Complimented in French (I think)

Writing a blog post about another blog post might be comparable to writing a precis about a book report. But when a self-styled “urban green politics… non-partisan […] blog about Seattle, by journalists” runs a post titled “Oh, Les Elites de Tacoma!”, we feel obligated to take notice.

The article appeared on Seattle’s Publicola.net frontpage on Monday, and was quickly shared across Tacoma’s social media networks. While the title alone is groundbreaking (the words “elite” and “Tacoma” have never been used in the same sentence north of Milton, according to my research), the article goes on to praise Tacoma’s forward-leaning posture toward smart and sustainable urban development. Using language like “manly-man city” and declaring our city council and mayor “badasses,” blogger Josh Feit lists Tacoma’s considerable efforts in re-structuring our urban planning approach. These achievements (apparently fueled by Rainier Beer) should inspire and motivate Seattle to intensify its own commitment to similar policies, he suggests.

To be sure, it is difficult to name an American city that serves as a unanimous perfect example of smart development policy. But is refreshing to see Tacoma receive recognition – even if it is a bit rueful – for the meaningful changes in our development approach. Our mayor and city council’s commitment to a denser and greener urban center is demonstrably more than rhetoric.

Often, in the midst of the rush to seize each opportune moment for civic reform, we forget to recognize progress. What do you find to be the most exciting or important changes to our City’s development strategy?

Check out Oh, Les Elites de Tacoma! here