Monday's newspaper (Oct 20th) had an interesting editorial that I read and immediately disagreed with.
The story is about the Detoit mayor, who is trying to figure out what makes certain cities ''Cool'' - attractive enough for people to move their. Obviously, there isn't much about Detroit that I can think of, that would lure anyone in their right mind. But, the author suggests that such cities ''Just Happen''.
I totally disagree. As a person who could have settled anywhere in the US (and ex-military dependent), I chose to live in Austin. And my reason was very clear:
1) Austin has a very active and open city government. I lot of grouch old political hacks (especially in the state goverment) don't like it, either. Unlike most other cities in Texas, the citizens in Austin are heard and the city is always open to hearing from them. Austin encourages grass roots contributions with time at ever City Council meeting for public comment (at the begining of the meeting) and with Public Hearings. Now they even have a great web site and easy to use email system (you don't even have to have your own email address to write to them).
2) We enjoy cleaner air and water because we insisted that our city fight to keep out most of the polluting industrial giants. Otherwise, we'd have our own smog problems and there would be smoke stacks all over Austin.
3) Our citizens include 75,000 college students and those young people are active in politics, environmental issues, and they volunteer a heck of a lot.
4) We have a Master Plan for development. We don't always follow it, but we have one and it's a pretty good plan, when it's followed. Heck, they even coraled in the local home and commerical builders, with smart zoning and agressive ETJ enforcement (which counties can't do).
5) The cost of living is manageable. We have inivited and encouraged good businesess. We sent the US Air Force on their way when they overstayed their welcome and refused to share Bergstorm AFB. We learned to survive without that Federal Government entity, while retaining other Federal offices that have servered us well.
6) Austinites are tollerant of other cultures, races, religious preferences, and even sexual preferences. We tolerate rednecks as easily as we do Moonies. It's not like that in most parts of Texas.
7) We are a state captial city and we have wonderful parks and we treasure, protect, and promote our natural resources as a direct result. We are the model city for Texas, not Dallas or Houston. It's Austin that make the sun shine in Texas.
The story is about the Detoit mayor, who is trying to figure out what makes certain cities ''Cool'' - attractive enough for people to move their. Obviously, there isn't much about Detroit that I can think of, that would lure anyone in their right mind. But, the author suggests that such cities ''Just Happen''.
I totally disagree. As a person who could have settled anywhere in the US (and ex-military dependent), I chose to live in Austin. And my reason was very clear:
1) Austin has a very active and open city government. I lot of grouch old political hacks (especially in the state goverment) don't like it, either. Unlike most other cities in Texas, the citizens in Austin are heard and the city is always open to hearing from them. Austin encourages grass roots contributions with time at ever City Council meeting for public comment (at the begining of the meeting) and with Public Hearings. Now they even have a great web site and easy to use email system (you don't even have to have your own email address to write to them).
2) We enjoy cleaner air and water because we insisted that our city fight to keep out most of the polluting industrial giants. Otherwise, we'd have our own smog problems and there would be smoke stacks all over Austin.
3) Our citizens include 75,000 college students and those young people are active in politics, environmental issues, and they volunteer a heck of a lot.
4) We have a Master Plan for development. We don't always follow it, but we have one and it's a pretty good plan, when it's followed. Heck, they even coraled in the local home and commerical builders, with smart zoning and agressive ETJ enforcement (which counties can't do).
5) The cost of living is manageable. We have inivited and encouraged good businesess. We sent the US Air Force on their way when they overstayed their welcome and refused to share Bergstorm AFB. We learned to survive without that Federal Government entity, while retaining other Federal offices that have servered us well.
6) Austinites are tollerant of other cultures, races, religious preferences, and even sexual preferences. We tolerate rednecks as easily as we do Moonies. It's not like that in most parts of Texas.
7) We are a state captial city and we have wonderful parks and we treasure, protect, and promote our natural resources as a direct result. We are the model city for Texas, not Dallas or Houston. It's Austin that make the sun shine in Texas.
