Government / Politics
Blog post
The battle for the White House has reached my inbox, as even listservs about urbanism crackle with endorsements and denunciations of Obama, McCain, Palin, etc.
But all of this frenzied activity assumes that what a President says or thinks is particularly relevant to urban issues. But this need not be so. The policy areas most relevant to sprawl and urbanism, land use and transportation, are not likely to be directly affected by the results of the presidential election.
In particular, zoning and similar land use issues are generally addressed by state and local governments. Even the most pro-urban president is unlikely to take on anti-infill NIMBYism (1), make strip malls more walkable. or make streets narrower.
Philadelphia is still trying to figure out where to put its two approved casinos as it prepares to become the nation's biggest city to host gambling. In this piece, Inga Saffron says a new proposed site could make gambling work for Philly.
The Philadelphia Inquirer
The city of Los Angeles forms a task force of prosecutors, police, and others to combat illegal disposal of trash all over town.
The Los Angeles Times
Despite controversy over its funding,location and impact, the Florida Marlins are likely to build a new retractable-roof stadium on the former site of the Orange Bowl in the city's Little Havana neighborhood.
Miami Herald
HBO's The Wire has wrapped its last season of urban criticism disguised as a cop show. Dan Hill, who creates simulations of cities in his day job, is fascinated by The Wire's simulation and deconstruction of Baltimore.
cityofsound
Proposals from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative Republicans to close the state's $15 billion budget deficit would to take away hundreds of millions of dollars from local redevelopment agencies.
California Planning & Development Report
Elected city officials in dozens of cities want to overturn term limits, saying current ones keep them from being able to tackle long-range projects.
New York Times
This week international legal experts are meeting in Iceland to debate whether or not the world needs new international laws concerning the polar regions in the face of climate change.
Truthout
Atlanta and other cities in the U.S. are fighting for a greater share of hotel taxes paid as a result of bookings through online sites.
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
New funds have already been allocated to public transit agencies, but unexpected increases in ridership have called for even more. The funds come as part of a new energy bill intended to reduce foreign oil dependence.
The Wall Street Journal
At a recent bipartisan panel on public transportation and energy policy sponsored by the University of Minnesota-Minneapolis, panelists made the Conservative case for urban density and public transit investments.
The American Prospect
Taxpayers, not transit users, will bail out motorists to keep the highway trust fund solvent. The administration had initially proposed to use transit funds and veto using general funds, but with the fund scheduled to go bust in Oct., they relented.
Los Angeles Times via San Francisco Chronicle
Neal Pierce looks at America's addiction to incarceration and drug prohibition and wonders what -- if anything -- the presidential candidates would do to change the country's course.
Citiwire
Urban chickens have been approved in Fort Collins, Colorado. Some, including one vocal city council member, are not happy about it.
Fort Collins Now
The "creative class" is using the Internet and the blog world to drum up new ideas for combating sprawl and placelessness. This article argues it's only a matter of time before these urban thinkers go from blogging to local politics.
The St. Petersburg Times
The discourse in the current presidential election appears to be pitting rural -- and presumably conservative -- Americans against urban liberals.
The Globe and Mail
Corrupt and inconsistent mob-controlled garbage collection in Naples, Italy, has left the city swimming in uncollected trash and with little hope of a resolution.
The Los Angeles Times
The CA Senate voted to approve the HOT lane/transit investment plan of the LA MTA for two freeways, making LA eligible for $210 million in federal congestion pricing funds if the governor signs the bill.
LA Times
In this article from <em>Progressive Planning</em>, Tom Angotti looks at Gaza and the land use regulations that have imposed an "urban apartheid".
Progressive Planning
Rami Khouri of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs notes the unprecedented phenomenon of the "instant" cities of the Persian Gulf which, for all their wealth, lack civil societies.
The Globe and Mail
