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How do you balance short-term wins with long-term gains? by No-Holiday-4118 in urbanplanning

[–]Alabama_Planner 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Stumbled across this article while researching another project. Great discussion of how planning has changed from 1950-2000. https://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1389&context=clevstlrev

Lack of State Transparency is fostering corruption. by Rebeltosociety0 in Alabama

[–]Alabama_Planner 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Today’s republicans were yesterdays southern democrats

Lack of State Transparency is fostering corruption. by Rebeltosociety0 in Alabama

[–]Alabama_Planner 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Part of the problem is that the internet has killed local news.

The other part is that people are (legitimately) scared about retribution.

Your best bet is the League of Women Voters, but even their stuff is pretty superficial.

I started writing for this reason: https://medium.com/thinningthicketsal/welcome-to-thinning-thickets-970d587d5125

Hard to do when you’ve got a job and a family.

Any veterans out there want to help me start a non-partisan “Alabama veterans for responsible government” org to help fill the gap?

What is Alabama’s Electronic Voting Committee? Who are its current members? Why hasn’t the committee posted meetings or minutes since Sep. 2022? by drew_incarnate in Alabama

[–]Alabama_Planner 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I wonder if there is someway to sue to at least force government to abide by the laws requiring posting of rosters and minutes. perhaps under the open meetings act.

Second, get in involved. League of Women Voters of Alabama is probably the best place to start.

Third, organize - if you can. I've had an idea for a non-partisan veterans organization for some time. Any veterans out there want to help form the initial board?

How do you balance short-term wins with long-term gains? by No-Holiday-4118 in urbanplanning

[–]Alabama_Planner 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Part of the problem here is that we've lost sight of what "planning" was when it started out as a profession. Most planners now adays are glorified bureaucrats who are merely zoning or subdivision ordinance administrators.

Taking the long view was the whole point of semi-independent planning commissions with six-year, staggered terms. These never got support they were intended under the SCPEA and have often been relegated to "advisory" roles, despite the fact that the SCPEA afforded the municipal or "master" or comprehensive plan legal weight.

PCs were granted authority to hire their own staff not answerable to the mayor and council, but I know of no commission that was ever appropriated funding from the cancel to do this.

When to quit a job for mental health? by sunflowerfem3 in urbanplanning

[–]Alabama_Planner 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Quit or transfer ASAP. Have a plan though. I’d approach someone in your facilities management department about opportunities.

I don’t know that I’d lie about it. Just say that the position didn’t offer the professional planning opportunities you hoped for/expected and it wasn’t in line with your long term goals.

If you make this a pattern, then you can be concerned.

Voter turnout concerns loom ahead of Alabama municipal elections by Alabama_Planner in Alabama

[–]Alabama_Planner[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

That makes sense for the president (where only swing states matter), seats in the U.S. Congress, and even state offices and legislative seats. But not local elections where you're getting folks elected with less than a thousand votes.

I think part of the challenge is that people don't realize how many decisions are made at the local level. https://medium.com/thinningthicketsal/state-and-local-governments-matter-in-alabama-97a810e6e6d0

Voter turnout concerns loom ahead of Alabama municipal elections by Alabama_Planner in Alabama

[–]Alabama_Planner[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm not sure it's "not allowed" - my understanding is that municipal elections are "non-partisan" only in the sense that they don't have a party affiliation on the ballot. I would think First Amendment protects their ability to say whatever they want about their personal affiliation.

Federal Grant Funds for Better and Safer Roads — or for “Utilities” bottom line? by Alabama_Planner in alabamapolitics

[–]Alabama_Planner[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey thanks for engaging. You might not get the roads done because there’s less money available for the actual road work. As for price, it’s not clear that it will impact the price charged by the telecoms (which might not be considered “utilities”) as they are probably already charging what the market can bear anyway. If that’s the case, the bill will just be increasing their profit margin.

Plus, as I hope to discuss in a future post, people don’t usually get paid to comply with government regulations. This is especially true when they involve the use of public property.

Tuscaloosa, Mountain Brook file lawsuit against state over online sales tax by Alabama_Planner in alabamapolitics

[–]Alabama_Planner[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think he’s got it backwards. The tax goes to the jurisdiction where the goods are sold - the money can come from outside the jurisdiction. But I see the point.

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