Lincolnite

Interesting task. I’ll play:
Fire and ambulance
Police
Streets
Planning and zoning
Building safety and inspection
Libraries
Traffic management
Workforce development
Public transportation
Parks
Trails
Animal control
Health promotion and information
Recycling

I think I’d have the three at the top, then a large space, then most of the rest, then a large space, then the bottom three.  I actually think the bottom two could be handled primarily in the private sector and not need a lot of government aid or interference.

Can I play too?

Fire and ambulance
Public transportation
Police
(per Fletch insert large space)
Traffic management
Streets
Libraries
(insert large space)
Building Safety and inspection
Animal control
Health promotion and information
Planning and zoning
(insert more space)
Parks
Trails
(more space)
Workforce development
recycling

I think my last two can be better served by the private sector. Parks and trails may be a nicety. With the current crunch quasi-luxury items in the budget have to take a hit. The current ones need to be maintained, but it is impractical to finance new ones at this time.
In light of that some might be surprised to find Libraries so high on my list. I am not advocating any new ones but the ones we have need to be maintained.

I think it is an excellent conversation you have started Mr. Wilson.

A tough task, but I like Fletch’s list. I’m not sure how many of our buildings aren’t meeting code, so I’ll leave that one where he has it. I’m not sure I’d move public transportation in its current state up the list, but if it were going to be vastly improved I would.

“The current ones need to be maintained, but it is impractical to finance new ones at this time.
In light of that some might be surprised to find Libraries so high on my list. I am not advocating any new ones but the ones we have need to be maintained.”

I think you bring up an excellent point of the current state of things vs. the dream situation.

Great stuff in here. I’ve thought about this since putting my list up there. I’m not sure it’s always about an either/or situation. I am not inherently opposed to public transportation, but I wouldn’t rank it high on the list.

I like privatization a lot. Even though I put fire and ambulance number 1, I think the ambulance service was fine and dandy in the hands of rural/metro and not in with LFD.

I also think, when times are lean, that parks and rec are more of a want than a need. We have a lot, so they aren’t lacking. Maintaining is important. I think there could be a lot in the way of the private sector embracing parks and rec - complete with sponsorship - and taking some of those dollars off the hands of the city.

If we could trim (not eliminate) some of the city services, we could reasonably trim the overhead that goes with them. There are a lot of good corporate citizens that could (and probably would) step up to the plate and adopt a park, or build a park if the city give the land. Many would adopt a mile of trail, or build a mile of trail. I’d love to see more exploration of that idea.

Fletch for mayor.

Here goes…

Libraries - 49
Police - 1
Fire - 2
Ambulance - 250
Parks - 125
Trails - infinity minus a couple million
Streets - 3
Traffic management - 1000
Public transportation - 50000 or so
Planning and zoning - 200
Building safety and inspection - 100 or so
Recycling - infinity minus 2
Animal control - infinity minus 1
Health promotion and information - infinity minus 3
Workforce development - infinity minus a couple hundred thousand
Arena - infinity minus .5
Studies about the arena - infinity minus .6
Bicycle art - infinity minus .7
Digital traffic signs that are never on - infinity minus .8
Citizen surveys - infinity minus .9

Streets
Police
Arena
Fire (minus Ambulance)
Traffic Mgmt.
Bldg. and Safety
Planning and Zoning
Libraries
Public Transportation
Parks-Trails
Health
Animal Control
Recycling

For me - I’d pretty much ditto Fletch’s list as well, except I would switch Police with Fire and Ambulance and make it the #1 priority.

Under Police, I hope that encompasses some notion of “community relations” as well as the usual law enforcement services we expect from them. There is a need to concentrate on the city core/near south. Lincoln police do an EXCELLENT job. I hope they keep up their great work and keep some focus on the core. We don’t need that part of the city to turn into a North Omaha or South Chicago. That would be a definite black mark on the community.

“Sorry it took us 45 minutes to get to your burning house. We stopped and admired the arena.” 😉

I kid!!!

I’m just glad there are differences of opinion.  What would it be like if we all agreed?  Boorrrrrinnnngggg!