Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space

"A community’s physical form, rather than its land uses, is its most intrinsic and enduring characteristic." [Katz, EPA] This blog focuses on place and placemaking and all that makes it work--historic preservation, urban design, transportation, asset-based community development, arts & cultural development, commercial district revitalization, tourism & destination development, and quality of life advocacy--along with doses of civic engagement and good governance watchdogging.

Friday, August 19, 2005

Run? Tony Run?

District of Columbia Mayor's Office Photo Gallery.jpg

Today's Examiner mentions the Draft Mayor Williams for a third term movement, and the accompanying website.

In many respects I favor this effort. But I do have some concerns. Many of the agency appointments haven't been that great. And it seems like agency improvement has stalled significantly of late. And I have been discouraged for a long time about what I see as the Williams Administration attitude of citizens as customers rather than "the people" the citizens who are supposed to be the foundation of the political system and its legitimacy.

District of Columbia Mayor's Office Photo Gallery.jpg

As well as the concern that I have expressed previously that the "big questions" aren't being asked on fundamental issues of concern across the city, ranging from what do we want from our K-12 educational system and how do we get it, to what is the best possible health and wellness care system that we can develop for the District of Columbia. All too often, the solutions are proffered without really digging very deeply into the questions.

District of Columbia Mayor's Office Photo Gallery.jpg

So while I believe that it's worth considering Mayor Williams for a third term just to give Patrick Canavan four more years on the process of righting the ship that is the Dept. of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, the issue is really two-fold:

1. Can the improvement of DC government agencies and systems get going again under a third Williams term? and

2. If not, are there other credible candidates who can take up the mantle of city government improvement?

District of Columbia Mayor's Office Photo Gallery.jpgIn short, we need more focus on the here and now in DC, fewer sojourns away.

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