The euphoria of Black Friday has ebbed now. The business channel, CNBC, was aflutter with breathless comment on the resilience of the American Consumer. The widely reported incident of a crazed shopper, gone mad with the prospect of deals, deals, deals, pepper spraying her way to savings, is now part of Black Friday lore. Perhaps next year we can look forward to more ingenious and devious means to get through the door of a mega-retailer-of-choice sooner than others. Where does one buy a bazooka? And could shrapnel and flying debris possibly damage some objects of desire?
Of more local and immediate concern, we face this Christmas season with the possibility of buying more locally produced items than last year. This is a trend which seems to be building here and across the United States. While the sales figures for Black Friday were large and noteworthy; was the real economic impact felt more by American retail workers, or by the owners of Oriental sweatshops,(many with American nicknames, such as Zenith, Levi's, Apple or Dell), producing electronics, clothing, gadgets, and, in short, most of the goods formerly produced by our fellow citizens? To be sure, the sales of these foreign-made goods dwarfs the locally-produced items. And yet, it is significant that so many entrepreneurs are deciding to stand their ground here and now, and make something here and now, and make something of here and now.
New Albany's entrepreneurial class is more vital and exciting, and more inspiring of hope than in any time in my memory. Recently, an organization eponymously dedicated to promoting New Albany first, came before the City Council and asked for money to get aloft. Although the funding request was postponed, and the group's ascent slowed, I would hope this and other worthwhile efforts pushing localism and entrepreneurialism are not abandoned.
Those engaged in the building of local businesses, especially those selling locally produced goods, are leading a revolution in American business. Inch by inch they are about rebuilding the infrastructure of a vital, functional, and sustainable economy. And, I hope, replacing elements of a failed economy laid low by a philosophy of extraction. The U.S. is seen by global master merchants as a pool of insatiable buying power, to be exploited for its ability to soak up ever more foreign-made goods, cheap on the shelf, but rich in profit to low-wage foreign producers. Since 2011 wages in the U.S. have fallen to a level lower, in real terms, than those of 1974, the so-called American Consumer is forced to graze in the fields of cheap foreign-made products because that is all many of us can afford.
New Albany owes much to those who are actively engaged in reshaping our local economy through the local production of goods, and to those independently offering goods and services, such businesses build a strong foundation for our economy. We owe it to them to support their efforts and to help those who would promote their efforts. The Kia girl on TV talks of the "new economy". The new economy is local, and in that direction lies the new prosperity. It's not just about the money.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Friday, November 11, 2011
Drive On
Johnny Cash took the phrase "drive on" from reading he had done about the war in Vietnam. He said the phrase was spoken, sometimes in agony, by soldiers wounded in battle who would minimize the severity of their wounds, in the hope of saving their buddies from injury, and tell the unhurt ones to watch out for their own safety, to just "drive on".
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Election 2011
Thanks to all who voted for me. I'm gratified and humbled by the support I received.
I'm spent for today but I'll be back soon with more thoughts on how I hope we can work for a better city.
I'm always open to your thoughts and concerns, and hope to hear from you.
I'm spent for today but I'll be back soon with more thoughts on how I hope we can work for a better city.
I'm always open to your thoughts and concerns, and hope to hear from you.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Nudge List--Points to Local Business
The post to which this refers was originally written on September 20, 2011. It lists a number of goals I want to nudge the next mayor into pursuing. This focuses on one of those. The original can be viewed by scrolling down to September 20, 2011.
As the campaign comes to a close, I see that I will not get through the Nudge List drawn up in September, by November 8. Here's one that will make it before the deadline: Point system for local producers and vendors.
The notion of a point system to favor local producers and vendors is one of the easiest steps we can take to revive and strengthen the local economy. As is no surprise, local governmment is a large buyer of goods and services. It is foolhardy to simply take the lowest price for such purchases without considering the multiplier effect those purchases can have on the local economy. In fairness to those who purchase goods and services for the City, many of those purchases are made through local producers and vendors.
However, I recall vividly an incident which occurred shortly before I joined the City Council. The proprietor of the dive shop on State Street had been bypassed when the fire department needed the type of equipment he sells. Someone from the fire department called and got prices from the shop, but didn't identify themself as being from the fire department. Maybe if the fireman had identified himself as a fireman, he would have been offered special pricing. Apparently he didn't do so, and so the business was given somewhere in Louisville and a tiny bit of money leaked out of our local economy.
That may not be a particularly on-point example of how the local economy is disadvantaged through governmental purchasing misses, but we can still do better in structuring a framework that bouys local producers and vendors.
Local shops, producers, and vendors are the heart of our local econnomy. The new mayor should pursue a policy of awarding prefence points to these businesses. I have obtained prices from large national retailers that are as low or lower than the local retailer pays at the wholesale level. That type of pricing makes it difficult to sustain the elements of a local economy against such stiff (possibly predatory) pricing power.
The rationale, and value, of establishing a formula or framework to give locals a preferred position is that, because of past experiences, some local vendors may have given up on participating in government sales. Some may recognize that their wholesale price would not be competitive in a one-on-one matchup with a national chain, so they don't even try to sell to local government. But local government has an obligation to take the extra steps to ensure that local businesses are favored over national chains, if the product or service meets the city's needs.
One method could be a point system by which locally-produced goods - or items produced elsewhere but sold by local vendors - have a rating to put them on a more even level. Back to the dive shop example. Perhaps the equipment needed was available for $2,500 in Louisville but the local vendor needed $2,800 to cover his costs and make a profit. Using a point system formula that would give a slight advantage to the local vendor could have put his equipment just a few dollars away from the Louisville price. The dive shop owner could then have taken advantage of the incentive and come off his price slightly to win the business - and possibly a longer term relationship. He is a winner in this situation, but so are the citizens of New Albany who benefit from a prosperous local economy, which builds a vital functional, and sustainable city able to attract and maintain other local businesses.
I hope the Mayor is on board with this concept and is willing to work with the Council to make it happen. I'll be nudging him to do so if I'm fortunate enough to win another term on Tuesday.
As the campaign comes to a close, I see that I will not get through the Nudge List drawn up in September, by November 8. Here's one that will make it before the deadline: Point system for local producers and vendors.
The notion of a point system to favor local producers and vendors is one of the easiest steps we can take to revive and strengthen the local economy. As is no surprise, local governmment is a large buyer of goods and services. It is foolhardy to simply take the lowest price for such purchases without considering the multiplier effect those purchases can have on the local economy. In fairness to those who purchase goods and services for the City, many of those purchases are made through local producers and vendors.
However, I recall vividly an incident which occurred shortly before I joined the City Council. The proprietor of the dive shop on State Street had been bypassed when the fire department needed the type of equipment he sells. Someone from the fire department called and got prices from the shop, but didn't identify themself as being from the fire department. Maybe if the fireman had identified himself as a fireman, he would have been offered special pricing. Apparently he didn't do so, and so the business was given somewhere in Louisville and a tiny bit of money leaked out of our local economy.
That may not be a particularly on-point example of how the local economy is disadvantaged through governmental purchasing misses, but we can still do better in structuring a framework that bouys local producers and vendors.
Local shops, producers, and vendors are the heart of our local econnomy. The new mayor should pursue a policy of awarding prefence points to these businesses. I have obtained prices from large national retailers that are as low or lower than the local retailer pays at the wholesale level. That type of pricing makes it difficult to sustain the elements of a local economy against such stiff (possibly predatory) pricing power.
The rationale, and value, of establishing a formula or framework to give locals a preferred position is that, because of past experiences, some local vendors may have given up on participating in government sales. Some may recognize that their wholesale price would not be competitive in a one-on-one matchup with a national chain, so they don't even try to sell to local government. But local government has an obligation to take the extra steps to ensure that local businesses are favored over national chains, if the product or service meets the city's needs.
One method could be a point system by which locally-produced goods - or items produced elsewhere but sold by local vendors - have a rating to put them on a more even level. Back to the dive shop example. Perhaps the equipment needed was available for $2,500 in Louisville but the local vendor needed $2,800 to cover his costs and make a profit. Using a point system formula that would give a slight advantage to the local vendor could have put his equipment just a few dollars away from the Louisville price. The dive shop owner could then have taken advantage of the incentive and come off his price slightly to win the business - and possibly a longer term relationship. He is a winner in this situation, but so are the citizens of New Albany who benefit from a prosperous local economy, which builds a vital functional, and sustainable city able to attract and maintain other local businesses.
I hope the Mayor is on board with this concept and is willing to work with the Council to make it happen. I'll be nudging him to do so if I'm fortunate enough to win another term on Tuesday.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Hat Trick on the Nudge List
The post to which this refers was originally was written on September 20, 2011. It lists a number of goals I want to nudge the next mayor into pursuing. This focuses on three of those. The original can be viewed by scrolling down to September 20, 2011.
On one of the first cool Saturdays of fall we walked to the farmer's market from our house on Captain Frank Road. On the way to the market we walked along State Street after turning from Captain Frank. The return trip was State to Cherry, then through the graveyard on West Street.
Of striking note was the high number of vacant houses on Cherry Street. Cherry is a relatively short street of something less than a full mile. In that short stretch, we counted six or seven vacant houses, comprising as much as one third of the entire street's houses. Some were in poor condition, most were simply vacant.
At the intersection of Cherry and State Streets is a ponding area for the inconvenient, and seasonal, collection of excessive rain. It also claims the hosting of a billboard as one of its purposes. This forlorn acreage, though highly visible from one of our main thoroughfares, State Street, is usually in an unkempt state of overgrowth and seeming abandonment. It is bounded by State Street, Cherry Street, PC Building Materials, and Falling Run Creek.
A missing line on the list of amenities to be found in New Albany is a dog park. Such a place allows citizens with dogs the privilege of exercising their pets off-leash in a protected, confined, and legal, area. Louisville has several such parks, and they are provided in many cities across the U.S.. For people with dogs nothing compares with the reward your pet realizes from an unfettered run to burn off energy and get the exercise he needs.
One boundary of the ponding area is Falling Run Creek. This stream runs through much of New Albany, but makes one of its most impressive showings as it passes near and through the downtown.
That these three features and challenges come together near the intersection of State and Cherry Streets allows this area to become a transformational neighborhood in New Albany's revival. That is why a strong case can be made to focus the next Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) on Cherry Street. While this street is vulnerable to the same real estate troubles affecting other parts of the city, it is extremely well positioned to come out of that downward spiral if the proper combination of attention and money are deployed on its behalf. If such attention is not paid to this area I fear it could reach a tipping point from which it may not recover. And yet, because Cherry Street is short,and strategically located it is a feasible candidate for a new NSP strategy.
Pursuing a dog park at the intersection would remove a blighted, neglected area and replace it with a welcome amenity for only a small up-front expense. All that is needed is the installation of a fence along the perimeter and another fence within to separate small dogs from large ones. The space even has a serviceable road in place which can be brought up to usable condition with a few loads of gravel. The ongoing expense of maintaining the park should be offset with a nominal user/membership fee collected from those who wish to exercise their pets there.
Once the ponding area finds new life as a dog park, it will naturally open up the area to Falling Run Creek, which acts as the southern border of the proposed park. This stream could then be reclaimed for our citizenry as a narrow park dissecting much of the city. This park could be a walking/jogging/biking path through large areas of the city. The advantages of this park would be primarily realized by those who avail themselves of a convenient, low-traffic path for exercise and destinational biking and walking. But, Falling Run is also a critical element of storm water drainage, and renewed access to, and use of, the stream would naturally lead to keeping it cleaner for this important task.
Few areas of the city offer the prospect of turning so quickly from a position of peril to a position of desirability. Cherry Street straddles the downtown area while also offering easy access to the major commercial area of State Street near I-265. The housing stock is varied in size and style. Vacant houses appear to be in decent shape and could be made more appealing to buyers.
I hope to be in a position to help the next mayor see the need and value of focusing on Cherry Street, with its dog park along Falling Run.
On one of the first cool Saturdays of fall we walked to the farmer's market from our house on Captain Frank Road. On the way to the market we walked along State Street after turning from Captain Frank. The return trip was State to Cherry, then through the graveyard on West Street.
Of striking note was the high number of vacant houses on Cherry Street. Cherry is a relatively short street of something less than a full mile. In that short stretch, we counted six or seven vacant houses, comprising as much as one third of the entire street's houses. Some were in poor condition, most were simply vacant.
At the intersection of Cherry and State Streets is a ponding area for the inconvenient, and seasonal, collection of excessive rain. It also claims the hosting of a billboard as one of its purposes. This forlorn acreage, though highly visible from one of our main thoroughfares, State Street, is usually in an unkempt state of overgrowth and seeming abandonment. It is bounded by State Street, Cherry Street, PC Building Materials, and Falling Run Creek.
A missing line on the list of amenities to be found in New Albany is a dog park. Such a place allows citizens with dogs the privilege of exercising their pets off-leash in a protected, confined, and legal, area. Louisville has several such parks, and they are provided in many cities across the U.S.. For people with dogs nothing compares with the reward your pet realizes from an unfettered run to burn off energy and get the exercise he needs.
One boundary of the ponding area is Falling Run Creek. This stream runs through much of New Albany, but makes one of its most impressive showings as it passes near and through the downtown.
That these three features and challenges come together near the intersection of State and Cherry Streets allows this area to become a transformational neighborhood in New Albany's revival. That is why a strong case can be made to focus the next Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) on Cherry Street. While this street is vulnerable to the same real estate troubles affecting other parts of the city, it is extremely well positioned to come out of that downward spiral if the proper combination of attention and money are deployed on its behalf. If such attention is not paid to this area I fear it could reach a tipping point from which it may not recover. And yet, because Cherry Street is short,and strategically located it is a feasible candidate for a new NSP strategy.
Pursuing a dog park at the intersection would remove a blighted, neglected area and replace it with a welcome amenity for only a small up-front expense. All that is needed is the installation of a fence along the perimeter and another fence within to separate small dogs from large ones. The space even has a serviceable road in place which can be brought up to usable condition with a few loads of gravel. The ongoing expense of maintaining the park should be offset with a nominal user/membership fee collected from those who wish to exercise their pets there.
Once the ponding area finds new life as a dog park, it will naturally open up the area to Falling Run Creek, which acts as the southern border of the proposed park. This stream could then be reclaimed for our citizenry as a narrow park dissecting much of the city. This park could be a walking/jogging/biking path through large areas of the city. The advantages of this park would be primarily realized by those who avail themselves of a convenient, low-traffic path for exercise and destinational biking and walking. But, Falling Run is also a critical element of storm water drainage, and renewed access to, and use of, the stream would naturally lead to keeping it cleaner for this important task.
Few areas of the city offer the prospect of turning so quickly from a position of peril to a position of desirability. Cherry Street straddles the downtown area while also offering easy access to the major commercial area of State Street near I-265. The housing stock is varied in size and style. Vacant houses appear to be in decent shape and could be made more appealing to buyers.
I hope to be in a position to help the next mayor see the need and value of focusing on Cherry Street, with its dog park along Falling Run.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Nudge List--Brick Streets
Below are a couple of posts which appeared here earlier addressing the uncovering of brick streets.
While this may seem retrograde, I think of it as something we can do now which has at least a dual benefit. One benefit is saving money on paving. Another, if done properly, is using this hidden asset to highlight and define historic areas of the city. Actually, it should have more benefits than just these two, but we'll never know if we don't try. Alleys, which I didn't focus on in the two links, might be an easier place to start; they are in generally worse shape than streets, and they don't seem to have as many utility patches.
Hit the Bricks
Whetting Your Appetite
While this may seem retrograde, I think of it as something we can do now which has at least a dual benefit. One benefit is saving money on paving. Another, if done properly, is using this hidden asset to highlight and define historic areas of the city. Actually, it should have more benefits than just these two, but we'll never know if we don't try. Alleys, which I didn't focus on in the two links, might be an easier place to start; they are in generally worse shape than streets, and they don't seem to have as many utility patches.
Hit the Bricks
Whetting Your Appetite
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Got Milk?
I had occasion to be near Sixth and Jefferson Streets yesterday. This is one venue of the Louisville version of Occupy Wall Street.
I stopped by to see if anything was happening. A crowd of around 20-30 people were milling around some picnic tables, and some of these people were engaged in a General Assembly in which decisions about policy are made in an open forum. I was not close enough to hear what the particular issue was, and I was only catching the tail end of the process.
I did hear one man say he wanted to discuss Christopher Columbus, at which time I left to feed the parking meter. When I returned, he was, in fact, conducting a discussion about Columbus and the ill-effects his "discovery" had on the inhabitants of the New World.
While driving to Louisville I heard on the radio dismissive talk of the Occupy Wall Street phenomenon, primarily in New York, but a few other cities were singled out for criticism. The common refrain was "what do these people want?" The idea being that this protest or gathering is delegitimized because it has not produced a coherent manifesto of its purpose and intentions. It has not even endorsed a presidential campaign yet. And I feel fairly certain it has not lined up corporate sponsorships with any companies engaged in the sale of camping gear.
That criticism is unfair.
This movement is kind of like a cake being baked. At the moment the ingredients are being laid out on the table. Since it is being baked by loose knit "committees", some want chocolate, some want lemon, some want nuts, it is entirely too early to pass judgment on the cake's eventual value to and acceptance by the political diners who will behold it when it emerges from the oven.
Personally, I'm intrigued by the process. I am hopeful for meaningful results. (I'd like to see public financing of elections, the abandonment of the legal fiction of corporate personhood, a return to meaningful financial rules including the Glass Steagall Act, and a fair apportionment of tax burdens--that will do for starters)
And, I am grateful for the trouble these patriotic people are taking on our nation's behalf.
I anxiously await the cake's removal from the oven, because then it's time for the icing.
I stopped by to see if anything was happening. A crowd of around 20-30 people were milling around some picnic tables, and some of these people were engaged in a General Assembly in which decisions about policy are made in an open forum. I was not close enough to hear what the particular issue was, and I was only catching the tail end of the process.
I did hear one man say he wanted to discuss Christopher Columbus, at which time I left to feed the parking meter. When I returned, he was, in fact, conducting a discussion about Columbus and the ill-effects his "discovery" had on the inhabitants of the New World.
While driving to Louisville I heard on the radio dismissive talk of the Occupy Wall Street phenomenon, primarily in New York, but a few other cities were singled out for criticism. The common refrain was "what do these people want?" The idea being that this protest or gathering is delegitimized because it has not produced a coherent manifesto of its purpose and intentions. It has not even endorsed a presidential campaign yet. And I feel fairly certain it has not lined up corporate sponsorships with any companies engaged in the sale of camping gear.
That criticism is unfair.
This movement is kind of like a cake being baked. At the moment the ingredients are being laid out on the table. Since it is being baked by loose knit "committees", some want chocolate, some want lemon, some want nuts, it is entirely too early to pass judgment on the cake's eventual value to and acceptance by the political diners who will behold it when it emerges from the oven.
Personally, I'm intrigued by the process. I am hopeful for meaningful results. (I'd like to see public financing of elections, the abandonment of the legal fiction of corporate personhood, a return to meaningful financial rules including the Glass Steagall Act, and a fair apportionment of tax burdens--that will do for starters)
And, I am grateful for the trouble these patriotic people are taking on our nation's behalf.
I anxiously await the cake's removal from the oven, because then it's time for the icing.
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