Ald. Brenda Konkel reviews the proposed changes in the Inclusionary Zoning ordinance, all intended to finally make this Rube Goldberg-like program actually do something positive. Displayed below is a synopsis of her synopsis. Now tell me that the whole mess isn't an example of so-called "progressive" tinkering with the economy run completely amok?
- The lead negotiator for the City should encourage a discussion about the use of MGO 28.04(26)(d)2.p. which allows offsets for "Other offsets specific to the development"
- Re-evaluate the formula that links the number of the people in a household to the price of home they can purchase. Consider lowering the 15% of the units requirement for Inclusionary Zoning Units in exchange for targeting lower income households.
- Remove the bump out period to eliminate generally acknowledged games played during the marketing of the inclusionary zoning units.
- Remove the offsets and waiver analysis and in exchange lower the 15% requirement to 10%, but make it mandatory.
- Provide housing counseling services to first time homebuyers.
- Develop a mechanism to adjust for changes in the market measured at the time the units are being built, as opposed to the time when the units are approved.
Finally, cover the whole mess with new wallpaper:
- Consider changing the name of the program and re-brand the program
I am tempted to use all seven of the late George Carlin's words to describe this full crew law for bureaucrats and lawyers. As if the housing market isn't responding to market conditions with lower prices even as we speak. Brenda owns this issue. But what is Curt Brink doing, playing along?
BTW: Home prices nationwide dropped 15.3% according to the S&P/Case-Shiller index of 20-city home prices. Closer to home, the decline as measured by the National Assn. of Realtors for Madison itself was only 1.8% in the first quarter of 2008. But they're not done going down here in Madison.
In other words, the market is taking care of things very nicely, thank you. The Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance - time to croak it dead.
Who is Rube Goldberg?
He was (1883-1970) an American cartoonist who … is best known for his series of popular cartoons depicting Rube Goldberg machines, complex devices that perform simple tasks in indirect, convoluted ways.
Taxpayer financed campaigns, R.I.P.
Barack Obama has just performed the third public service to his country. The first is to dispatch Hillary Clinton from any consideration for president. The second is in becoming the first black nominee of any major political party. The third is by killing publicly financed campaigns - what the goo-goos call "campaign finance reform" - once and for all.
Of course, Obama says the system is "broken." Actually, it is the concept itself that is broken. As our infrastructure crumbles, taxpayers will not countenance footing the bill for the Kevin Barretts to run for public office. Taxpayers are already rebelling. Remember that one-buck elections fund donation on your Wisconsin Form 1? Something like 91 percent leave it blank. Obama, of course, counters that he'll need every dollar to defeat the evil Republicans' surrogate 527 swift-boating campaigns. But so far, only MoveOn.Org has weighed in with an independent ad, an indignant mother repeating the 100 years in Iraq lie the Left keeps attributing to John McCain. The Left has been circumspect. The Capital Times strains to show that the co-author of McCain-Feingold is the real bad guy. Reel from the heat, tremble from the thunderous outrage as Ed goes Old Testament on this issue. Ed Garvey scores Obama: When asked about the decision of Barack to opt out of public financing, Russ [Feingold] spoke for many advocates of public financing. "I wish he had not done that." That's it. There is no more. Gee whillikers. Gosh. On June 12, philanthropist Stewart R. Mott died. He is remembered for bankrolling, almost all by his lonesome, the candidacy of one Eugene McCarthy in 1968. This was, of course, before "campaign finance reform." No one could do that today. But what did we reform? It was known then that Mott wrote a big check to give voice to McCarthy's insurgent campaign. Tell me if the republic suffered. The truth is out there, somewhere What other newspaper would give you virtual 24/7 coverage of the insane 9/11 conspiracist Kevin Barrett? As one on-line reader asked: Why does the CT have such a man-crush on this guy? Because he is anti-Bush and the Prog Dane newspaper will take what it can get. So the CT, limited resources and all, trots out one of its dwindling number of full-time reporters to cover a Barrett fundraiser on Monroe Street (my favorite Sunday morning breakfast and NY Times haunts). We get everything but the body count (no crowd count?) and the teenie weenies on toothpicks. A letter to the editor at The Cap(ital) Times on January 31 actually read: Kevin Barrett is the best thing that has ever happened to the University of Wisconsin. Honest to god! Better than Stephen Babcock or Hiram Smith? Better than Howard Temin or James Thomson? Better than the Portage Plumber? Homeless enablers #2 Nurturing OUR capacity for change? Nurturing OUR capacity to change. Nurturing OUR capacity to change???? What are we supposed to change? Attitudes? I e-mailed Donna to find out what I was supposed to change? Or are we trying to change the capacities of the homeless? Never heard back. CAPITOL NEIGHBORHOODS, INC. SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 2008 2:00 4:00 p.m. I keep saying, folks: Mike Miller has the story Tuesday: The man accused of raping a woman and robbing her of money on State Street last week was formally charged with kidnapping, two counts of first degree sexual assault, armed robbery and bail jumping Monday. The bail jumping charge comes because Oscar Elliot, 33, was charged June 8 with resisting arrest after officers stopped him from panhandling in front of the Walgreen's store on lower State Street. Give them the money directly ... directly ... directly. No they don't just use it on drugs and alcohol, they mostly use it to buy food ... food ... food. Consider it a small tax ... small tax ... small tax... Poverty of the soul What to make of the Milwaukee food riots? Two days ago, 2,500 Milwaukee residents were queued up waiting for FEMA food vouchers. No need to prove flood damage. Then fights broke out and the cops were called to restore order. Those racist cops! Guilty white liberals like Mike Plaisted shake their fists at the world and blame everyone but the perpetrators. Like many another scoundrels, he plays the race card face up: Nothing brings out the racist inclinations in right-wingers like a line of poor black people trying to get food assistance But let me turn you on to a Blogger by the name of James T. Harris, the full antidote to the racist-inspired Eugene Kane. I've been to a number of "third world" countries since Sierra Leone. There is no food crisis in Milwaukee. What too many Milwaukeeans suffer from is a crisis of integrity. Friends, there is no food crisis anywhere in the United States. What inner-city Americans of African descent suffer from nationally, is a crisis of dignity. It's the culture, stupid! THE CULTURE! A culture of rabid dependency, fostered by decades of liberal white guilt. Harris concludes: This crisis isn't about flood relief. It's about the poverty of the soul. Read him!
NEIGHBORHOOD HOMELESSNESS INITIATIVE
ANNOUNCES THE CONTINUATION OF
DIALOGUES ON HOMELESSNESS:
NURTURING OUR CAPACITY FOR CHANGE
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
203 WISCONSIN AVE. 2ND FLOOR
