Health and Crime

It becomes a tricky situation when trying to propose a policy on this subject. The main focus of the video was on exercising, walking in particular. The simple spelled out notion that 30 minutes of walking daily can drastically reduce countless health issues. I do not know if a policy that makes us walk 30 minutes a day is even possible. However, I do think that a policy designed to create more bike/walking trails in the suburbs is. Also a policy that allows for free fitness centers in heavy populated urban areas with little real estate. Yes I truly believe that government should be promoting healthier habits! This should be a top priority for the government. This is something if done successfully can truly make a huge impact on peoples health and life. It was step banning soda and fast food from schools and the get moving program. However, more needs to be done!   

This was a very powerful video on the crime and life style of living in the projects. While watching the video there was a moment when a young teen age boy was describing how the streets work. He was almost smiling as he was saying, It's ether be killed or kill. You have to watch your back, and protect yourself. That is just the way it is. I had to ask the question to my self out loud, "Why does it have to be like that"? Why is it not different? Why can't everyone get along and form together to help each other out? I could not understand why it had to be like that. I started to raise the question what if these areas were filled with poor white people, instead of poor African Americans? Would there still be all of the staggering statistics? The video had some solid approaches to preventing and handling crime. A few of my favorites are counseling, the church and the paster, and the job training program. One of the main factors that the streets are so bad has to do with single moms raising the family, and no father figure/roll model. The idea of counseling for the kids and young adults is something that should do wonders! The "crazy dads" is great! It is  when groups of father figures go out to the streets at night and are there to be supportive. The paster also filled a father/role model for the much needed young kids. The job training class is also great! This is a great resource that can turn their whole life around. Police should handle neighborhoods with extreme violence with numbers and better patrolling. The only way to stop this violence is not to tolerate it, the "broken window" concept. Violence can be stopped if the government really wanted it to. The SB 1474 is not helping with the effort! Let's face it! It is a horrible and pointless! Guns do not belong in schools. I also think SB 1070 does not fully capture what causes crime. Crime maybe committed by latinos, but mainly this is not illegals but usually done by second or third generations, 

Economic Development Director

I am the economic development director for Portland Oregon. As the director of development I take seriously what was written in Economic Development and the Construction of Opportunity, " Most cities have failed in the last decades as a  result of industrial dispersal and other forms of capital disinvestment"(93) I am a firm believer in attracting businesses and keeping them thriving in Portland again. This is why I am putting together an economic development plan that will be full of polices that have been proven to be highly effective in cities all over. Economic Development and the Construction of Opportunity also backs my idea by saying, "Effective economic development polices promise to generate employment, reduce poverty, raise incomes, boost tax revenues,and improve public services"(93). Portland has a culture all of it's own. Portland prides it's self on having one of the most sustainable and eco friendly cities in America. We as a city aim to keep this reputation. This is how I believe we should appeal to new businesses wanting to relocate in the Portland. We will offer generous tax deductions, and start up cost to businesses that are willing to build or reconstruct LEED certified buildings. Or if the company can operate on a sustainable level evaluated by us. I also wanted the businesses to know that we want them to thrive in our city. I can promise that Portland has what it takes to harvest a fruitful work force. A work force that is innovative, and creative. An educated work force that has endless amounts of drive and talent. Our nationally ranked Universities has some of the best students and programs around. Producing some of the brightest minds, that are willing to stay local after graduation and work for a solid company. With this factor in place, it gives us and the companies the peace of mind that a repeat of the Google incident in Arizona will not happen in Portland.

I also would like to support applying for HOPE VI grant. I am also a huge believer in equal opportunity housing for everyone. One of the effects of a thieving city is the price of living goes up as well. I believe we should apply for HOPE VI grants as soon as possible. With my economic plan in place, the cost of living will continue to go up as it succeeds. Having this housing is essential to our city. The demand is here now for it, and will only continue as we succeeds as a city. I strongly support the application for HOPE VI. 

Education

It is no secret that the educational system in America is broken! As a child I witnessed the experience first hand. I also was raised in a family made mostly of educators(teachers, and principals). Who strongly worded their problems with the public school system. I also was in the teaching field, this past August and September. I got to experience the system first hand.

In Urban Public Education and Metro Prosperity, "Presumably, the goal of education is to produce individuals with the ability to compete in and contribute to the economy, to engage in civic life, and to enjoy society's cultural gifts"(249). This goal to me is a great goal! I do strongly agree with the idea of public schools, and how it is mandatory for every child to go. It is essential for a functioning society. However, the system today is broken past repair. The system needs to be completely rebuilt. Policies such as no child left behind are not helping this all ready broken system. This is policy is greatly complained about in my family. From the level of  the teachers. They clam it is the worst thing that happened to the education system. 

I grew up moving around a lot. I moved roughly once a year to new states and new schools. I moved to fourteen different states by the age of twelve. This became a problem in school. I preformed poorly in Math and reading because of this. Every time I moved I would find that I had large gaps in my math and basic reading skills. When I would go to class I would find my new school was learning something completely different than my last class, and thus I had these large pockets of key concepts that I missed out on learning. I really liked the idea that was expressed about France in Urban Public Education and Metro Prosperity, " France has a centralized education system, so there is little that distinguishes education in one French city from another. A curriculum set centrally means that pretty much the same math lesson is being taught in every eighth-grade classroom throughout the country, usually on the same day"(248). I'm not saying this is the answer to our education system, but in my case and I'm sure in millions of other kids cases would of helped. I would not of had the gaps in my math and reading skills, because of our decentralized education system. 

I took a vacation this past summer to Alaska to travel around. While there I came across the opportunity to substitute teach in a small rural village on Kodiak Island. I spent  August and September at the small school of around forty students. I taught grades k-12th. I was fully able to see first hand what Sir Ken Robinson was illustrating in Changing Education Paradigms. He talks about trying to capture cultural identity by doing what they did in the past. Millions of kids are being alienated in this process. "They do not see any purpose in going to school". This was the same case for the tribal kids in I taught. I completely agree with Robinson that our current system was designed and conceded for a different age. We need a whole new system. An up to date system that will thrive in todays society. Robinson nails it when he describes how our system is modeled on the intreats of industrialization. He adds great examples with his use of the Conveyer belt and "date of manufacture". Waiting for superman also showed a great example of how our system is broken and not working. The fact that most of the states are way below the proficient rate in math and reading. It was embarrassing seeing those numbers!  Waiting for superman also shows another huge factor with our education system. It has to do with the parents. If parents do not hold education to a high standard, then nether do the children. I believe this to be a huge problem with why kids are doing so badly in school. 

Blog Two Week Two

It is now two weeks until our move to downtown Los Angeles. My wife has been patient with our last few moves, but I feel it may be time to settle down long term. I know my wife wants to start to have children. I feel that with the capital that I have created with my business, and this last project we will be economically secure in life. I own a company called Sophisticated Properties, LLC. 

Sophisticated Properties, LLC is a company that I started about twenty five years ago. My company specializes in the renovation/ gentrification of downtown apartment buildings across the United states. My company fully restores old downtown buildings, creating luxury apartments for lease and sale located in the desirable downtown area. Known by many as the modern day urban pioneer. We cater to middle class America, that has the desire to live in the urban setting. My company has had great success in our last three destinations, Goose Island Chicago, IL, Quality Hill Kansas City, MO and SouthEnd Boston, MA.

The reason why I have so much successes, has to do with where and why I choose a town to invest in. Every area is carefully researched and calculated. The where has to do with potential in property values, along with the next "happing place". naturally my company aims to turn a profit. That is why we focus on lower property value areas that are making or bound to make a turn around economically and socially. Young professionals, and artist are starting to rethink the zone they want to live in. The concentric zone mold for urban growth is begging to be transformed in some areas, as these young professionals and artist find the desire to move back in to zone one. The desire to be back in the centre of the hive is in. This new centripetal force trend is where we come in.

This trend is great for the city. Our actions along with other businesses and companies like mine help to result in a whole new transformation of the city. This has a direct positive result for the city in a few ways. For instance property values raise, thus creating more tax dollars. More tax dollars will result in better funding for the local schools. Also with a thriving area more businesses will come to the area and help generate even more tax revenue. However, the hot issue that we face in pretty much every city is the relocation of the lower class population. Once the natural effect of our actions take place. It is no secret that a large majority of the indigenous population will be forced out of the area. This is a natural process that happens. This is why always lobby for an area to remain for low income housing.

The decision to go to Los Angeles was an easy one for a few reasons. Los Angeles is one of the most desirable places to live right now. LA has a huge business core. LA also is home to three of the most profitable sporting franchises. The Dodgers, the Lakers and the Kings. Not to mention the two top universities USC and UCLA The downtown area that we purchased our three buildings are in the center of were the plan for the gentrification of the broadway commercial corridor will be! A great number of loft conversions have been made by local up and coming artist. Sophisticated Properties, LLC is looking forward to its next project in downtown Los Angeles  

Week One Blog One

My name is Mike Scarpitta. I am a transfer student from Los Angeles California. This is my first semester at ASU. My major is urban and metropolitan studies. I am twenty five years old. I have three older brothers. I love to go camping, fishing and traveling. I just spent the last four month in Alaska traveling around. That was an amazing experience! I just moved to Tempe last week. I have to say that Tempe and Phoenix are really great! It amazes me to see the difference from Los Angeles. Everything is so clean! Both cities are modernly renovated. I am not used to a city that has it's act together. I am used to paying extremely high taxes, and still having graffiti on every sign and billboard. Pot holes on every street. Not to mention  the traffic and the mass number of vacant and abandoned commercial buildings and stores. Their seems to be more shopping and places to eat than anyone could ever want here. They seem to be thriving. In California I worked for a geotechnical soil engineer for the past five years. In which I was involved in a range of regulatory policies. Such as in forcing OSHA codes, and other local city codes. I also own a carpet cleaning company in California. I am excited to learn from this class. Professor Lucio seems great! I am excited to see how this class unfolds.  

The first day of class seemed to be very exciting. On more than one occasion  some pretty heated debates broke out! I can't imagine how things will go when people actually get to know one another. This class seems to be filled with a mix of opinionated people. This should make for some interesting discussions. This makes me wish that this class met more than once a week. On second thought maybe it is best that we only meet once a week. I don't want people to get to fired up at one another. A six day break is probably best to keep peace. 

I am fairly new to the whole idea of policies, and policy making. I am some what familiar with the macro view of the major polices and why they are made. While reading Public PolicyMaking a section really stood out to me. The idea that "all laws incorporate biases that benefit some groups and disadvantage other groups. Which is an intrinsic feature of public polices. Rarely does a public policy make everyone better off"(Anderson pg 8). This put in my head a whole new outlook on policy and policy making. The entire process of making policies seems some what skewed. I feel like policies are nothing but an on going cycle. Each one acting as a change or and addition to current and existing polices. Don't get me wrong though! I still believe that polices created for distributive , regulatory, self-regulatory and redistributive are all important.