Take the money and run from the center city

The New Orleans Times-Picayune reports, in "The archdiocese wants to divert federal funds earmarked for urban churches to suburban parishes," that the Catholic Church prefers to take money offerred by FEMA for reconstruction of facilities in New Orleans destroyed by flooding as a result of Hurricane Katrina, and use the money not in New Orleans but for expansion of facilities in the suburbs.

While I understand the sprawl is in part a self-generating force--as more and more people leave the center city, institutions have to follow in order to remain relevant, to be able to continue to serve their customers--using reconstruction money in the suburbs instead of for reconstruction in the center city shouldn't be allowed.

Interestingly enough, a religious order has closed their high school located in Sacramento proper, and local Catholic authorities are suing the order, stating that their donations to support education in the city are instead being directed to the religious order's retirement plan. See "Bishop, donors sue Loretto High nuns' order" from the Sacramento Bee.

These kinds of financial engineering moves over the past five decades have contributed significantly to the decline of center cities.

Also listen to The Fashion - Solo Impala (Take The Money And Run)