Achieving these goals will require two fundamental changes: a long-range vision of where we want this city to go, and the willingness to allocate the resources to get there.
Creating and maintaining great places, and the infrastructure to support them, takes money. Such civic assets shouldn't be expected to be profit centers. Rather, they are assets that continually contribute to the ambience and the social fabric of the city, that draw people who spend time and money, and improve the quality of life in ways that can't be measured purely in dollars.
Between the current economic recession and the city's local budget issues, this is admittedly a difficult time to propose spending large sums on new ventures. However, these are investments in the future viability of the city. The costs will occur over a long time frame, and, like good investments, they will produce great returns. They also can produce substantial savings over time, as shown by the financial analysis of the proposed new civic center.
None of this can happen in a vacuum. It requires a civic culture that emphasizes excellence and projects an attitude of greatness. Daniel Burnham, the noted architect who developed the 1909 “Plan of Chicago,” admonished: “Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will never die, but long after we are gone will be a living thing, asserting itself with ever-growing insistency.” Big plans require a big vision. It can come from civic leaders, from the chambers of commerce or from the community level, but someone must have that vision and rally public support for it.
Once that vision is accepted by community consensus, it will take on a life of its own. It will impel public officials to make decisions that support that vision, and impel voters to support funding programs to implement it. Ultimately, it will generate such a sense of civic pride and satisfaction that the city will take on an entirely different social and political ambience. At that point, San Diego will have joined the ranks of cities which deserve to be called world-class.
Are the suggested civic investments worth their expense? If so, how should they be funded?
- RVI
- Launched by The San Diego Foundation, the Regional Vision Initiative seeks diverse public input in the development of a 50 to 100-year strategic vision and action plan that will encompass the shared values and priorities of all San Diego County residents.
Regional Vision Initiative
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We don't need a new central library right now. That is too costly.
ReplyDeleteUpgrading transportation is important, but given the City's financial status, perhaps these projects could be funded privately. Paris did this with their widespread public bike program. It cost the city nothing. A private company invested money and earned dividends from its investment.
Working with Tijuana shouldn't cost anything.
Social services could be paid for by a small increase in local sales tax.
There are grass roots movements all over San Diego that are working to improve upon the infrastructure in order to make our city cleaner and healthier. Through a combination of private and public support, its possible to bring in innovative ideas for improving on a city that has such great potential. Improving public transit, making communities more walkable, using the built environment as a model may bring about changes that in turn improve the overall economy of the city. When my friends and family visit, the words I hear are "this is such a beautiful place to live but its too bad that its so hard to get around in".....
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