families. Yes, yes, I know there are some good schools there too, but what happens when your kid doesn't get into to Poly or City? Do the parents just say "Oh, well" and send them to neighborhood public school? Or do they move out to the 'burbs where the schools are better as a whole.
Hello, Everyone as you may know I have made some pretty critical posts on Baltimore..
I was born and raised there. Lived there for 18 or 19 of my 23 years. When given the opportunity, I moved into the county...
I would like to share some of my ideas on how Baltimore could become better. I would love for Baltimore to successful.
I'll start this with the Famous "I ANAL" notice.
I Am Not A Lawyer...
Maybe some of these are un-enforceable, maybe they are already in place.
1.) I would like to see a stricter curfew for the youth.
Let be honest, Baltimore is ALOT like Chicago, much of the violence is committed by majority black youth. For their Safety and the safety of innocent bystanders, they should not be out on the street without good reason.
I know the juvenile curfew center just opened. But I wonder why the curfew rules are not more strict. Why not add a bigger fine for the offenders parents/guardians?
1st time Offense, $250
2nd time Offense, $500 plus, some sort of meeting or probation for the parent. Maybe community Service
3rd time. $1000, Jail Time for the parent, or a month of community for both the child and parent. After the first 2 offenses It would be obvious the parent does not care.
4th..Maybe take the child away?
Just to add do not allow child use the MTA on a school day. Make them use ID. If they are sick a family should be a to pick them up, if a family member can't..then get a faculty member to take the kid to the hospital or call a ambulance
2.)Make The Entire Family Responsible!
If a child or a family member in a household is a chronic troublemaker. Bullying, Violent, Ganglike Behavior. If a child is going to school and being disruptive. If he/she is out vandalizing private property, Shoplifting/Robbing Stores, Fighting..etc
Sometimes I feel Parents do not care what their child does, cause they know they will get that welfare check, or those food stamps every month no matter what.
There is no penalty for not controlling their kids. (That I know of)
Maybe if there was a policy. That would revoke suspend welfare payments and food stamps, if a child is chronic troublemaker. Encourage...No Force the Parent/Guardian to be more involved.
3.)More Neighborhood Watching Groups
This one drives me nuts every time I see it. Almost everytime there is a tragic shooting, people hit the streets saying the police should have been around a lot often. My opinion the police should not be asked to "babysit" your local neighborhood. It's kinda pathetic.
The strategy of going to a local corner every other week, month or after every tragic event and singing "We will OverCome", and yelling "Stop The Violence", is obviously not working.
Get a group of trustworthy Local People together and patrol the streets yourselves. A group of local residents has a good chance of knowing the neighborhood, and its resident better then any cop.
4.) Drug Test Those who are on Welfare.
I believe Florida is working on a system like this. I'm not sure if Baltimore/or the State has a program like this. It should be common sense that drug addicts should not get welfare..
I have a friend who is a teacher in Baltimore. Paid $400 out of pocket for notebooks, school accessories, and uniforms for a few students at the school. Had a issue with her bank account a few weeks later, had a issue paying the rent. Tried to get some help I believe from social service only to be told she makes to much. It's kinda said the system is more to help a crack job, then a hard working person. Luckily a few parents, and people from the school helped her.
5.) Have more Community Events.
^Something that would give good reason not to commit a crime.
6.) Create Better Job Prep Program
As a Assistant Manager, or Manager (Depending on the day),
I do a lot of interviews and look at a lot of resumes.
I believe there needs to be some Mandatory Job Preparation course in the high schools.
It's crazy the amount of younger people who don't know how to make a good first impression. Girls who come into interviews with ripped jeans, holes in them very tight, shirts that ride up reveiling stretch marks.
Guys who where baggy hanging off the butt Jeans, smelling like cigarette, or weed or whatever tattoos everywhere.
Bad internet etiquette. Email like "blackytstoscrew@gmail," "f__kmehnow@gmail, pheightcripsjamal@aol (these are types of email addresses I have received..not actually the real email address.)
I was always taught when I was younger that if you don't make a good impression. Your interviewer will put your application in "File 7." (The Trash).
I use to not take that seriously, till now..
======================
Those are just some opinions of mines.
Like I said I'm not a politician, or a lawyer.
Just a guy who lives out in the county, but travels to Baltimore to visit family, work, and listens to the news everyday.
Please excuse any typos..
Not the best typist.
I am Bilingual also so, hopefully everyone can understand.
If you ever decide to run for office, you've got my vote!
Rather than continually defending the few "safe zones" in the city and discounting the problems of most of the city, it would be better to focus on the problems that are affecting "both" Baltimore. Like:
.
The problem is that many do not realize there are areas in-between as well. Where I live is like that, somewhere in between polished and feared. When many believe that most of the city is "either-or," it means they are neglecting to acknowledge legitimate middle class neighborhoods which are actually the most prevalent in the city and need to be strengthened the most. However, in the six houses that are closest to mine, four are filled with young professional couples (me included), and two of these couples are raising children. Most of these couples, like us, took advantage of special grants and financing available through the city. There are home improvement grants available too. My house had been completely rehabbed by a non-profit (new roof, all new appliances, furnace, etc) dedicated to improving home values in neighborhoods. For what I paid, even when you factor in the 2.268% property tax, there's no way I could have found anything comparable, convenient or nice in the counties. Not even close. Which is why my neighbors are here, too. And I think this trend will continue, especially if a certain mayoral candidate is elected and does the things he says he'll do.
Our neighborhood was once its own town before annexation. Our community organization went through great efforts to get our historic town hall, which has since been used as a bar and grille and is not currently occupied, recognized as a landmark so that restoration grants may be made available. The comments of the two council members who opposed it (from the guilded areas of the city) were beyond infuriating. Anyway, it passed.
WSB is right, and while I agree with a lot of what KLynch said in this forum and in others, the idea of "OK" and "not Ok" zones of the city is a detriment. It's just so ingrained in us by this point, and it will take a lot of work to get past it.
I understand that there is all 3 classes in Baltimore, and I think there are many cases when the middle and one lower and higher live in the same neighborhood. I just get sick of hearing Baltimore defined by what goes on in the Bad Parts, there is so much more to this City, and there is some sick infatuation with talking about the bad parts.
There is not a City in this country that doesn't have urban problems.
I understand that there is all 3 classes in Baltimore, and I think there are many cases when the middle and one lower and higher live in the same neighborhood. I just get sick of hearing Baltimore defined by what goes on in the Bad Parts, there is so much more to this City, and there is some sick infatuation with talking about the bad parts.
There is not a City in this country that doesn't have urban problems.
Bad internet etiquette. Email like "blackytstoscrew@gmail," "f__kmehnow@gmail, pheightcripsjamal@aol (these are types of email addresses I have received..not actually the real email address.)
.
These are hilarious Jermaine! and obviously sad, too.
Your Baltimore seems to be doing great, Jermaine88's Baltimore is one of the most poverty, drug, and crime filled places in the United States. Will the "real" Baltimore please stand up?
Rather than continually defending the few "safe zones" in the city and discounting the problems of most of the city, it would be better to focus on the problems that are affecting "both" Baltimore. Like:
1. Declining population totals which lead to a heavier tax burden on those that remain. It is hard for a city built for nearly 1,000,000 people to fund itself on a tax base of 600,000, which means a heavier burden on those that choose to stay.
2. A public school system that as a whole performs very poorly and greatly hurts the city's ability to attract and keep working class families. Yes, yes, I know there are some good schools there too, but what happens when your kid doesn't get into to Poly or City? Do the parents just say "Oh, well" and send them to neighborhood public school? Or do they move out to the 'burbs where the schools are better as a whole.
Stop making sense!
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