Saturday, May 21, 2005
Mayor's bus plan shows she's out of touch
I'm enjoying The Recorder's coverage of the mayor's bus debacle. The mayor seems to think that leadership means issuing decrees and expecting the waters to part, but instead of parting the waters, she's created a wave of resentment.
The initial spin that the mayor's office put on the matter--that it was the product of two months of careful planning with the two bus companies--was punctured by today's revelation that no such collaboration took place. The bus companies say they prefer the current location in front of town hall, and said the proposed location is "workable" but was never their choice.
The supposedly pro-business mayor has outraged the Main St. businesses she purports to support. She is now putting the plan on hold to have discussions with the abutting businesses. Shouldn't that have happened during those two months of planning? It's looking more and more like she just doesn't want the bus-stop riff-raff in her front yard and wants it to become someone else's problem.
Another issue she chose to make a splash with is the designation of Greenfield as a city, which it technically is in the eyes of the commonwealth. Just try to tell that to anyone who lives here or anyone who passes through.
The American Heritage Dictionary (via dictionary.com) defines city as "A center of population, commerce, and culture; a town of significant size and importance." My definition says a city has at least one broadcast television station. Greenfield's population of 18,168 ranks it as the 100th largest city or town in Massachusetts, behind such powerhouse municipalities as Wareham, Somerset, and Milford (but dozens of residents ahead of Hudson, Norton and Rockland).
City? Come on. Boston is a city. Philadelphia is a city. Even Worcester is a city. I've lived in cities. Cities have been friends of mine. Greenfield is no city.
The initial spin that the mayor's office put on the matter--that it was the product of two months of careful planning with the two bus companies--was punctured by today's revelation that no such collaboration took place. The bus companies say they prefer the current location in front of town hall, and said the proposed location is "workable" but was never their choice.
The supposedly pro-business mayor has outraged the Main St. businesses she purports to support. She is now putting the plan on hold to have discussions with the abutting businesses. Shouldn't that have happened during those two months of planning? It's looking more and more like she just doesn't want the bus-stop riff-raff in her front yard and wants it to become someone else's problem.
Another issue she chose to make a splash with is the designation of Greenfield as a city, which it technically is in the eyes of the commonwealth. Just try to tell that to anyone who lives here or anyone who passes through.
The American Heritage Dictionary (via dictionary.com) defines city as "A center of population, commerce, and culture; a town of significant size and importance." My definition says a city has at least one broadcast television station. Greenfield's population of 18,168 ranks it as the 100th largest city or town in Massachusetts, behind such powerhouse municipalities as Wareham, Somerset, and Milford (but dozens of residents ahead of Hudson, Norton and Rockland).
City? Come on. Boston is a city. Philadelphia is a city. Even Worcester is a city. I've lived in cities. Cities have been friends of mine. Greenfield is no city.
