In my last thread I wrote that at some point we will need to fight for our freedom here in Racine. And Colt has invited me to do just that, regarding Racine's new liquor license policy. I have had a few days to mull this over.
My concern with a political fight in Racine is that the Racine aldermen respond only to political pressure. Forget about reasoned arguments, appeals for property rights, individual rights, the constitution etc.... it is all about pressure. On the alcohol licensing issue it seems that we would be facing the seemingly odd alliance of Focus on the Family and the Tavern League, both of whom apparently supported this ordinance. Can we get a large enough mob - remember this has nothing to do with sound arguments - to influence the city council? If we can't get a big enough, angry enough mob organized, we will just embarass ourselves.
What we need is a first rate community organizer. Any volunteers?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
25 comments:
Count me in. I say we go to city hall and hold public hearings on the real state of the City.
Sounds good. Can we get enough people and attention to make a difference?
Lets say do the public hearings the 2nd Sat with a rain location if it should as see what happens. We will know who the new mayor is and have two weeks to drum up support.
Denis would you like to come on Storm Racine to talk about it?
I continue to believe the best of all worlds would be to encourage the Chuns to open a grocery store that fits the needs of both the downtown and its immediate area. We don't have one. They would have to make a go of it without alcohol for one year because of the rejection last Monday. So could they make it without it? Maybe, if the grocery store fit the area. At the great debate on Thursday night, Jeff Coe spoke with Keith Fair during intermission and said he (Jeff) would talk to the Chuns (rather late but late is better than never in this town). So maybe Jeff would organize a meeting for people who support a new business like he organized the anti-Chuns meeting at Park 6. Check out the letter to the editor in today's JT - because here comes another ordinance we could do without. Re a free Racine, I think a lot depends on election day as to whether or not anyone can fight City Hall. Nobody paid any attention to us last Monday. What a group!!
Sure Colt, I will do the Storm Racine thing, whatever that is. Call me any time.
CK, the best, imho, would be that the Chuns would be allowed to utilize the property that they bought and that they pay taxes on annually to the city. When we start to ask what a neighborhood needs and then apply that to businesses we are taking away peoples rights. The thing is that we all have different needs and those should be detirmined by free people. There is no such thing as a business that will meet the needs of a neighborhood because there are more needs than can possibly be met. A business such as that proposed by the Chuns will meet the needs of someone who wants to buy a six pack of Miller but it won't meet the needs of someone who worries about the social cost of alcoholism. We need to stop thinking that it is possible for any business to meet the needs of a neighborhood. Indeed, the business that does meet the most needs will make life difficult for those neighbors who need a place to park. Government should get out of the business of satisfying needs. That job should be left to the private sector.
Government should get out of the business of satisfying needs. That job should be left to the private sector.
Right on.
Colt, With no disrespect intended, we are where we are because we let the private sector take care of getting the job done...
Anon 3:09, we need both government and private sector. The ongoing debate is just how much government we need. Let us consider the case at hand. In Racine, the government has decided that you may not purchase a six pack of Miller beer in downtown Racine. At the same time, there are probably over 20 places in downtown Racine where you could go, drink a six pack of Miller and then drive home. Do you see any problem with the government involvement in this case?
3:09
Sorry I think your wrong.
The Chuns do not own the building, Michael Choi does. I agree with you, Denis. However, at this time, that crazy ordinance has been passed and the Chuns have been denied. From what I know of the licensing process, you cannot reapply until after you have waited one year. Of course, I think it is unfair and the ordinance is lunacy. What I was trying to say re meeting the needs of a neighborhood is simply that the residents within walking distance could use a grocery store. It would be convenient. Maybe, with encouragement, the Chuns would open up anyway. I know they could make more money if they had a liquor license - that is why everyone wants one. And yes it would also be convenient to be able to buy beer and wine too. That they were denied should not have happened. But it did. This is Racine.
Forget about reasoned arguments, appeals for property rights, individual rights, the constitution etc.... it is all about pressure. Denis - this is hardly unique to Racine.
Question - is there not some sort of appeals process or review committee hiding somewhere on the books for this type of instance?
In any event, glad to see you becoming an activist ;^)
It is all rigged even if there is an appeals process. Look, if this were a business, things would be different. In this case, lots of tax money flows in and they can always wring us out like a dishrag again whenever they want, so there is no incentive to allow any new business to open. Representative democracy has become a cruel joke.
Kate and others we do NOT have to just sit and take it.
The first step I think is to hold a real state of the City of Racine with the public not the paid and paid off city leaders saying what their masters want to hear.
After all its all about We the people..
The problem, Colt, is that once you become an activist, you are targeted. I know first hand. I just spent my morning at the Assessor's office. As a result of this, I have just written to the Finance Director because you cannot do what I want to do (lower taxes in the downtown) via the assessor's office. And, everybody knows (sing it Leonard Cohen!) taxes are not going to get lowered! I am wasting my time and energy AGAINST A SOLID WALL OF GREED. The Chuns are really nice people, they shouldn't have to take it! Michael Choi has done much for our street and the downtown and he should not have to take it! We had 45 names of downtowners vs. a max of 12 anti convenience store people (many of whom own liquor licenses) and we were ignored. The antis didn't even show up because they must have known the conclusion. O'Connell was sitting there. He communicates to DRC, he does not communicate to the non DRC property owners unless he feels like it. Racine is its own worst enemy. HELP, SOMEONE PLEASE BUY MY BUILDING!!!
Kate as long as only one or two try to take on the DRC/Good old Boys we are going to lose HOWEVER untied front can change many things.
Colt - what leverage do you - does anyone - have over these people? If THOUSANDS of people showed up and demanded something, why in the world would DRC or city council listen? They would get a story printed in the JT about "mob of ignorant, nayasaying, anti-government militia-types tried to stifle progress and vision", they'd all have a good laugh, and that would be that.
Guys - never say never. Denis may want to regale his readers with the story of a taxpayer funded ice rink that never happened, despite strong support from all the Good Old Boys.
Activism isn't easy and takes constant vigilance, but you can fight City Hall and win, just that the wins in Racine may be much harder to come by.
If say we had 100 show up the the public hearings on the State of the city the good old boy's would freak.
Getting folks interested and then to VOTE would scare the hell out of them showing to public meetings and asking questions would scare them the good old boy's relay on the fact that most of the folks here rather watch 24 then go and vote means for folks like who we have running the City the bank is open.
Action is hard watching TV is easy
Caledonian - what if the city decides to activate their Miscreant Control System (MCS) - technology developed at CATI presumably. UNIT starts to visit Denis' store weekly, water bills and assessments are "re-evaluated", etc. ? When mixing arrogance, incompetence and greed (AIG), try to be in the next county.
If anyone wishes to protest a property assessment, the Board of Review meeting is on May 11th. There are forms to fill out (at the clerk's office) and one needs to check in with Ray Anderson who must visit the property you are protesting about. If one wishes to get the tax structure reevaluated - that goes through Dave Brown, Finance Director. In my 10 years of taking things to City Hall I have gotten nowhere. I thought Gary Becker would help because he was essentially an outsider himself. I thought the Crandall & Arumbula plan was real. I expected the DRC to stand up for said 'award-winning' plan but no such luck. Sometimes my protests were sharp and sometimes maybe they were not so sharp but they were sincere and I tried to express my views accurately and without malice. I got lied to, ignored, insulted but the worst was being patronized and actually patted on the head. Not once but many times. I was even called "little girl." The Sixth Street Association was a force but we could not get recognized because the status quo here kept saying we should not exist and did their dirty very well. Now that they have killed us, there is no voice on the street although the DRC, the JT and the City tries to force the DRC down our throats, especially that Michael Burke. Their current strategy is a bunch of plants on the street. Take that however which way you choose. I would not be a member of DRC for anything because you loose your independence and your point of view....and, yes, your money. It is more than the economy that has downtown down. It is the thinking for us - the control. Goodbye, I am going to Michigan for work and fun. Will return mid May. I voted today. Unfortunately I still care. Good luck, give 'em hell!
If you guys like em so much, open up the liquor stores in caledonia and wind point!
Gee I think I'll do that. I'll get Choi to pick his perfectly good building on 6th Street up and transport it to Wind Point or Caledonia. I'm sure a million dollar moving tax/fee would suddenly materialize.
I suspect Caledonia and Wind point are much more business friendly than, the current crop of AlderFolks seems to be mandating each and every business. If that's the case how about each of them open their wallets and open "the perfect store"?
I'm glad to see the passion bubbling up..remember 1994..that was how we took back the House and Senate from Clinton and the Dems. And they flipped it back when the Right lost it's focus. We need to narrow our focus..and STAY on the target!
Urban Pioneer - we can't even get a coffee shop and bakery past the NIMBY's in Caledonia. I'd love to see anything come here - in case you haven't read the paper, we've got a gigantic deficit, mostly because we have no commercial taxbase.
One needs only be reminded that Caledonia shunned a huge Camping World store because the "design wasn't up to our (snobbish) standards." Then they proceeded make sure they couldn't develop across the freeway in Raymond because it still might hamper our ability to attract "quality commercial development."
The recent acceptance of a "flyash to brick" manufacturing facility is finally signaling the emergence of some common sense in Caledonia.
Our Parks have $2,000 left to run the parks this summer. If a huge COPS grant doesn't come through, we'll be making serious cuts in police and fire protection.
Bring on the liquor stores...bring on anything before we have nothing left because everything's been cut.
so clingman and navratil-how did your community organizing go? and what about your state of the city? you can always speak during public comment. and maybe if you all ran for alderman you would have a voice. Imagine clingmam, navratil, harding, meyers, sewell all on the council! you'd guys would sway public policy.
Post a Comment