Smart Communities

Holiday Postings

Dear Readers:

We will resume postings on January 1. Last week my husband died and thus blogging has been a distant priority for the last seven days. He was a constitutional law professor so I am going to try my hand at raising some of the constitutional issues that the new president will face in the coming weeks. Most of what I have learned about the Constitution and its role in our lives I learned from him. I also learned a lot about justice and civil rights. His specialty was the 14th Amendment so much of what he thought about professionally and I might say personally too was our civil rights.

I appreciate all the reader support we have had in the last two years and look forward to more conversation in 2008. All my best for the holidays.

Suzanne

Does Iowa Speak for the Rest of Us?

With the Iowa Caucuses only weeks away, I find myself wondering if the outcomes will reflect my interests and opinions. What about you? Is immigration your big issue? Is your community experiencing the same kinds of issues as Iowans? In this critical election, I want to understand better why people are voting for which candidate.

Shopping for a Candidate

'Tis the season to shop for what you want and what you think others need. Well apply that same strategy to this season's crop of Presidential candidates and see what you find. We hear that vision and hope trump experience; we hear that new ideas are better than tested ones; we hear that we need reform in Washington, DC (again). What we need to hear is a clear strategy of what it will take to restore America's economic, social, and political standing in this country and around the world. We need to know how we are going to pay for universal access to health care, how we are going to tackle poverty in real time with real people, and how we are going to improve our competitiveness in technology, the sciences, and innovation. Spare me the tax cut or tax increase arguments, i.e., they lose their punch in translation. Just tell us what we need to be most concerned about and why, what the federal government must do, what states and localities must do, and what citizens must do. Spell it out for me--humor me. Tell me what it will take for America to be America again as Langston Hughes wrote but also tell me what it will take to be the America we claim to be. When I hear that, I am buying.

Rural County Attracts Technology Center

Russell County, VA, is in the mountains of southwest Virginia. It's past has seen coal come and go and poverty creep up as other areas prospered. But that was then and this is now. Last week Russell county officially announced its new future-- technology with Grummen and CGI as the anchors. The Commonwealth of Virginia, local authorities, and a range of other partners have made this deal possible. When asked why rural Russell County, officials answered honestly: "They said they chose southwest Virginia for its proximity to clients, access to a large talent pool from colleges and universities in the area and incentives and collaboration offered by the state. CGI received more than $3 million in state incentives." The 700 new jobs that this partnership will offer will more than offset the state's incentive package and will put Russell County on the road to becoming the "Silicon Plateau" as some are calling it. Rural America armed with broadband and well-trained workers can keep companies like these at home. The challenge is to do what needs to be done in rural areas that makes something like this possible. What to do? The answer is simple: education, amenities, and access to technology.

What to Do on Monday: Stock the Shelves

Food banks from Canada to Ohio and beyond need your help. Stocks are low and demand is high as the economy wields its way on America's most vulnerable. Of all the things we talk about on these pages, this is one thing that can be addressed immediately and by every citizen. Of course, people eat 365 days a year not just around the holidays. The challenge for Monday is not just to give a few cans (although that is important) but to enlist your Sunday school, civic group, biking club, children's school in developing a plan of action so that the food bank in your area has an ongoing flow of food throughout the year. Grocery stores are great partners in this but don't forget banks, dry cleaners, malls, etc, where people can contribute. What to do on Monday is simple: make hunger off-limits for your community.

Teacher Quality Improving

A report released this week by the Educational Testing Service found that the academic quality of the latest group of teachers has improved over their counterparts in the nineties according to test scores. That is good news of course. But the study also found that those entering the profession tend to be female and white. We are still not attracting a cadre of teachers that reflect the ethnic and gender diversity of our public schools. This is something we can change and must. While the competitiveness of other professions is surely a factor for some, it is not for all. My solution: let's grow our own. This is a time for Schools of Education, community colleges, business, and the school system to come together for a local version of "Teach for America." That requires providing scholarships, encouragement, internships, and support of all kinds to get young people to enter the teaching profession and then stay in their community to teach for a period of time. We need to begin the process in high school by encouraging students to teach, providing incentives like summer jobs if we need to, and having a plan of support once young teachers start their first job. This last point is critical. Too often the circumstances are so demanding that we lose very good teachers after one year. My guess is that there is something that the community could do to prevent that loss. A few suggestions: improve safety at all schools for teachers and students; mobilize community members to help with tutoring and mentoring so that the academic challenges can be met; and make it possible for teachers to have affordable housing if they need it. Take a look at this paper on recruiting teachers for the 21st century and this will give you the pillars of a plan to take to your community. This can't be done by one group alone, we need a creative coalition. Make teachers a priority in your community.

Spotlight on Poverty

A terrific new website that focuses on poverty is up and running. Spotlight on Poverty raises our knowledge about the issue and presents opportunities for dialogue that can lead to solutions. Perhaps the most interesting part of the site is the response by the Presidential candidates to the issue. Take time to peruse this site--it is well worth the time. See also the Northwest Area Foundation's national poll on the issue for ways communities can be a part of the solution.

Leadership--Mayoral Style

Last summer The Economist ran an article about the role that U.S. mayors play in solving the big issues of the day. The point of the article is that mayors are getting national and international experience as they run their cities and are taking stands and making progress in ways that contradict their traditional roles. For example, only three presidents were ever mayors. Calvin Coolidge was the last mayor to become president and that is not a strong endorsement. However today we are seeing mayors take on the big issues--albeit from a local perspective often times. For example, mayors are addressing global warming and climate change in a significant way. A few years ago Seattle's mayor. Greg Nickels, called on cities to reduce their emissions by 7 percent based on the Kyoto recommendation. As of June, more than 500 mayors have signed the "cool mayors" agreement. Michael Bloomberg of New York City has spearheaded a gun control alliance among mayors. In a mid-size city, Roanoke, Mayor Nelson Harris, has organized a citizen-led process to create a new ways to prepare children to compete in the new economy. This political season we have a well known former mayor in the presidential race.

What all this says to me is that we should think carefully as we select mayors for cities of all sizes. Yes there is red tape and bureaucracies to deal with locally but at the end of the day leadership still matters at city hall. We need people that anticipate problems as well as solve them. We need people with a long view that carries short-term strategies. And we need people with moral courage to tell us the truth about our situation and what it will take to fix it. I think that this is why mayors are getting so much attention. Neither political party has a lock on this kind of leadership. There are great examples on both sides of the political aisle. Our task is to elect and support more people in this office that can help set a path for solutions at home. How is your mayor doing? Call him or her today and be sure they know about the above alliances.

Innovators over 60

The Purpose Prize given by Civic Ventures is seeking nominations for the 2008 awards. These are cash prizes to individuals over 60 who have made a significant contribution to their community. This is the third year of the awards and the list is impressive. The reason I bring it to your attention is that we often don't take the time to nominate people we know for these kinds of awards. Independent Sector gives the John Gardner Leadership Award. The Pew Partnership gives the Civic Change Award. There are of course many others. I would encourage you to look around at those people--over 60--in this case but also of any age that are really making a difference and submit their information. We will keep you posted as we hear of things.

Teen Pregnancy and Poverty

As we discussed in Friday's blog, teen pregnancy is an issue that affects individuals and communities in many ways. It is a pathway in too many instances to poverty for both children and their mothers. In this study done a few years ago, the researchers have proven this very fact. You might want to take a look at this before you start your local efforts to improve the prospects of teen parents.