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It is well known that the city government, and particularly the current administration, doesn't seem to be capable of any kind of leadership. I also think the city council is generally weak. What it took me years to realize is that the good old boy blue blood elite in Baltimore (and the Baltimore area) is very detached and set in its ways. The newer black elite acts pretty much the same way. What bothers me is that there are people working behind the scenes to try to get these institutions to act. I can tell you that it isn't easy. By the way, the One Baltimore initiative is a complete joke.
If you are going to accuse people of not caring, I think you can start with the leadership. While a lot of people in leadership probably do actually care, they don't appear to care. Under the circumstances, it is hard to accuse everyone of not caring. To folks outside the circle of power, any efforts to change things probably appear to be a waste of time. Only fools like me even try.
I have no problem at all laying much of the blame at the feet of Baltimore leadership. They are a major problem and ultimately need to be part of the solution. My point is that Annapolis is never going to be the solution. It can help but without the drive from within Baltimore, it isn't going to emerge from it's economic problems.
It is well known that the city government, and particularly the current administration, doesn't seem to be capable of any kind of leadership. I also think the city council is generally weak. What it took me years to realize is that the good old boy blue blood elite in Baltimore (and the Baltimore area) is very detached and set in its ways. The newer black elite acts pretty much the same way. What bothers me is that there are people working behind the scenes to try to get these institutions to act. I can tell you that it isn't easy. By the way, the One Baltimore initiative is a complete joke.
If you are going to accuse people of not caring, I think you can start with the leadership. While a lot of people in leadership probably do actually care, they don't appear to care. Under the circumstances, it is hard to accuse everyone of not caring. To folks outside the circle of power, any efforts to change things probably appear to be a waste of time. Only fools like me even try.
I'm sure the leadership in Baltimore could be better. But,city municipal leaders have only limited ability to turn around a city with such deep social ills. City government is mostly set up to deliver services: schools, police+fire, and public works. Sure these services can all be delivered more efficiently. But, the socio-economic condition of the population matters far more than the quality of service delivery to successful outcomes.
The city has limited ability to address these deeper socio-economic issues. The city has only limited ability to influence the local economy (which actually isn't too bad at the MSA level) or deal with the deep structural causes of concentrated poverty (impoverished cities don't have the tax bases).
A more pragmatic agenda for Baltimore would consist of a three track approach-
1) Focus on attracting urban professionals back to the city center (I.E. gentrification) is a mixed bag. But, it would be better to have the problems of Boston or SF than Detroit or Cleveland). Professionals grow the tax base and ultimately bring tourists, retailers and jobs back into the city center. This maybe unfair from a social justice standpoint, but the reality is cities need affluent people to thrive. 2) Reform government services to make them more efficient. Eliminate waste fraud and abuse. You won't be able to save much money. But, efforts to improve the quality of policing, schools, etc will disproportionately help the most vulnerable. Have them all determine what they can do to fight poverty/inequality through reformed/refocused service delivery. Reforming police training/transparency/accountability practices won't change the world. But, will help build community trust and help improve life in the most disadvantage communities. 3) Use bully pulpit to coordinate and encourage anti-poverty efforts by state+fed government, nonprofits, business and the local community. The reality is the city government doesn't have the resources to fund and operate vast anti-poverty programs. Raising taxes in an already struggling city will further discourage job creation and revitalization. The local leadership needs to be resourceful about getting state and local governments to fund anti-poverty efforts. Recognize we are not going to get a mulit-billion dollar Marshall Plan to rebuild Baltimore. But, put a plan together of pragmatic initiatives to help ameliorate Baltimore's deep poverty issue. Encourage Johns Hopkins to open a charter school, get local businesses to participate in job training, try and connect local poverty nonprofits with wealthy philanthropists and corporate donors, set a program to get young professionals to mentor students in the local schools.
Above all, Baltimore's leader need to be pragmatic, understand that there is no silver bullet and don't let perfect be the enemy of the good. Will this be enough? I don't know (this actually doesn't sound too different from Martin O'Malley's approach), but I don't think the city has any other realistic alternative.
It's not an attack, it's a statement that Baltimore will only succeed if it commits itself to success and stops playing "poor me."
I'm from Baltimore and I approve of this statement! For me, the "poor me" is a sort of social conditioning, thinking and behavior that many Baltimoreans have concerning their own plight and existence. This, I don't give a damn and neither should you position is dangerous, backwards and unhealthy. The attitudes are bad here when it comes to so many life-building and self-sustaining things.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DCforever
It's not an attack, it's a statement that Baltimore will only succeed if it commits itself to success and stops playing "poor me." I don't feel superior to the people in Baltimore, I wish they would come to grips with the understanding they they are the only solution to their own problem. I previously pointed out that Johns Hopkins is a badly underleveraged asset. Other areas have turned their world class universities into centers of innovation and new business formation. DC doesn't have an educational resource nearly as strong as Hopkins.
A more pragmatic agenda for Baltimore would consist of a three track approach-
1) Focus on attracting urban professionals back to the city center (I.E. gentrification) is a mixed bag. But, it would be better to have the problems of Boston or SF than Detroit or Cleveland). Professionals grow the tax base and ultimately bring tourists, retailers and jobs back into the city center. This maybe unfair from a social justice standpoint, but the reality is cities need affluent people to thrive. 2) Reform government services to make them more efficient. Eliminate waste fraud and abuse. You won't be able to save much money. But, efforts to improve the quality of policing, schools, etc will disproportionately help the most vulnerable. Have them all determine what they can do to fight poverty/inequality through reformed/refocused service delivery. Reforming police training/transparency/accountability practices won't change the world. But, will help build community trust and help improve life in the most disadvantage communities. 3) Use bully pulpit to coordinate and encourage anti-poverty efforts by state+fed government, nonprofits, business and the local community. The reality is the city government doesn't have the resources to fund and operate vast anti-poverty programs. Raising taxes in an already struggling city will further discourage job creation and revitalization. The local leadership needs to be resourceful about getting state and local governments to fund anti-poverty efforts. Recognize we are not going to get a mulit-billion dollar Marshall Plan to rebuild Baltimore. But, put a plan together of pragmatic initiatives to help ameliorate Baltimore's deep poverty issue. Encourage Johns Hopkins to open a charter school, get local businesses to participate in job training, try and connect local poverty nonprofits with wealthy philanthropists and corporate donors, set a program to get young professionals to mentor students in the local schools.
Above all, Baltimore's leader need to be pragmatic, understand that there is no silver bullet and don't let perfect be the enemy of the good. Will this be enough? I don't know (this actually doesn't sound too different from Martin O'Malley's approach), but I don't think the city has any other realistic alternative.
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*Interesting perspective. Very thorough and intelligent. Thanks for your input.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jpdivola
I'm sure the leadership in Baltimore could be better. But,city municipal leaders have only limited ability to turn around a city with such deep social ills. City government is mostly set up to deliver services: schools, police+fire, and public works. Sure these services can all be delivered more efficiently. But, the socio-economic condition of the population matters far more than the quality of service delivery to successful outcomes.
The city has limited ability to address these deeper socio-economic issues. The city has only limited ability to influence the local economy (which actually isn't too bad at the MSA level) or deal with the deep structural causes of concentrated poverty (impoverished cities don't have the tax bases).
A more pragmatic agenda for Baltimore would consist of a three track approach-
1) Focus on attracting urban professionals back to the city center (I.E. gentrification) is a mixed bag. But, it would be better to have the problems of Boston or SF than Detroit or Cleveland). Professionals grow the tax base and ultimately bring tourists, retailers and jobs back into the city center. This maybe unfair from a social justice standpoint, but the reality is cities need affluent people to thrive. 2) Reform government services to make them more efficient. Eliminate waste fraud and abuse. You won't be able to save much money. But, efforts to improve the quality of policing, schools, etc will disproportionately help the most vulnerable. Have them all determine what they can do to fight poverty/inequality through reformed/refocused service delivery. Reforming police training/transparency/accountability practices won't change the world. But, will help build community trust and help improve life in the most disadvantage communities. 3) Use bully pulpit to coordinate and encourage anti-poverty efforts by state+fed government, nonprofits, business and the local community. The reality is the city government doesn't have the resources to fund and operate vast anti-poverty programs. Raising taxes in an already struggling city will further discourage job creation and revitalization. The local leadership needs to be resourceful about getting state and local governments to fund anti-poverty efforts. Recognize we are not going to get a mulit-billion dollar Marshall Plan to rebuild Baltimore. But, put a plan together of pragmatic initiatives to help ameliorate Baltimore's deep poverty issue. Encourage Johns Hopkins to open a charter school, get local businesses to participate in job training, try and connect local poverty nonprofits with wealthy philanthropists and corporate donors, set a program to get young professionals to mentor students in the local schools.
Above all, Baltimore's leader need to be pragmatic, understand that there is no silver bullet and don't let perfect be the enemy of the good. Will this be enough? I don't know (this actually doesn't sound too different from Martin O'Malley's approach), but I don't think the city has any other realistic alternative.
No I mean Johns Hopkins. Second tier schools aren't often an effective nucleus.
Wait. A second tier school in terms of what? UMBC is a public honors research university and part of the larger UMD system. It's not some random school in the corner of some country town like Frostburg State. No dig on Frostburg State.
In addition, an effective nucleus of Cybersecurity firms that are present at the incubator currently exists at UMBC and not JHU. There would be no need for the Sun to write the article if this wasn't the case. So, how is UMBC not effective in this regard or at least part of Baltimore's new economy equation?
Within the state, there are 16 NSA Certified National Centers of Academic Excellence for cybersecurity. For example, the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) ranks fourth among U.S. research universities in information technology degrees and certificates awarded.
I'm sure the leadership in Baltimore could be better. But,city municipal leaders have only limited ability to turn around a city with such deep social ills. City government is mostly set up to deliver services: schools, police+fire, and public works. Sure these services can all be delivered more efficiently. But, the socio-economic condition of the population matters far more than the quality of service delivery to successful outcomes.
The city has limited ability to address these deeper socio-economic issues. The city has only limited ability to influence the local economy (which actually isn't too bad at the MSA level) or deal with the deep structural causes of concentrated poverty (impoverished cities don't have the tax bases).
A more pragmatic agenda for Baltimore would consist of a three track approach-
1) Focus on attracting urban professionals back to the city center (I.E. gentrification) is a mixed bag. But, it would be better to have the problems of Boston or SF than Detroit or Cleveland). Professionals grow the tax base and ultimately bring tourists, retailers and jobs back into the city center. This maybe unfair from a social justice standpoint, but the reality is cities need affluent people to thrive. 2) Reform government services to make them more efficient. Eliminate waste fraud and abuse. You won't be able to save much money. But, efforts to improve the quality of policing, schools, etc will disproportionately help the most vulnerable. Have them all determine what they can do to fight poverty/inequality through reformed/refocused service delivery. Reforming police training/transparency/accountability practices won't change the world. But, will help build community trust and help improve life in the most disadvantage communities. 3) Use bully pulpit to coordinate and encourage anti-poverty efforts by state+fed government, nonprofits, business and the local community. The reality is the city government doesn't have the resources to fund and operate vast anti-poverty programs. Raising taxes in an already struggling city will further discourage job creation and revitalization. The local leadership needs to be resourceful about getting state and local governments to fund anti-poverty efforts. Recognize we are not going to get a mulit-billion dollar Marshall Plan to rebuild Baltimore. But, put a plan together of pragmatic initiatives to help ameliorate Baltimore's deep poverty issue. Encourage Johns Hopkins to open a charter school, get local businesses to participate in job training, try and connect local poverty nonprofits with wealthy philanthropists and corporate donors, set a program to get young professionals to mentor students in the local schools.
Above all, Baltimore's leader need to be pragmatic, understand that there is no silver bullet and don't let perfect be the enemy of the good. Will this be enough? I don't know (this actually doesn't sound too different from Martin O'Malley's approach), but I don't think the city has any other realistic alternative.
While city leadership has limited real power, "leadership" that seems to have checked out in a time of crisis is extremely damaging. When the going gets tough...
Wait. A second tier school in terms of what? UMBC is a public honors research university and part of the larger UMD system. It's not some random school in the corner of some country town like Frostburg State. No dig on Frostburg State.
In addition, an effective nucleus of Cybersecurity firms that are present at the incubator currently exists at UMBC and not JHU. There would be no need for the Sun to write the article if this wasn't the case. So, how is UMBC not effective in this regard or at least part of Baltimore's new economy equation?
I understand your allegiance, but I'm talking about schools that are at a minimum members of the Association of American Universities. These are universities where the cutting edge research is done in this country. U Maryland College Park is a member, Johns Hopkins is a member, UMBC is not and probably never will be a member. The difference between UMBC and Hopkins is vast.
While city leadership has limited real power, "leadership" that seems to have checked out in a time of crisis is extremely damaging. When the going gets tough...
Definitely not saying the leadership of Baltimore has been perfect or even good. But, just pointing out that people need to be pragmatic about what a leader can realistically accomplish. After a weak "status quo" mayor who mixes run of the mill urban liberalism with a co-opting of the political establishment, the instinct may be to elect a charismatic "Marion Barry" type. As symbolically and psychologically empowering it may be for many in Baltimore to elect a populist crusader fighting for economic and racial justice, the long term practical effect of any locally led "social just revolution" is usually negative (without the private sector vibrancy/wealth of Seattle, NYC, Cambridge, San Francisco).
Baltimore would do well to avoid electing a polarizing tough as nails conservative "Rudy Giuliani" type (unlikely anyways). But, Baltimore needs a leader who will challenge the political establishment, but do so in a pragmatic way (Michael Nutter/Corey Booker).
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