Reader feedback 12.15.04

THE NEXT MAYOR

I took Mary Anna Towler’s suggestion and thought about what I
would like in a mayor (“After Johnson,” Urban Journal, November 24). I would
like to see a mayor who is young, under 50. Baltimore,
San Francisco, and Chicago
have all shot ahead because they have young mayors who think fresh about urban
challenges.

            Second, the
reason that there is a building boom in places like New
York, Portland,
and Austin is that the city
governments there facilitate real estate and business development. Any mayor to
come must bend over backwards to make real estate projects happen.

            Real estate
developers or anyone opening a business are putting massive amounts of capital,
time, and faith in their projects. They must be supported logistically and
morally; no environmental red tape, no red tape from Albany
should be allowed to get in the way.

            At the same
time, the mayor must have an able-bodied administration: people who will be as
motivated and knowledgeable as she is. The mayor must be prepared to search the
country for people to comprise his staff who are passionate about making a difference
in urban neighborhoods. I’ve met plenty of them throughout my career, here in Rochester
and elsewhere.

            Most
difficult of all, the mayor must be able to talk straight about racism. The
shifty divide between Caucasians in the suburbs and minorities in the city can
no longer be tucked away: We’re talking about the life of our city, that is all. Our future mayor should have the gusto to
lead with forthrightness into this admittedly thorny subject. Talking plain
about such matters might lead to more cooperation all around, whether that
takes the form of metro government or something heretofore not thought of.

            Mayor
Johnson has done a good job, especially when it comes to grassroots outreach in
the neighborhoods. He has created a foundation by allowing each of us who care
about the city, from whatever walk of life, to speak. The next mayor can bridge
these conversations and place us squarely on the road to a city that is equal
to and better than any in the nation.

            Mitch Stern, North Goodman Street, Rochester (Stern is a Rochester
developer)

SAVING THE FERRY

I was greatly encouraged to read Mary Anna Towler’s column
(“Save that Ferry,” December 1) expressing such clear and civic-minded
conviction. Of course, we should be “beating down the doors of City Hall to
offer to help get the ferry back in operation.”

            A simple,
quite possibly simplistic idea arose: a Citizens’ Fast Ferry Fund. I sent Mayor
Johnson a check just before writing this letter. The idea is to create a
positive statement, to applaud the actions of the mayor and his supporters, and
to demonstrate simple encouragement — “to vote with dollars,” so to speak.
Money is a simple language. We can not lose by sending some money. We shall, at
the very least, have spoken. If as a people, we can demonstrate our belief,
good. And if our demonstrated belief attracts needed significant funding, the
entire community will win.

            Mayor
Johnson’s address is City Hall, 30 Church Street,
Rochester14614.

            Tim Sullivan, St. Regis Drive, Brighton

CREATE DEMAND

Believe it or not, most of the time conservatives and
liberals want the same things for their community; they just believe in
different means to arrive at these ends. What citizen wouldn’t want a regional ferry service, indicative of a robust
local economy, thriving in entertainment, tourism, and commerce?

            The way to
arrive at this end, though, is not with an artificial propping up of the Fast
Ferry through an injection of public or private funds with acceptable losses,
as Ms. Towler proposes (“Save that ferry!” December 1). Under that scenario,
over time our community would have fewer and fewer people paying more and more
tax or earnings revenue for the continued operation of a ferry service with
decreasing ridership, as people and companies leave New York because of the
taxes required to maintain such expensive projects.

            Rather, we
should strive to increase business incentives and lower the state and local
taxes responsible for the current hemorrhaging of people, jobs, and companies
from our beloved region. When it becomes attractive for more people to live in Rochester
and for companies to thrive in New YorkState, the natural demand for
services such as the Fast Ferry will find more than adequate funding through
free-market forces.

            Joel Wojciechowski, Lilac Drive, Rochester

SPEAK OUT!

I am middle-of-the road about the war in Iraq,
but as for the way it is being planned and carried out, there is so much wrong.
How in the world did this happen? And even more important, why is it
continuing?

            Not enough
troops to carry out missions? No plan in place for dealing with the captured
enemy? An enemy tortured by other countries for us, and by us? Troops not given
the proper equipment for protection? Wrong spy information constantly relied
on? National Guard and Marine Reserve troops kept past their let-go date, and
recalled after discharge?

            So many
questions, no answers given.

            I am a
disabled seaman, not a general or a strategist. But I see that we can’t win and
won’t win against an enemy who’s willing to commit suicide.

            Why can’t
anyone in government see that and start planning to win? Or is the war only
made to go slow, with no win strategy, just to enrich the companies of war and
boost our economy?

            As a local
member of the Selective Service Board, I pray the board’s work never resumes.
But at this rate, it just might.

            Citizens
need to raise more concern!

            Richard Goode, Alexander Street, Rochester

‘ALEXANDER’AS ALLEGORY?

George Grella’s review indicates discomfort at the portrayal
of Alexander as somewhat less than heroic in the Hollywood
sense (“Conquering the World, Ruining a Movie,” December 1) — but he
questions “Why brave men should follow him and sacrifice their lives for
his generally incomprehensible dreams….”

            Hello?

            Saddam bin
Laden Iraq Afghanistan Iraq Drilling for Oil in Alaska National Wildlife Refuge
Cutting down trees to make the Forest Healthy Terrorism Mandatory Democracy
Subpoenaed Library Reading lists Saddam Iraq Bombing insurgents 100,000
non-combatant deaths….

            R Rapport, Rush

            George Grella’s response: I am fully
aware of the allegorical relevance of the movie, but I still stand by my
comments.

WRITING TO CITY

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Send them to: themail@rochester-citynews.com or The Mail, City Newspaper, 250
North Goodman Street, Rochester14607.

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the same writer more often than about once every two months.

This article appears in Dec 15-21, 2004.