February 6, 2014 · Exit133

Fixing Tacoma in 10 Easy Steps

Tom Llewellyn, artist; writer; and fine, upstanding member of Tacoma society, has some suggestions on making Tacoma a better place. He shared his list today with the City Council, via an opinion piece in The News Tribune titled "Some Modest Proposals for Improving Tacoma."

For your consideration, I propose the following 10-point citywide improvement plan for 2014, in priority order. Accomplish these things and you’ll have a happier group of voters. And the other 80 percent – the ones who don’t vote – will likely be happier, too.

Llewellyn's 10 points range from the practical - build more on-campus housing for UWT - to the things we've heard (and wished for) before - lure an Ethiopian restaurant to town - to the somewhat exasperated and highly topical - give away free DIY pothole repair kits. There's also more than a hint of whimsy, and it sparked our curiosity.

Build an official city robot. Because robots are cool.

What would an official City of Tacoma robot look like? What would it do? We want to know! Let's crowd-source this one - send us your drawings of what a city robot would look like, and we'll post them here.

Read all 10 recommendations frpm the TNT.

Filed under: Tacoma, Get Involved

9 comments

Jesse February 6, 2014

This robot would have steamrollers as feet and toes that extrude asphalt to fix the streets wherever it went. It would have wifi for the whole city and it would feed the hungry with GOOD Chinese food. It would have the coolest beard, be dressed in Grandpa's clothes, and tell such groovy jokes that people would follow it around. It would dispense a delicious mystery craft beer or wine when nicely asked.
- Jenny Jenkins February 6, 2014
  
  Jesse, I love all of it. I'll take two!
fred davie February 6, 2014

Derek, can you paste the plan into your story? Unless someone has a subscription to the News Tribune that link you provided doesn't work.
- JDHasty February 6, 2014
  
  [quote]Derek, can you paste the plan into your story? Unless someone has a subscription to the News Tribune that link you provided doesn’t work.[/quote] Fred, It isn't worth the time to read It.
JB February 6, 2014

@ fred- let loose with a few pennies and support your local newspaper. You sure do complain a lot Fred- cranky cranky Fred Davie
- Xeno February 7, 2014
  
  Not enough libertarian crackpot theories in the article. If it doesn't sound like a plot line in House of Cards, they won't be happy.
- fred davie February 8, 2014
  
  My complaints and comments are provided only as suggestions for improvement in the way the city operates. I want a city operated in accordance with the city mission statement. Your comments are personal attacks....sad really.
Christine February 7, 2014

Fred, just head over to the library and read it for free.
Sid February 8, 2014

This city has a lot of potential, but it needs to be managed as a city, a modern urban core and not a rural town. What I don't understand is why it is so hard for the city leaders to run this place. We are sandwiched between many cities that are example cities for not only the region but the entire US. Why can't we learn from them. It is almost idiotic the things these people do here. Tacoma should be lined with great restaurants and innovators that could use the cheap rent and available space. THE CITY LEADERS MAKE IT VERY UNATTRACTIVE FOR PEOPLE TO COME HERE. I refuse to open a business here. We don't even have proper codes in place to address the filth that many of our community businesses throw upon our streets. The best we have are educational pamphlets.