Tacoma Council Plans for the Future
The City Council is going to be working on revisions to their strategic plan over the next few weeks. The plan currently has three main strategic priorities;
- A safe, healthy, livable community
- A balanced, vibrant economy
- A results-oriented government
The existing plan was developed in 2004 and provides guidance for 2005-2010. Next week during the study session, the Council will discuss what the first priority means to them.
What does a “safe, healthy, livable community” mean to you?
12 comments
A Andrew January 8, 2008
Livable?
A connected community where our buisness districts, neighborhoods, and downtown are pedestrian friendly and connected by an integrated transit network. A network that includes streetcars and is fast, efficent, viable. This will also spur transit oriented development, keep buisness in Tacoma, and diversity our economy.
M Mofo from the Hood January 8, 2008
The concept of safety is foundational.
Let me illustrate that with regards to conduct on private property and public property—-Or Tacoma Mall and downtown Tacoma. There is a stricter expectation of good conduct at the Mall. That private property better regulates or eradicates extreme types of behavior such as prostitutes, pan handlers, coarse teens and the like.
That regulation of conduct has to be addressed and sustained in the public realm downtown.
R RR Anderson January 8, 2008
I predict a good year for political cartoons
E Erik B. January 8, 2008
A safe, healthy,livable community. A balanced, vibrant economy. A results-oriented government
Pretty good for a mission statement.
One of the best is “A results-oriented government” which looks to whether a government program or policy is obtaining an actual improvement in condition that is sought rather than simply thowing money at something.
When a new program or policy is proposed, one could ask the question: how will we know in a year whether the program has made the condition worse, the same or better? How will we measure success or failure?
“What does a “safe, healthy, livable community” mean to you?”
Low crime, streets, attractive and inviting, which are walkable and pedestrian scaled which have many things in short distance to experience. Lots that have buildings on them and buildings which have people in them.
R RR Anderson January 8, 2008
Mr. Mofo,
You should realize that “stricter expectation of good conduct at the Mall” comes at the expense of personal liberty. Folks willing to give up their liberty for security deserver neither liberty or security.
Also, where do all the wacky folks with guns go when they want to make a point?
Now lets all visit Lake Wapato and remind ourselves how much the mall has contributed to our environment.
Just sayin.
M Mofo from the Hood January 8, 2008
Mr. Anderson, I always appreciate your comments, even when your imagination strays into the realm of the absurd-but-true.
The thing about private malls is that they often look and feel like public spaces. Since they are not public spaces, then the private landowners can restrict personal liberties. But it is kind of curious that people at malls, in general, do behave themselves (those that have that command burned in their brain from their parents).
It is distressing that wacko’s with guns cause so much misery. But the beauty of the freedom to bear arms is that we have the right to defend ourselves from wacko’s by overpowering them with even more and bigger guns.
Regarding Wapato Lake, that swamp has always been shut down for one type of bacteria or algae or sunken car tires etc..
H Hilltopmom January 9, 2008
Safe: I would like to go to sleep at night knowing that my neighbors and community, residents and civil servants alike, are looking out for each other. Not sure how the city council can impact that.
Healthy: I’d like a city government that is dedicated to improving air and water quality and improving access to health care via partnerships with other community groups.
Livable: Encouraging the development of smaller, thriving communities within our larger city, having access to basic needs without driving all over town, working to bring in businesses and jobs that are good for the city as a whole, from top to bottom. Improving the urban planning and design for downtown.
L Laura Hanan January 9, 2008
One way to insure that a city is livable and its citizens healthy is to make safety a high priority. This can occur when citizens and the police department together practice proactive policing carried out with simple, effective, and consistent protocol.
A balanced, vibrant economy is the natural outcome of a results-oriented government. A results-oriented government answers to its citizens by having measurable accountability in place.
Good luck to the new council members.
T Tressie January 9, 2008
what hilltopmom in post 8 said.
On the topic of Safe:
a small story that should be repeated (well the happy part)
Mark & I walk our dog late in the evening. A week ago we saw a citizen slumped on a bus bench on a freezing cold night. We call 911, and the LESA lady flipped us Major Attitude. After Mark “argued” that it was an emergency (no one happily sleeps on a bench at 32 degrees); perhaps he was sick, or drunk, or off his meds. A few mins later we heard sirens. Yes your and my tax dollars. Aid car, 2 cop cars and a fire truck arrived for the citizen who was taken away to a warm and safe place…somewhere. Even if he ended up in jail, he is alive to face the music.
That is a community that cares. And that is what our servants should do for all of us, the least of us.
S Squid January 9, 2008
Healthy and livable (and safety, ultimately) is largely a function of K-12 education. There is a LOT the City can do on education, it’s not just up to the School Board and the District (heaven help us if it is).
When you have a crisis (and district arguments to the contrary, we DO) you have to get various municipal agencies, non-profit organizations, and business to focus on it.
Short term, tactics to get people to behave in a civil manner are needed, long-term the solution is … edu-ma-cation.
S Squid January 9, 2008
Rant Addendum: I’d put efforts to support early learning initiatives at the top of the list of things where City leadership can play a role in education. Work with United Way.
E Erik B. January 9, 2008
The thing about private malls is that they often look and feel like public spaces. Since they are not public spaces, then the private landowners can restrict personal liberties. But it is kind of curious that people at malls, in general, do behave themselves (those that have that command burned in their brain from their parents).
You nailed this one Mofo. The mall and other exclusive shopping centers are able to completely control their environment because they are all private.
You can be kicked out for basically any reason. (Such as simply taking a picture or handing out pamphlets).
If the public areas in Tacoma are out of control, or perceived as such, people will just abandon the “public realms” of the city to the private malls.
Boring, sterile, utilitarian and anonymous shopping functions but perceived as safe. Same dynamic with gated communities which are sold on how much separation and safety they provide from the streets of the city.