Lost In Transition

It came out of the blue. I used Stephanie Miner’s attendance at a Council meeting to give her an invite to SUN’s December meeting. The mayor-elect accepted our invite, but she also asked me to be on her transition team. I was honored, so I said yes–even before I knew my employers wouldn’t object. (Thankfully, our By-laws only outlaw elective office, not temporary advisory board positions.) Only later, in a phone call, did I find out I was going to chair a sub-committee. Too late to back out now!

So, I’ve written a lot on this blog about how organizers should work through others, how politics should take a back seat to activism–all the things a good organizer believes in his/her bones. So why the transition team?

Through my work at SUN, I’ve developed a definite opinion on the city’s housing policies and what needs to be done to improve the housing in low-income communities. We’re drowning in a sea of vacant houses and the needs of low income families are generally not being heard over the din of landlords and other investor/developers.

Yes, the best way to deal with this is by creating a powerful organization of low income people to fight for our rights. Well, I’ve helped to do that and we’ve won some battles. But organizing is also about seizing opportunities and thinking about new ways to cut an issue. For housing activists, the election of Stephanie is a watershed event. We have a mayor who actually understands and cares about our issue, as well as having the intellect to help advance the cause. But there are many other battles out there to be fought as well–each with their own set of impassioned advocates. We need to get housing set as a priority.

Or maybe I’m just impatient. I’m under no illusion that any unique individual skills put me in this position. I’m at this particular intersection of organizing and politics because SUN has employed me to fight the good fight for 16 years and someone in power finally stopped and asked for our opinion–even asked us to help frame the questions and craft potential responses.

I’m an instrument of my community group and we’d be fools to turn our back on this opportunity. I’m sitting at the table because of the hard work of many folks in our community to create a better life and improve the housing in their neighborhoods. I can’t let them down.

Hope And Despair In The American City

Hope & Despair book

Originally uploaded by Phil At Sun

I went to a meeting of FOCUS Greater Syracuse today–one of the many good government groups that try to make an impact on our city. They have their meetings at the ungodly hour of 7:30 AM and the mostly older and white folks run around wearing buttons emblazoned with B+. For years I’ve always joked about creating a C – button for the cynics in the crowd.

Anyway, I went to hear Jerry Grant, the author of the book Hope And Despair In The American City. His book details two communities dealing with segregation and how it has an impact on education. In Raleigh in 1976, the city faced falling property values and a failing school system that threatened the nascent Research Triangle tech business (since businesses would not locate to areas without good schools for employees kids and potential new hires.)

So, despite opposition, Wake County created a county-wide school system. In addition, the district set a goal of limiting rates of poverty in all schools to below 40% to achieve a mixture of economic classes within each school. The sub-title of this book is “Why there are no bad schools in Raleigh”, but it is also a truism that there are no “poor” schools either–the kind of school where just getting kids’ boats to stop rocking from the effects of poverty is considered a victory, the kind of school that doesn’t have the resources–either in cash or in human capital–to truly educate children.

If Raleigh is the poster child for hope in this book, as evidenced by increased test scores and home values, Syracuse is the poster child for despair–the declining rust belt city whose affluent and middle class folks have largely fled to the suburbs, leaving behind a school system where 80% of the children come from families whose low income qualifies them for free and subsidized lunches from the federal government.

The book really hit home for me. I was educated in the affluent Fayetteville-Manlius school district, yet ended up living and working in the Syracuse neighborhoods Mr. Grant writes about.

At the question and answer session after Mr. Grant’s talk, a parent with kids in the city school district showed that attitudes about suburban schoolkids are just as stereotypical as those held by others about city kids:

“I’d never have my kids educated in Fayetteville,” she said, “they’re like cookie-cutter kids, all the same.”

Jerry Grant had a few strategies that he presented as a way to start punching gateways through the invisible wall that he states has been built between the city and its suburbs Among those are:

1) a voluntary busing program between the city and suburbs similar to a long running voluntary busing program in Boston. In Boston this program, while perhaps helping to forestall calls for consolidation, has also developed a powerful network of allies in both the city and suburbs, a cadre of advocates for desegregation that is sorely lacking in Syracuse.

2) Create two powerful charter schools–one a University Arts High School with teachers from many disciplines at Syracuse U. and another a high school that recruits hundreds of local businesses and non-profits to offer internships to augment traditional educational offerings. Each of these schools would have up to 49% of its enrollment from outside the city–creating two integrated and attractive schools.

The hard work is all ahead of us. Jerry Grant wrote this book because of his desire to jump start the discussions that need to happen in Syracuse to talk about the patterns of segregation that have led to ineffective education and a perpetuation of terrible and grinding poverty in the city. The commitment of the city government, Syracuse University and the city school district to the Say Yes To Education program is a good start. But we have a long way to go if Syracuse wants to stop being the model for Despair in the American City.

It was troubling to see only two African-Americans in a mostly full Common Council chamber and also troubling to note that this conversation, so well received in downtown Syracuse, probably would receive a frosty reception out in Fayetteville and Liverpool and Clay and Dewitt and Skaneateles etc. So let’s break out of our middle-class, good government cocoon, schedule some meetings at a decent hour and try to drag some suburbanites into the mix.

Bruce & The Cleveland Boys

Bruce played Cleveland on Tuesday and he dedicated "Bobby Jean," his song about the bonds of friendship, to the Cleveland Boys–four guys from Cleveland who fell for Bruce’s music, decided they had to meet him and ended up hanging out with Bruce and the band as friends.

One of the Boys died recently but the remaining three were in the
pit, right in front of the stage during the Cleveland show. It’s
becoming apparent that the band will be taking a lengthy break from the road after the final show on November 22nd in Buffalo. These shows in the die-hard Bruce areas (Jersey, Philly, Boston, Cleveland, NYC) have poignant moments of sorrow punctuating the ecstatic nature of the music–people coming to grips with the fact that we will not be getting together with each other and the band for some time.

I’d never heard the full story of the Cleveland Boys before, just vague references to “the Boys” every once in a while–here’s a great article on the full story of the Cleveland
Boys, published in 1999, on the eve of Bruce’s E Street band reunion tour hitting Cleveland.

This story ranks up there with the one about Bruce going home with a fan to have dinner with the kid’s mom in St. Louis. The fan had met Bruce at a theatre showing Woody Allen’s “Stardust Memories,” a movie where Allen reams out his fans. The kid
asked Bruce to visit just to prove that he didn’t view his fans in
the same jaundiced light as Allen portrayed his fan base in the movie.

It looks like I will not be going to Buffalo for the tour closer
(damn the job, lack of money and family commitments!) and I’m
starting to get a little misty-eyed myself about no upcoming Bruce
shows. The rumors are flying about what will fill the void of no E Street Band shows in Bruce’s hyperactive artistic muse.
A new album would probably be out of the question since Bruce plans tours around albums. Another solo acoustic tour? Another Tracks release from the vaults? (like the rumored Streets of Philadelphia-era beat and loop heavy collection?) A tour with a
revamped Sessions Band (that’s my preference!) maybe taking on the songbook of another roots performer or delving into his undisputed love for R & B?

Apparently, the heaviest rumor is that he is writing his autobiograhy. I will, of course, purchase and read the sucker on its
publishing date–but I’d prefer some new tunes.

Voting, The Least You Can Do To Change The World. The Very Least.

The day after Howie Hawkins lost his bid to become the 4th District representative on the city’s Common Council, his 15th unsuccessful run for political office, he got arrested at a direct action protest in favor of a single-payer health insurance system.

All I can say is, “Welcome home to direct action protest, brother!”

During the past month I have been involved in helping to organize a large national protest against the American Banker’s Association, while simultaneously volunteering for the Stephanie Miner campaign for Mayor of Syracuse. My contributions to each function were relatively small, but each gave me a glimpse at how activists and politicians view the social change biz. I realize that I belong with the activists.

Since I’ve become an organizer I’ve shied away from involvement in political campaigns–mainly because my free time is limited what with the odd hours and evening meetings that organizing requires. As much as I wanted (and needed) Barack Obama to win last November, my contributions to that campaign were limited to a lawn sign, signing up for the website and casting my vote.

I got involved with the Miner campaign for selfish reasons–I know her and I know that she understands the housing, crime and development issues that I confront in my work life as an organizer. If Stephanie won this election, my job would perhaps become easier–Syracuse would have a mayor that is on our side. So I signed up as a volunteer–nothing fancy, making phone calls every week and being a phone bank captain on election day. But, I was on board.

I’m very happy that Stephanie won and I am hopeful that our city will embark on a new and more intelligent course–systematically dealing with the issues I care about. But I am under no illusions. Change doesn’t come at the ballot box, it comes from the pressure put on the politicians by everyday citizens. That’s why I organize. It might be easier to get a meeting now and the new folks at City Hall will undoubtedly be brighter and more responsive. But it doesn’t guarantee change.

In a Republic, we elect politicians we think will do what we want them to do. But there is no contract and most politicians face a fractured electorate with conflicting viewpoints. If I want something accomplished, I stand a much greater chance of seeing it happen by organizing people to fight for it, rather than hoping that the politician I voted for (and maybe even volunteered for) agrees with me.

Stephanie Miner wins

Stephanie Miner wins

Originally uploaded by Phil At Sun



Stephanie Miner took 50% of the vote in a three way race–a very
solid showing–and became the first woman elected Mayor
in a Big 5 city in New York State. So much for my lawn sign jinx.
After only backing losers for years I’m 3-0 in the last three races
Obama, Maffei and now Miner.

All three of those politicians are strikingly similar, despite the
obvious differences. Young, smart, policy wonk-ish. All of the
them, even Obama who has become an icon of cool, place substance over
image. Plans are clearly articulated and well
thought out.

New politics? It’s about time.

Is There Anyone Alive Out There?

An Interesting little discussion has begun over at Sean Kirst’s blog entitled Is Facebook Killing Blogging?

It developed out of a phone conversation that I had with Sean about a totally different topic, but morphed into whether or not folks are more likely to post onto Facebook or Twitter than craft a blog post these days. I believe that is the case and I think Brian Cubbison (in the post’s comments) hit on the reason–technology creates easier mechanisms to use–and technology is moving fast these days. As a result, people re-tweet Twitter entries or use the Share This function on Facebook, they do not take the time to write a blog post.

Remember when bloggers were considered half-baked, ill-informed folks writing in their pj’s in their parents’ basements? Now bloggers are practically novelists compared to the folks cranking out 140 character tweets and 25 word facebook status updates.

Believe me, I’m fine with that. I’ve tried both new formats. I’ve largely rejected Twitter and wholeheartedly embrace Facebook. My blog still gets updated regularly for the same reasons it’s always been there–to work through my thoughts on an issue and force me to correct the typos. It’s also a neat way to keep a record of my thoughts, a digital diary of sorts.

The only times I’ve gotten large numbers of people to read this thing of mine is when I’ve inadvertently hooked into an internet meme–the “Jesus Christ was a community organizer” thing being the most prominent example, resulting in 333 hits on a single day. Usually, my hits are in the teens to twenties, but also sometimes in the single digits. Rarely will anyone post a comment.

Contrast that with the fact that I have 83 Facebook friends that presumably get my updates (granted I don’t know how many have turned my status feed off on their Wall, although I suppose I could figure that out.) A better base audience, even if it will never bust loose much further. However, even though I publicize my blog on FB–I don’t think many have made the cyber-commute over here.

To that extent, I’ll probably modify my blogging modus operandi–fewer post where I let people know news updates about things such as Bruce or the Red Sox–those can safely go to FB. I’ll do more longer pieces over here, pieces that do not presume an audience of anyone but myself.

One last note–FIVE pieces on individual candidates positions on the Mayoral race in Syracuse and not one has a readership of over 5 people? No comments? That was surprising.

One final note: Many thanks to the bloggers at the Post Standard: Brian Cubbison, Sean Kirst and Mark Bialczak, as well as independent blogger Ellen at NYCO’s Blog CNY who collectively drive about 99% of my blog’s traffic.

Syracuse Mayoral Candidates On Crime

Fifth in a series. The community organization I work for organized an issues forum with the three candidates running for Mayor of Syracuse. These highly subjective and biased ruminations on the candidate’s remarks (I have endorsed and volunteer for Stephanie Miner) are solely those of your humble blogger and may not be reproduced without the expressed, written consent of Major League Baseball. Or if you buy me a nice present. Or if you ask nicely.

Here are the current perceptions of neighbors living in the south, southwest and near-west sides about the crime in their neighborhoods, even after all the efforts of concerned neighborhood residents, the current administration and the police department: Hundreds of drug houses and corners with open sales of illegal drugs; frequent gun shots; loitering gangs on corners and at vacant houses; poor or no response to 911 calls–especially to non-emergency/quality of life issues and to ANY issue on weekends; vandalism and property destruction; reckless driving and speeding–both cars and 2-3-4 wheeled motor bikes.

Two questions: First, please give us your definition of community policing. Second, as Mayor, how will you use your definition of community policing to make our neighborhoods safer?

Otis Jennings: Otis believes that real community policing would mean having a police force that builds realtionships with the neighbors and engages the community. Mr. Jennings believes that one way to deal with crime in our neighborhoods is to increase the number of police on the force. He mentioned that there is a class of potential officers currently undergoing training and that the incoming federal stimulus money will enable the city to start another class this coming year. He committed to maintaining the police force at this higher number of officers, even after the stimulus money has been used up in three years. Oh, and he feels our pain. Someone busted into his car and stole his GPS device while he was out campaigning.

Stephanie Miner: Stephanie believes that true community policing results when neighborhood residents have developed relationships with police officers that they know and trust. When this trust level increases, information is shared more freely and crimes are solved more easily. Too much emphasis on crime suppression has led to an atmosphere of fear and distrust of the police. Too many residents are unwilling to share information with police officers. In addition, Stephanie believes that the poor response time of the police is due to their traveling from call to call dispatched from 911. Ms. Miner believes the city could improve response times by using the kind of technology that will enable the police to better analyze crime data, systematically identify problem spots and more efficiently deploy police officers.

Steve Kimatian: Steve believes that community policing results when uniform police officers are working in a community on a regular basis–to the extent that they are known by residents as the neighborhood beat cop. Steve has an overarching philosophy of zero tolerance for what may be referred to as petty crimes: noise, parking trash. He wants to establish a baseline of order in the community, so that residents respect and maintain their property and neighborhood out of respect for their neighbors. Mr. Kimatian also has a five point crime program, but only discussed one point–a youth curfew. He believes that there are too many kids out late at night and they can be exploited by gangs. Steve acknowledged that not all kids can be taken home because of problems there, so he would invest in a counseling/service center where kids can be evaluated and referred to needed services.

Steve Kimatian On Funding Priorities

Steve Kimatian

Fourth in a series. The community organization I work for organized an issues forum with the three candidates running for Mayor of Syracuse. These highly subjective and biased ruminations on the candidate’s remarks (I have endorsed and volunteer for Stephanie Miner) are solely those of your humble blogger and may not be reproduced without the expressed, written consent of Major League Baseball. Or if you buy me a nice present. Or if you ask nicely.

The organization I work for asked each candidate to respond to a 50-odd answer questionnaire on neighborhood issues. We then crafted an individual question to ask each candidate at the forum based on one of their responses.

Steve Kimatian: In your cover letter and in the margins of the questionnaire, you state that you agree in principle with 14 of SUN’s specific proposals, but cannot make promises about funding and staffing levels due to the economic problems facing the city. Do any of these proposals dealing with housing and crime strike you as so important that you will commit to them now, borrowing from other programs if necessary?

Steve stated that while there were certainly issues he would support by putting additional funding into their budgets, he still could not give specific commitments to dollar amounts or staffing levels until actually staring at the budget spreadsheets. Later in the evening, he referenced the demolition of vacant houses and the counseling component for his youth curfew plan as ideas that he would transfer money to from other parts of the budget.

Otis Jennings On Illegal Trash Set Outs

Otis Jennings

Third in a series. The community organization I work for organized an issues forum with the three candidates running for Mayor of Syracuse. These highly subjective and biased ruminations on the candidate’s remarks (I have endorsed and volunteer for Stephanie Miner) are solely those of your humble blogger and may not be reproduced without the expressed, written consent of Major League Baseball. Or if you buy me a nice present. Or if you ask nicely.

The organization I work for asked each candidate to respond to a 50-odd answer questionnaire on neighborhood issues. We then crafted an individual question to ask each candidate at the forum based on one of their responses.

Otis Jennings: You would give owners of properties with large and illegal trash set-outs a 24 hr. notice before having DPW clean up the mess and fine the owners. 24 hours is a long time for wind to blow trash around, animals to rip through bags and neighbors forced to put up with the problem. Trash smells like hell in the hot summer months. Why give problem properties a break? They don’t give neighbors a break!

Otis responded that he believed that it was a requirement to give a homeowner a 24 hour notice before picking up trash and fining them. However, he stated he was “not married to that.” I will pick things up immediately if I find it is legal to do so. Otis also asked for neighbors’ support in calling in violations to the city and expressed his desire to clean up the city.

Stephanie Miner And CDBG Funding

Stephanie Miner

Second in a series. The community organization I work for organized an issues forum with the three candidates running for Mayor of Syracuse. These highly subjective and biased ruminations on the candidate’s remarks (I have endorsed and volunteer for Stephanie Miner) are solely those of your humble blogger and may not be reproduced without the expressed, written consent of Major League Baseball. Or if you buy me a nice present. Or if you ask nicely.

The organization I work for asked each candidate to respond to a 50-odd answer questionnaire on neighborhood issues. We then crafted an individual question to ask each candidate at the forum based on one of their responses.

Stephanie Miner: You oppose SUN’s call to increase Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding for both the SHARP handyman grant program and the Urgent Care owner-occupant loan program for emergency repairs. We live in economic times when credit is tight and incomes are stagnant. These programs have been called the loans of last resort for many families. How do you propose to help families stay in their homes if you oppose increases to these historically underfunded programs?

Stephanie replied that her answers didn’t reflect a disinclination to help families struggling to finance home repairs, but her desire to systematically change the entire Community Development Block Grant program. A new administration will have the chance to make the program more efficient, fund more direct housing issues and decrease the city’s reliance on the money to fund City hall salaries and overhead. She said no to our requests for these programs because she wants to create something better.