Funk's Front Porch07 September 2007
This week’s city business:
The Council passed legislation this Thursday that places greater restrictions on billboard and payday lending loan companies. This is wonderful news not only for the good inherent in both of the bills, but it also catches Kansas City up to the rest of the major cities in the country regarding these two issues.
The Mayor met with some of the neighborhood leaders from the Fifth district. The leaders are a delightful group of four women and one lone man. They had many great ideas for improving their neighborhoods, but the suggestion I liked best was the idea to attach property infraction fines, which are hard to collect, to the owner’s personal property tax bills. This would address the problem that the city has with slumlords and their failure to keep up their properties. If their tax bills weren’t paid, their property would be taken from them. I will be curious to see if this can idea can gain momentum. The group is very proactive with finding ways to empower their neighborhoods. Their dedicated involvement is probably the very thing that will make the most difference in saving our neighborhoods. That, and a Mayor with the same goals.
On a more personal note:
Funk had a good time taking our son out to Portland last week. He helped settle Andrew in at his new school and had a little down time to read a book as well, something he hasn’t had time for in months. The book was a loan from Kelvin Perry entitled, Jim Crow’s Children. It speaks on the history of educating African Americans in our country. Hardly a relaxing read, but it is the kind of read Funk gravitates towards. You wouldn’t catch me reading a book like that on vacation, but I suppose I’m glad that I have a husband that does.
Our exchange son, Philipp Aichhorn, came back from Austria for a month-long visit and has been shadowing Funk all week. Pipo has learned a great deal about city government and has shared many interesting insights from his experience while sitting around the dinner table with us each night. I really love “children’s” perspectives on things like this, as they tend to be innocent, pure and usually right on the money.
Funk must have been being watched out for from above last week as the minute he stepped into his office he noticed my hard work of moving him into his office. He expressed much delight upon seeing his “new” room, and because of it, his weekend went better than I expected it would!
In faith,
Gloria & Mark
You can respond to this newsletter at funksfrontporch@gmail.com.
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The Mayor’s top ten priorities:
1. Establishing a good working relationship with the Council
2. Getting the City’s finances in order
3. Making downtown work
4. Tending to our neighborhoods
5. Implementing the Housing Policy task force recommendations
6. Improving the perception and the reality of public education in Kansas City
7. Reducing Crime
8. Repairing our sewer systems
9. Establishing an excellent regional transit system, which includes light rail
10. Improving citizen satisfaction with City services.
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