Sunday, January 21, 2007

Grand Rapids Mayor Takes on Social Issues in State of City Address





Heartwell at the 4th of July celebration last year.





George Heartwell is up for re-election this year. Yesterday in the State of the City speech, he focused on social change and opportunity for all, showing once again that this guy is one of the rare breed that cares for people over profit.



Diversity, neighborhood improvement, school funding, and homelessness are the issues that he addressed, and he presented creative ideas to accomplish those goals.



George is a good guy. Despite my beef over the Mark London deal, I'm happy to support him.



Grand Rapids- In his State of the City address Saturday, Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell said, “None of us have opportunity, unless all of us do."



With that, Heartwell focused his State of the City speech on issues of social equality. Mayor Heartwell made his fourth State of the City speech Saturday morning. He spoke to a crowd of hundreds at DeVos Place about his four major goals for the community.



Heartwell says he wants to increase diversity through programs like a disadvantaged business proposal. He feels the city can increase diversity despite the fact that Proposal 2 now outlaws affirmative action.



Looks like George found a way around Prop 2- and this might be a model for other cities and/or schools struggling to encourage diversity. From the speech-



Notwithstanding the limitations of Prop 2, we will develop a more diverse contractor and supplier base. In fact, next Tuesday the City Commission will be given the opportunity to put legs under our words. We will be voting on a new Disadvantaged Business Enterprise initiative which will allow us to continue efforts to achieve diversity in contracting. I urge my Commission colleagues to join me in adopting this proposal. Notwithstanding the limitations of Prop 2 we will encourage diversity contracting on private projects. I have every expectation that the goal of those majority companies who do business in the city of Grand Rapids will be to promote diversity. The best firms are already promoting diversity. The fact that the City can no longer mandate minority participation will make no difference to them. Other firms need to emulate these diversity leaders. Our economy depends on it.



Heartwell wants to eliminate homelessness by 2014.



The Salvation Army Booth Services reports that there are nearly 2,000 homeless individuals in our city. 51% of these homeless people are under the age of 12 years. They are living in shelters. They are living in cars. They are hiding in abandoned buildings. They are living in the undergrowth along the river and beside the rail road tracks.



So, today I set challenge goals for the remaining eight years of this decade of ending homelessness. As I review the numbers – including Salvation Army's homeless count and Grand Rapids Housing Commission waiting list – I have determined that we must produce at least 500 affordable housing units each year in Kent County and make them available to the Housing First initiative.



Here's the catch: government can't accomplish this goal. It will require non-profit and for-profit building companies and property managers to work together toward a common goal of ending homelessness. It will require strong advocacy by City and County to leverage the federal investment required to accomplish our end. It's going to take us all, working together, to end homelessness.



Of all the proposals, "affordable" housing will probably prove to be the most difficult, but it is a noble goal.



George also spoke on the disparity of funding between city/suburban schools- I'm not going to touch that with a ten foot pole.



Interesting idea with neighborhood associations- using the Downtown Improvement District as a model, Heartwell wants to give tax money directly to the area it serves.



Today I want to conclude this Address by proposing a new tool: a Neighborhood Improvement District. If neighborhoods could do what downtown has done using its Downtown Improvement District to beautify streets, collect litter, employ staff and promote events wouldn't such a tool be useful? Downtown property owners assess themselves through their Downtown Improvement District and raise the money to provide all these important services. Using a Neighborhood Improvement District, neighborhoods might choose to do some of the same things downtown has done, or they might use the funds for youth programs, for park enhancements, or for crime-stopping initiatives. They determine their own needs, they set the level of the assessment, and the city collects the funds on their behalf, as part of the tax bill, to be returned to the neighborhood association and used to meet its goals.



It may require new state legislation to create this tool. But I am confident that under the progressive leadership of our State Representatives Michael Sak, Robert Dean and Dave Hildenbrand and our great State Senator (and former Mayor) Bill Hardiman we can get this done. When Eric DeLong and I presented this concept to the Urban Core Mayors two weeks ago there was unanimous enthusiasm. Let's get it done…and let's give our neighborhoods a great new tool to use to improve their quality of life.



Not sure I trust the neighborhood associations to do the right thing here- I have this vision of a bunch of little fiefdoms and infighting. Strict regulations would have to be implimented. And if the state has to get involved, well... we all know the problems we will face with that. But still, it's a creative idea for directing the bucks to the areas that need it most.



Jim Rinck is running against George. Given his reputation and his non-existent campaign against Ehlers, I'm really not too worried about him. Other names have been bandied about on the "other side", but nothing solid yet.



I plan on following this one throughout the year, so stayed tuned...