Lessons Ignored
For some reason, our fair city seems to believe that we’re special. That the lessons learned on other cities for some reason do not apply to us.
The people behind Strong Towns have written extensively about how our current patterns of growth are akin to a Ponzi Scheme.
Other municipalities have chosen to address this issue, paving the way to planning reform and the way cities build and finance their infrastructure.
Yet, here in Windsor, we ignore the fact that we cannot afford our current infrastructure inventory (when’s the last time YOUR pot-hole ridden road was resurfaced, or YOUR basement has flooded?!?). We seem to still be under the illusion that, if we can only build more subdivisions and widen more roads, somehow our property tax base will grow to the point of sustaining itself. What’s that definition of insanity, again?
I bring this up because of the article in todays Windsor Star on the Windsor South Sandwich DRAFT Secondary Plan. Using pleasing vernacular like “Walkable Neighbourhoods” and referencing established communities like the Walkerville neighbourhood, the city is trying to make this new development appear to be something different, better than what we’re used to.
Yet, despite this wonderful new growth being planned, our current citizens are constantly under pressure to reduce their civic spending to compensate for this unsustainable growth. We are privatizing core services, costing local jobs. We’re having our local amenities consolidated in far-flung “big-box” municipal-service zones. We are doing this because we cannot afford what we have, yet we are under the illusion that we can still build our way out of our economic doldrums.
The fact still remains that our current growth patterns are unsustainable. Current patterns of development costs more to maintain over the long run than it produces in revenue. We are continuing to dig deeper, despite the organizations out there sounding the alarm.
This is a deep-seated structural flaw in our civic mindset. It’s time our municipal leadership started to question the Ponzi mentality governing Windsor. I urge you to pass along Strong Town’s research to your ward councillor. They need to hear this loud and clear.
Tags: Ponzi Scheme, Strong Towns
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Besides the actuality of this ponzi scheme, is the fearful fact that these developers and eventually homeowners will not pay the full development fee of this property, to include schools, libraries, and parks, not to say of all infrastructure costs that come with it.
I found this just now on the Infrastructurist website
So maybe we need women as city planners:
http://www.infrastructurist.com/2011/10/17/why-do-women-hate-development/
Why Do Women Hate Development?
“Ok not really. But according to a a poll by the Saint Consulting Group, women are far more likely than men to oppose the construction of new power plants, shopping malls, big-box stores, and other large projects.”
And: “There are plenty of conclusions one could jump to from this data — women are more likely to rank environmental concerns over growth and potential profit, men are more driven to build and build some more, etc. Interestingly, both men and women overwhelmingly agreed with the statement, “I like my community just fine the way it is” (69% for women, 67% for men). But it’s pretty clear that this statement had a different meaning for the two genders — to women, it means “things are fine, so we don’t need to change anything” while for men it appeared to mean “things are good, so let’s build more.” Anxieties about harm to the community — greater traffic, less safety, more environmental harm — were much higher for women than men, and played major roles in the “no more growth” answers. Meanwhile, economic concerns spurred much of the male support for development.”
I cringed when I saw the newspaper headline, but am glad to see that it prompted a scaledown post. I’m astonished that development of this area is being considered in a climate of stale growth and innumerable infrastructure challenges–at bargain basement development charge rates to boot. The question for consultation ought to be, are you willing to unnecessary, outdated development in a far-flung corner of the city to the tune of $25000 per house?
When the end of the world comes, I want to be in Windsor because it’s always 20 years behind the times.
Any airport land development, especially with residential development, will have to take in future thinking that Eddie our Mayor plans to have jets landing 24/7 taking onions to Europe, flying low and slow over these new communities the noise alone should make it a wasteland. Then there will be all the traffic of trucks coming 24/7 to carry those onions, traffic congestion will be unbearable.
No thank you. I don’t care how you want to describe it - jets overhead 24/7 isn’t worth it.
Mark, twenty years from now those residents will be belly aching about the jets, having long forgotten who was there first.
Luckily, not everyone in our fair city is on board with Mayor Francis’ plans. The recent announcement that the old Hollywood Bingo on Ouellette will be converted to a film production facility, the newly-opened business incubator across the street in the old Classic Bingo and a number of other promising developments in the core are proof that a lot of people in Windsor are “thinking outside the sprawl box” that our elected officials are stuck in and websites like Scaledown Windsor prove that there indeed is intelligent life in our city even if there’s none in City Hall.
Amen to THAT, Brother!
This seemed in my opinion to be nothing more than political favours/posturing county/city. Who in their right mind would want to expand a contracting community?You would think it to be better to rebuild from within.
I would like to address a question to Chris. Why is our city council always behind the 8-ball when it comes to development? According to the Bank of Canada, the Canadian economy will soon “hit a wall” as economic turmoil in Europe and the United States spreads to our economy. Yet we continue to believe that the same policies that led to the collapse of the American real-estate market can work in Windsor. Is our city council prey to the same sort of wishful thinking that governed the American real estate bubble?
I truly wish I had an answer for you, George. This is the $64,000 question. Talk to our members of council individually, and for the most part, they all truly want what they believe is best for this city. However, as was graphically illustrated by the urban chicken “debate”, they don’t much care for evidence, especially when it runs counter to the emotional reactions (eal or anticipated) of their ward constituents.
Try as we have to prove that the status-quo is a castle in the sand, with a globe-worth of case studies backing up our claims, they are emotionally invested in auto-centric sprawl development.
In my mind, we will never win them over with reasoned arguments. All we can do is to keep them from dismantling the few good examples left in the city and to empower the citizens in those areas to build upon the work of their forefathers/mothers in keeping them whole neighborhoods. We know we’re right. We’ve got the science backing us up. Let’s just hope we can preserve a few tangible examples of the kinds of neighbourhoods that contribute to civic life rather than detract from it.
This was the quickie response to your question. The in-depth one will have to wait ’til Im home from work and not typing on my cell phone
Chris,
I agree with your assessment here. I would add that it is important that we preserve those neighbourhoods, but we must also continue to educate current and future political leaders on the folly of increased sprawl. Someday we will have the right people in place to reverse this unsustainable trend. My hope that when that happens, it isn’t too late.
I had an opportunity to meet Kenosha, Wisconsin’s head of planning a couple years back. According to him, their research determined that their city lost money on any single family dwelling development unless the assessed value of the resulting property would be higher than $400 000. So what did they do? They got out of that game. Why continue under those circumstances?
TRistan,
I truly believe the reason council does this is three-fold.
1) they get the $$ now from the developer so they spend it now (especially with assessments dropping like a stone in water).
2) They don’t want to upset the local developers (who have run this city for 20 years with no give back). Thus, looking like they are anti-business.
3) There are more “suburbanite” councillors than city core councillors so they will get shot down at every turn.
It is galling to say the least that the city is yet again thinking of more houses to be built when there is plainly a gut of vacant houses in the city already. Add to it the near non-recovery of the recession here makes this very baffling.
So here’s the news to council. It doesn’t matter if you build all of the raised ranches houses wanted in this area. If the tax rates is half in the county (Ie: parasite communities of LaSalle and Tecumseh and dare I say Lakeshore) then that is where people will move.
Calling LaSalle a “parasite community” is ignorant and misinformed and does nothing to advance any of your arguments. You should check your numbers on tax rates being “half” as well. That might have been closer to true 30 years ago, it is simply false today. Reciting old cliches weakens any point you think you might be making, and reflects only a lack of research and independent/critical thinking on your part.
Windsor’s problems have very little to do with neighbours, and everything to do with the current residents of City Hall.
Please help us to understand, Al. What is it that made you decide to locate in LaSalle? Do you work out there, or in the city?
Our goal here is more to understand the decisions made by residents and how best to address those decisions. Like you, I believe that the decisions made by generations of past community leaders have put Windsor in the position it is now with losing residents to the suburbs.
I am of the mindset that this outflow of taxpayers won’t stop until we reverse our planning/transportation decisions, play up our strengths and once again make Windsor a place that people choose. Help us to understand!
Since you asked:
My father moved to Lasalle in 1962, opened a professional office and my parents raised 6 kids here. As an adult, I’ve lived in London and Windsor but moved back to Lasalle when I had kids of my own. Though it is nowhere near the same small town vibe I loved in the ’70’s, there are still great things about it (excellent trail system, bike-friendly, good parks, good schools)
Dave, your taxes are too high, especially for the quality of service you get.
How is that the fault of us “parasites”. Look to the parasites at your own City Hall. You have a Mayor who takes home more pay than the Mayors of much larger more successful cities (ie. Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver). He plays everything for perception, reality does not count. He is aided and abetted by the local media. Horrendous decisions and graft-laden deals are painted as “great successes” (ie. WFCU, border road war) while the fundamentals of municipal governance (roads/sewers) continue to deteriorate. Look no further than today’s Star…why is it that Windsor has higher outside legal costs than ANY other city in Canada this year? And that last year was even higher? “Who at city hall” you ask? Are you that blind? The fish rots from the head down. An apathetic electorate has allowed Windsor to be taken over by a megalomaniacal mayor whose only apparent talent is SPIN. He is supported by a bunch of posturing wannabe-politicians on council, afraid to challenge the status quo. Mention amalgamation to anyone in neighbouring communities these days and I’m sure you will hear Eddie and council brought up pretty quickly. Arrogance, incompetence and corruption at Windsor City hall are not the fault of “parasite” communities like Lasalle, Tecumseh or Lakeshore.
ps. Chris, as to where I work: I work a day job in Windsor, but my company derives most of our income from Detroit, kind of parasitic, I guess? More than half my income is generated freelance from my home office, and my wife works in Lakeshore.
Dave, you should check your history before you spout nonsense. Saying Lasalle wouldn’t exist without Windsor is simply untrue. Our history dates back to the 1700’s.
Nothing is black and white, except the fact that your Mayor is the worst kind of leader possible, and is personally responsible for the obvious deterioration of Windsor’s quality of life over the last 10 years.
Llasalle, Al,
I’m not as nice as Chris so my description of the suburbs stands. So here goes. Considering that I have a court yard for a backyard and my taxes are $3600.00 I know of 7 residents in LaSalle and Tecumseh that pay from $1900-$2300. So I apologize; not quite half but low enough.
I would also like to point out that without Windsor these communities wouldn’t even really exist. The policies of these communities has been to prey on Windsor. Whether keeping taxes artificiallylow or luring companies to their jurisdication instead of Windsor proper.
The worst example is the collusion the counted created by hemming Windsor in with the borders. All this when amalgamation would have helped solve this region’s woes in many ways.
I could add regional transportation, regional tourism (finally fixed) etc…
I forgot to add. Who at city hall? what policies?
Since you asked:
My father moved to Lasalle in 1962, opened a professional office and my parents raised 6 kids here. As an adult, I’ve lived in London and Windsor but moved back to Lasalle when I had kids of my own. Though it is nowhere near the same small town vibe I loved in the ’70’s, there are still great things about it (excellent trail system, bike-friendly, good parks, good schools)
Dave, your taxes are too high, especially for the quality of service you get.
How is that the fault of us “parasites”. Look to the parasites at your own City Hall. You have a Mayor who takes home more pay than the Mayors of much larger more successful cities (ie. Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver). He plays everything for perception, reality does not count. He is aided and abetted by the local media. Horrendous decisions and graft-laden deals are painted as “great successes” (ie. WFCU, border road war) while the fundamentals of municipal governance (roads/sewers) continue to deteriorate. Look no further than today’s Star…why is it that Windsor has higher outside legal costs than ANY other city in Canada this year? And that last year was even higher? “Who at city hall” you ask? Are you that blind? The fish rots from the head down. An apathetic electorate has allowed Windsor to be taken over by a megalomaniacal mayor whose only apparent talent is SPIN. He is supported by a bunch of posturing wannabe-politicians on council, afraid to challenge the status quo. Mention amalgamation to anyone in neighbouring communities these days and I’m sure you will hear Eddie and council brought up pretty quickly. Arrogance, incompetence and corruption at Windsor City hall are not the fault of “parasite” communities like Lasalle, Tecumseh or Lakeshore.
ps. Chris, as to where I work: I work a day job in Windsor, but my company derives most of our income from Detroit, kind of parasitic, I guess? More than half my income is generated freelance from my home office, and my wife works in Lakeshore.
Dave, you should check your history before you spout nonsense. Saying Lasalle wouldn’t exist without Windsor is simply untrue. Our history dates back to the 1700’s.
Nothing is black and white, except the fact that your Mayor is the worst kind of leader possible, and is personally responsible for the obvious deterioration of Windsor’s quality of life over the last 10 years.
Here’s a current objective rating of Windsor’s dismal municipal governance, their grade of D/D- is among the very lowest in the country. Somehow, “parasites” from Lasalle don’t figure into it.
This study came out Nov 11, haven’t seen it in the Star yet.
http://www.cdhowe.org/pdf/Backgrounder_145.pdf
LaSalle Al,
I do know about Petit Cote’s founding. But the fact is it would be nothing more than a Rivard Canard at best!
Why is Windsor’s taxes so high? Past administrations and the old boys club decimiated this city with nothing to show for it. While the suburbs offered refuge for less taxes. EC Row Expressway didn’t help either. But hey! It serves Tecumseh and LaSalle residents well while not having to pay for it’s upkeep.
My services have improved (still not great but getting better) so where I get my street cleaned three times per week. My snow is shoveled promptly. Interesting to note that over 50% of city workers live in the county but still demand to be paid very well with high legacy costs….I guess they aren’t footing the bill?
As for this Mayor; yes he is egotistical, yes he is a control freak. But he isn’t all bad. He inherited a decimated budget by Mike Hurst who drove this city into the ground and placated unions to no end (as did most past mayors). Eddie has at least reigned in the budget, kept taxes low and finally got rid of legacy costs. What you can’t say about him is that he isn’t a hard worker; and is changing the perception of this city (as a businessman I hear about the positives of this city more now than I have in 12 years).
You talk roads/sewers. Well the city can only rebulid so many or the entire city would either be gridlocked or have no running water. They are rebuilding almost as much as possible. You can’t do the entire city in a couple of years. Again, past administrations did nothing and now we have no choice but to do them. Wait until your town’s infrastructure starts to deteriorate in the next 20 years. Your taxes are going to go trhough the roof!
But then again, like most suburbanites you will get up and leave to go to Lakeshore or somewhere even further where taxes are less and you can get an even larger raised ranch house. Not realizing that by sprawling out you continue to push all levels of taxation higher.
You talk about corruption? (cough, cough, Vollmer complex…new LaSalle city hall). Now prove there is corruption in this administration?
I could care less about his $175,000/yr salary. It is a drop in the bucket for the budget and for how much the guy works, it is warranted.
You see the the county snubbed and pissed and moaned about amalgamation and hemmed Windsor in. Even when it was mandated (I wonder why only this jurisdiction wasn’t allowed to amalgamate?) Is that fair?
The problem is that as more people move to the suburbs there is less taxes for the city. When arbitration between unions and cities is left to the broken system, a city loses. When property assessments go down, there is less taxes for the city. So much so that a recession kills cities like Windsor. At least we are diversifying so hopefully future recessions don’t hit us as hard.
Now that being said, I see Lakeshore, Tecumseh and LaSalle dangle low taxes to companies to move there when they would be perfectly good movingto Windsor….once again surrounding communities living off of their host city (kind of like the suburbs of Detroit sucking the life blood from Detroit; which now has nothing).
Face it LaSalle Al, without the juxtaposition between LaSalle, Tecumseh and Windsor What would LaSalle be? Still Petit Cote.
You are obviously very fond of the kool aid Eddie peddles. If he is working so hard it sure isn’t showing up in the CD Howe study (ignored rather conveniently in your reply, btw) When exactly will you stop blaming thing on the previous administration? It is laughable. Not that I am any big fan of Hurst, but Eddie has been at the helm for 9 years. A lot of grand announcements, a lot of in camera decision making, a lot of hype, and very little in the way of improved quality of life for residents. Enjoy it.
Well, I am done with the pissing match between us Al. Obviously this is a one-sidede argument with you as you didn’t address anything I stated other than I am “very fond” of Eddie.
The funny thing about that is most people who know me know that is the furthest thing from the truth. The difference is I am willing to give applause or acceptance to something/someone if I believe it is a good thing regardless of who it comes from. While others, perhaps yourself, are blinded only by your perceived ignorance or hate of an individual or idea.
Thanks for posting and having somewhat of a discourse on the issue.
I didn’t address anything? You didn’t address the CD Howe study..which is A) Current B) Objective and C) Relevant. Linking to it was an attempt to move this out of the personal….I didn’t make anything personal, you did, by assuming you can predict my motives and actions as a “suburbanite”.
What exactly is my “perceived ignorance”, by the way, is that a grammatical error, or do you need a dictionary?
If anyone is blinded it is you. Blaming “parasites” like Lasalle for Windsor’s problems is weak, as weak as blaming Mike Hurst for the current Mayor’s poor performance in increasing quality of life for Windsorites. By not demanding accountability from your leaders, by transferring blame to others, you are only furthering the problems you claim to be interested in finding solutions for.
The trouble with the CD Howe reference is that because it only included Windsor and not the County collectively or as individual municipalities it has very little to do with the debate going on at Scaledown.
come off it Al! I didn’t address CD Howe because the damn legacy costs and mismanagment under Hurst, Millson, Kishkon et al is still hurting Windsor and our tax rates. To say it isn’t having an effect is dumb at best. These costs will be born for some time still (ever wonder why our rates are so much higher than other municipalities in Ontario with nothing to show for it?) That is the reason for the poor showing in the study (read costs, incoming taxes etc in the study).
As Windsor’s taxes recede due to people moving to suburbs or other cities; businesses moving to cheaper suburban lands (wonder where our retailwent? Check Manning Rd in Tecumseh, many are former downtown stores).
But hey keep living in your delusional world…perhaps you might address some of the things in previous posts and quit lamenting the word parasite. It is blinding you.
BTW: I gave you the benefit of thedoubt whenI stated “perceived ignorance” but you’re just really a typical suburban asshole who bitches about Windsor while not putting any taxes into the coffers yet believe you can dictate to Windsorites what we do wrong….as one councillor once said…”Your ignoranceknows no bounds.”
See you around Al…in Windsor!
If you read the thread, you’ll see I never “bitched about Windsor” like a “typical suburbanite asshole”. I lamented the electorates inability to see through your Mayor’s spin machine, sure, and I defended my hometown from being called a “parasite”. In fact, I think I kept my composure completely, it is you that resorts to name calling and expletives, and clutches to the ridiculously thin straw that Eddie should be excused from accountability for the last decade because of Kishkon (?!) et al. You call me delusional? Should we blame the US economic crisis on Bill Clinton, too?
Allright, allright. Let’s stop the personal attacks, shall we? I’ve never moderated this blog, and don’t want to start now…
As a matter of fact, both of you have some insights into the condition that we’re all experiencing. I’ve always felt that people are leaving the city due to our dropping the ball of quality of life. We’ve effed up, and now’s the time to fix it.
The suburban bedroom communities that border the city are best left alone. I have no desire whatsoever of annexing or amalgamating them into the city of Windsor. Too many unsecured liabilities out there, without the tax base to pay for them. Why would we want them included into the leaky bucket that is Windsor’s operational budget.
I’ve stressed it before, but look how suburban development is simply a huge ponzi scheme.
Unitl the city decides enough is enough, we’re not going to “compete” with the suburbs to out-suburb them and offer a higher quality of urban life - we’re done! People are going to choose the ‘burbs over core living! There’s nothing we can do about that. As long as they can pay the full cost of their lifestyle choice, it’s completely up to them.
What we need to offer is a rational realistic alternative, which stresses community and alternatives to auto-centric sprawl. Until we decide what we want to be when we grow up, we’ll continue on this multiple-personality journey we find ourselves stuck on.
You are right Chris. My apologies to you and your blog.
I agree as well, that as long as suburbia can pay for itself peope should be able to choose where they live. But that is the crux of the auto-centric sprawl we ALL pay for.
Hopefully our leaders can start making the right choices so that ones lifestyle choise isn’t predicated on the demise of the other; which ever one happens to be on the losing end.