Jeff over at Wormtown Taxi brings up revenue generation in regard to public safety in Worcester today, which is a given but awful hard to get local officials to admit too. Unless you’re in the Detroit area where it seems police are starting to come clean.
“When I first started in this job 30 years ago, police work was never about revenue enhancement,” Utica Police Chief Michael Reaves said. “But if you’re a chief now, you have to look at whether your department produces revenues. That’s just the reality nowadays.”
“A portion of the tickets our officers write helps pay their salaries, but the rest is profit for the city,” said Priebe, a former Taylor police officer. “ ’Profit’ may not be the right word to use in government, but that’s pretty much what it is.
“Obviously, revenue isn’t the only reason our officers are out there — but I wouldn’t be telling the truth if I said it wasn’t a consideration.”
Shocking but unfortunately predictable.
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If I had posited that the position described above existed, you’d have called me a something-o-phobe.
No, I would only call you a something-o-phobe after you cast a blanket accusation of liberals being responsible for using LE as a revenue generator.
I think we’ve discussed this problem in some form at least every other week on the WTAG show since I started.
Yes, but you find yourself intellectually constipated because you force yourself to blame various imaginary permutations of “Puritanism” for the plain failings of Liberalism. You are aware enough to recognize that blaming Liberalism for the failures of Liberalism just doesn’t fly in Worcester or on WTAG.
There must always be a bogeyman, and it must never be properly named.
What the shit are you talking about?
This is the Worcester Internet Police. You are being fined 200 dollars for graffito tagging the Worcester internet tube. You will also incur an additional 50 dollars for the Head Injury Fund.
Thank you for the revenue.
The WIP is the shizzle.
Oh, and Buck, I was referring to your bizarro take on all things Worcester/political.
I know that you know that I know that you know that you never (or rarely) address the real issues at hand.
You’re amusing, but the satire doesn’t really bite unless you’re willing to parody a condition that actually exists.
The blah,blah,blah anti-Church silliness is a veneer.
You know that I “never address the real issues at hand”, yet you’re unwilling to identify what issues I’m avoiding.
Dude. You have issues.
Me? Unwilling? Never.
You pretend that you oppose blatant corruption, but you support Bob Spellane.
You pretend that the problems in Main South are caused by Haller, et al. despite the fact that they are the only ones willing to actually combat the problems.
You rail against hot-dog and knife Legislation but never complain about the real reason (“da Gov’t is in charge”) such silliness exists.
You were completely enamored with CitySquare when every sentient being knew it was a failure bound artifice designed solely to boost the profile of Tim Murray.
I think you’ve been assimilated into the Worcester do-nothing-entsia.
1. The rule of law is meaningless if an individual doesn’t get their day in court.
2. Haller et al. are the problems.
3. I could not care less about hotdogs and knives, I care about the ineffectual baboons we elect who think these are reasonable ways to fill their schedules.
4. And you supported Bush for two terms, nobody is perfect my man.
“You pretend that the problems in Main South are caused by Haller, et al. despite the fact that they are the only ones willing to actually combat the problems.” – Lincoln
“2. Haller et al. are the problems.” – BuckPaxton
>>How has Barbara Haller been the problem for the urban core of the city..she really effects any other part (I find the vendor cart and knife issue to be not worth discussing any further BP)…fighting back the sprawl of the PIP Shelter and the so many other unlicensed PIP Shelters is a problem??
I do not recall you fighting back when the wet shelter was proposed for Newton Square last year-close to yer backyard BuckPaxton…where was the commentary on those folks who started the new neighborhood association to fight it back…I forget their slogan but it was along the lines of “Responsible Neighborhoods”…not one west side Pol sided with it..
I find it hard to swallow that Barbara’s positions on pot, knives and vendor carts are what is described as “the problem’s”..postitions of her’s that I also do not agree with but ones that I have a hard time agreeing with you on as the problem’s…
Lincoln..it is nonsense to suggest that City Square is nothing but a prop for Tim Murray…Worcester perhaps plays these games, big time developers like Young Park do not, especially in collusion:>)
City Square is a wonderful project if it ever gets off the ground..it is unfortunate that the city has put so many eggs in one basket and is so dependent on one developer to push the agenda for the downtown but this is the position we find ourselves in now.
We need a master plan for downtown not a downtown dependent on one developer! Downtown’s Hyannis, Haverhill, Nashua are great examples of revitilized urban cores.
should have used the word “rarely” effects
You didn’t hear me speak out against the PAX Center in Newton Sq because I fully supported it and would welcome any facility of it’s kind as a neighbor. By the way, it’s a sober living facility, Paulie, not a wet shelter (whatever that means).
Not only has Haller done nothing for D4, I would argue she doesn’t have the ability to do anything for D4. As long as you allow your leaders to blame inanimate objects and canards for the districts problems (and it’s important to point out that none of the districts problems are what we hear about in the press) you can be sure the district will remain stagnant.
that is my point..it was a quiet support when it needed a loud support–you like me are fairly loud about something either when supporting or denouncing….”wet shelter” is a term albeit slang for a shelter that takes in active drinkers.. ..what is now there is a step down from what was originally proposed..I may or may not be correct…I believe I am correct.
it is nonsense to say that Barbara Haller has done nothing for D4 and the urban core..it reaks of your dislike for her instead of a solid opinion based on facts..I do not agree with Barbara on many issues lately and I think that the chronic problems associated with D4 have gotten to her but to say that she is the problem is just utter nonsense…
Again, it is easy to state a problem from atop a perch like many in this city like to do..but to be in the firefight and offer up one is much more telling…it is also disengenuous to offer up as you have in the past that those of us complaining about the chronic problems are from folks who just do not like folks of another color or have problems with ailments that infect society….I have had many tenants over 17 years in this city of all walks of life who I have given free rent to, low rent..jobs, money for food, English classes,bailed out of jail….blah,blah,blah…own, work and live down here for as long as I have BuckPaxton and you’ll harden up or move out..you moved out!
The issue is that we have lost the urban core to poverty, drugs and crime and those of us trying hard to bring it back…new restaurantuers, pub owners, developers of new housing, good tenants can’t continue to fight back the tide if all of those who live outside the urban core think that it is just a few whitey’s who dislike folks of color or are downtrodden.
I wish you would just once point out the problems not noted in the papah that are the cause of D4’s problems and be more exact on the problems that Barbara Haller has created…throwing this shit out with no data atached is like throwing a hotdog up against the Green Monster hoping the mustard acts like a glue..
Again, great debate..I hope you don’t mind the give and take..aint no fun when everyone is slapping each other on the back unless we are at a pig roast with free beer!
Off to Ireland tomorrow…for a pint of Guinness and unique pub style political debate:>)
Peace, Love Dove & Hippie Beads
Paulie
P.S. did I ever tell you that I graduated from nursing school back in the early 80’s – not many guys doing this then…first job that I took on before taking the boards was working with guys that like to nip on to many..one of the most satisfying jobs I ever had
Poverty, drugs and crime are not catalysts Paulie, they’re outcomes, the result of poor leadership and management going back to the decade after WWII, ramping up in the late 60’s, peaking in the 80’s and continuing today.
“Poverty, drugs and crime are not catalysts Paulie, they’re outcomes, the result of poor leadership and management going back to the decade after WWII, ramping up in the late 60’s, peaking in the 80’s and continuing today.”
>>plane doesn’t take off until 7:30 PM tomorrow:>)
the above is day #1 Suffolk University “Urban Renewal Studies 101, BuckPaxton…let’s get back to Barbara Haller and how she is the problem-subject at hand unless Lincoln jumps in and we can bang him on his CitySquare opinion-we probably agree there or at minimum will enjoy banging away at Lincoln:>)
Again, I do not agree on a lot of her recent CC endeavors but that being said, I hardly think that her take on pot, knives and vendor carts are what ales (got beer on mi mind) D4 or other parts of Worcester’s urban core….I have no idea what your experiences are with the D4 ills I have enjoyed as an investor, business man, term I hate to use but here goes-”neighborhod activist” & resident for 17 years in this city but I can tell you that she has been right up there with former Mayor Murray and City Manager Mick O’Brien when it came to rolling up sleeves and tackling the post WWII cancer that you mention. It takes more than The Dive Bar and Armsby Abbey to transform a urban core mate!
None of us are perfect, and I can see where her positions on issues could rattle you..but to say that Barbara Haller is the problem or even a problem is just not an intellectual statement..it again reaks of dislike…you have defended one local pol commenting that one has their day in court…well this pol did in front of the Ethics Committee and the outcome was a political spanking…I have donated to this Pol and I am quite upset to see where my good faith donations were used for…if you are gonna give one Pol their day in court then do so for the other and be more explicit as to why this Pol is the problem with D4?
I am practicing for what will be 10 days of back in forth in mi favorite pub on the Springfield Rd in West Belfast…ovah there one has to duck beer bottles if you piss off the other lad to much!
She’s the problem by virtue of ignoring the districts real issues (one real issue) while pointing fingers at the typical red herrings (drugs, crime, sex workers) used by politicians who have either run out of ideas, or never had any to begin with.
My family got their start on Hitchcock Rd, just a few doors down from Billy Breault (I hear he wasn’t always a douchbag). When the highway bill and GI Bill kicked off white flight to the Worcester suburbs that essentially signaled the birth of modern South Main. My grandparents actually held out for some time, eventually leaving in the 80’s, I believe. If you want a great neighborhood, it’s as simple (simple as in simple one word answer, it’s probably more like a 30+ year project) as getting the neighborhood back to that from which it came by increasing owner occupancy rates. People who own AND live in a neighborhood tend to take care of it, you know that better than anyone. If you want the vibe to change you have to convince people to invest, but that isn’t going to happen till you get rid of the single worst PR person the city and D4 has, Barbara Haller.
It’s simple Paulie, drugs, crime and the sex trade wont go away until the area is full of people who have something to loose by loosing the neighborhood. But you’re not going to get that until people start selling the neighborhood. Right now, all we get are curbside press conferences about crime that exists with or without the attention, but nobody is selling the area. Today I could buy a 3 decker for under a hundred K, get free tuition for my son at Clark simply by being in the district and have far better access to far better food. But it’s not the crime that keeps me away, its that the areas elected reps guarantee that my investemnt in the area will never grow and I’ll, like you, forever be a pioneer.
If you want to see real crime, real substance abuse problems and real moral decay, peel back the thin veneer in my neck of the woods. It’s far more grim than anything you have. The difference is it’s casually hidden by relative stability. That stability being a byproduct of the tight(er) fabric of the neighborhood, nothing more and certainly not the byproduct of the magic beans sold by local officials.
I’d rather see it hidden Buckpaxton than have to see some damn drunk hangin his hog out, pissin up against the house next door to me every day..at least the value of my hard earned property remains stable..
have you ever managed your own business? I have for 30 years and it is hard..you have to get the work, pay the employees, buy the groceries..keep the customers happy, keep the employees happy..blah blah..at the end of the day it is hard to be promoting-the rah rah stuff:>) Especially if one is in a grim environment!
We have how many at largers including the Mayor?? I can’t remember the last time I saw one on a daily basis around my hood other than former Mayor Murray who still stops by when he sees me to see what is happening ..when was the last time you heard one of them rah rahing my hood other than to put a shovel in the ground for the next no-lo income project?? I couldn’t even tell you what John Binenda looks like…and I am pretty damn involved in my hood..laying the rah rah responsibility on Barbara Haller solely is a heavy load mate when you look at what it takes just to handle the day to day constituency work..
I got interviewed by Chet Wiliamson formerly of WOMAG 6+ months ago…I talked endlessly about the good stuff happening in my hood and yet he starts the story off with a title to the effect of “crime and grime”…I was F’N livid when I saw it…cause all it did was confirm what many already think of the hood I own in..
And I agree on the something to loose argument Brendan..but if folks like yourself refuse to work past a CC that you do not agree with what does this say for Worcester…Pols come and go..good caring citizens just go if there is no one there with them to continue the forward movement!
Lets not broom under the rug the state of the schools in the urban core that have nothing to do with Barbara Haller..and understate the effect this has had on who is living within the urban core boundries either
“But you’re not going to get that until people start selling the neighborhood. Right now, all we get are curbside press conferences about crime that exists with or without the attention, but nobody is selling the area.”
>>this is false Brendan..I have been selling my neighborhood for sometime and out of my own pocket not waiting for grant $$$$-the quality of my housing is as good as anywhere in the city and for that matter in Boston..that NOLA Festival I hosted last month cost me and a pal $6500..it was free to many including my neighbors and it was a success, so much so in my mind and others that me Bill Randle and a nice couple who lost a son to complications due to autism are teaming up to have an even larger festival in the urban core in 2009….the Chandler Street Business Association took sometime to get on it’s feet but we have now through Federal NRSA Funds got many new property and business owners involved in the facade program..Assumption College is opening a urban campus at the MLK Business Empowerment Center-this is huge, the Canal Diggers 5Km that me and many others are involved with brought in 1500+ each year the past two years to the Canal District and downtown-many new to the city and thru this event the Ancient Order of Hibernians was able to buy the old Polish Club using the funds it raised and future events as future revenue streams when qualifying for a mortgage..we are now teaming up with the Canal Fest to have a weekend long Canal theme in 2009 that will hopefully be a draw for folks to come into the city for the entire weekend..not doing something because of a Pol or Pols you do not like is lame mate…instead in my own humble opinion you should be working to bring in new blood..something I totally agree is needed but this is what aint gonna hapen if our bright minds continue to leave or in yer case avoid issues that require some heavy lifting!
I have been banging at this issue for a few years now..until we have some new leadership that lives in the urban core we are going no where..this will require sacrifice for these folks..many are unwilling to sacrifice..and I understand why but nonetheless this is what is required..all of our leaders living on the west side or in Boston (Augustus) is not going to accomplish this..I hope this new superintendent of schools buys a big ole house in Main South or my hood..this would be a huge step..having Mick O’Brien do this 3+ years ago would have sent a huge message but it didn’t happen!
As is usually the case you’re saying the exact same thing as I am, but with a lot more words and a significantly greater amount of rambling. What’s the point then? Just like early morning debating online? Pre-programed to disagree?
“If you want the vibe to change you have to convince people to invest”
>>Isn’t this what we are asking Young Park to do? How can we convince folks from outside the city to invest in the urban core if we ourselves are reluctant to invest? How many investments does “Tear down that Mall” Rosen have downtown? Does any CC have an investment downtown?
Being a pioneer can be exhilerating BuckPaxton…I personally would not be here if it wasn’t..at 46 years old, a thriving business and a few retirement ready investments..I could move back to “whiteyville” but I am not doing so…the Chandler Street Business Association is collectively pushing CC Barbara Haller hard but in a professional manner on issues other than crime and grime that effect D4…the sidewalk repair problem being a huge one and perhaps you saw the piece about it in Nick K’s article a few weeks back..we were involved in the no-lo income project that has not been built but it was supposed to be built on the former abandoned Linen property on Mason Street…if we were not involved they had plans to put dense housing with no parking..we worked to get the plans downsized to fit the neighborhood and have parking..we do not neede anymore no-lo income housing in D4..there3 is enough!
The reason we have the lack of leadership in this city or leadership that only follows the municipal city worker slant is because many have given in..and from your post above I can only conclude that you have given in mate…I listen to your podcasts often, enjoy your blog and I have had the opportunity to chat with you over beers and I have come to the conclusion that you are a pretty bright cat…this all being said (I am Irish there is always a follow up)…this city is full of commentators but severly lacking in folks wiling to roll up their sleeves and make some sacrifices to change the image of this city…I do not agree with Barbara Haller on mucho stuff and to be quite honest lately have become angry with her over her lack of involvement in some issues but I attribute this to burn-out..this all being said..she does roll up her sleeves, has made a sacrifice living in D4 and I do see her influence on issues we agree on that have made the urban core of the city vastly different from when I first pioneered to Worcester.
City Sq is in District 2, not 4.
CitySquare is the urban core of the city Brendan…we can’t all be like you Brendan..getting to the point via a few consise words:>)
We agree on the problem Brendan…we most likely disagree on the resolve..reading you sometimes is like reading the T&G blogs..anything new proposed gets a rant a mile long about how it is gonna fail.
I have yet to hear you tell me or anyone else how railing like Barbara Haler does against the PIP Shelter, open prostitution,drug dealing & no-lo income housing sprawl has not made D4 better, me or many others investments better–I remember when I renovated my house in 1992 on Chandler, it was not uncommon for whores to walk in the front door asking my workers if they wanted a afternoon blow job for $5.00, windows to be delivered on Monday morning and stolen Monday night by the incredible amount of leeches in the neighborhod..I brokered the Santiago Brothers their first supermarket 20 years ago on Main South as well as the 8 unit building around the corner on Wellington..ask them what they think of Barbara and her crusade against the PIP Shelter.. her crusade against PIP and the 100’s of unlicensed ones has been a huge plus for us..you don’t think so but it is easy for you to say this..you have a comfy condo on the west side you can retire to every night..granted Little Booby Sue may be sniffin’ glue next door but Mr. & Mrs. Smith keep it hush hush..I have to see it every day..and so do my good tenants who are not a dime a dozen my way mate..I could talk you ear off even more than my blog rambling about the effect this has on the bottom line Brendan and the effect it has on the urban core of the city.
Perhaps you see Geo. Washington in every Pol we have..I do not and understand their limitations so I do not let these limitations stop me from pushing forward…Barabara Haller has found her niche as a Pol and it is what it is…at some point it will be time for her to go for a new Pol to hopefully usher in a new era for a big chunk of the urban core (same can be said for CC Clancy) ..hopefully a young cat with fresh ideas, and some real World experiences…who has made a investment in my neighborhod and does not sweat the little things.
The poiint is Brendan..if Barbara Haller and many of her supporters and I call myself one..style to correcting the Worcester urban core is the problem..what is the solution in your opinion other than a text book rant about post WWII happenings..I’ll be more understanding if you use more than 8 words.
Unfortunately Paulie, sometimes real solutions require a text book rant. 40+ years of destruction to social fabrics isn’t going to be fixed by pointing fingers at drugs, poverty and prostitutes. I guess I’ll have to wait till you understand why Worcester is the way it is, before we can discuss how to fix it.
By the way, I’ve never lived in a condo.
well Brendan, you do a huge diservice to those of us who are trying to make the urban core of the city a better place to live in, in the best manner we know how without offering up concrete ideas or getting your hands dirty like many of us are doing and no not always in harmony together..waiting for the next local Obama to come onto the scene aint gonna make it happen…if Barbara Haller and her disciples are doing it wrong then you or of like minded thinking should step in as leaders and show us how to do it-I am willing to follow if better ideas are out there..until this happens we are only able to move on what we feel is the right way
Worcester is just like the rest of this Commonwealth. Pols never just “come and go”. They stick around like warts spreading their “ideas” to the next round of impotent leaders elected solely because they have a lot of “friends” “in the know”.
This is right on up there.
http://wcbstv.com/politics/nyc.ticket.blitz.2.874084.html
Imagine to my surprise, when a city is “cash-strapped” the answer is to hire more police to ticket (tax) the citizens more.
Public safety is a fucking joke.