An open reply to Ms. Andrew

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   Thank you Ms. Andrew for your information. I appreciate your efforts to inform us on the various topics.

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VietVet Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Council Joined: May 15 2008 Status: Offline Points: 7008	Post Options Post Reply Quote VietVet Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Jan 14 2010 at 7:04am
	Thank you Ms. Andrew for your information. I appreciate your efforts to inform us on the various topics.

Marcia Andrew Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Citizen Joined: Jan 09 2010 Status: Offline Points: 365	Post Options Post Reply Quote Marcia Andrew Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Jan 14 2010 at 1:29pm
	Pacman, I think you and I agree on the Section 8 issue. You are correct that Mr. Fiora and I raised it at the last joint meeting with City Council. I tried to make the point that the dramatic increase in Section 8 vouchers has had a substantial negative impact on the city's schools, since socio-economic status is the single most determinative factor in how kids perform in school. I am not trying to tell Council how to do their jobs, I understand that there are many factors that they must consider in figuring a way out of the current over-supply of vouchers. I wanted them to understand how it has made the schools' job harder, and I'm not sure they all understood or agreed with my point. To answer your specific question, I do not know what we can do to convince council of the importance of this issue. Having a "good program" may solve crime and other issues for the city, but it doesn't address the imbalance of low- or no-income residents (which harms not only the schools, but the whole city). Marcia Andrew

spiderjohn Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Prominent MUSA Citizen Joined: Jul 01 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2749	Post Options Post Reply Quote spiderjohn Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Jan 14 2010 at 2:36pm
	Virtually everyone has the same opinion here except for Council/Admin. I don't look for them to change anything, and actually expect the # of vouchers to INCREASE. The effect on the school system is hardly lost to the citizenry, and the effects on our business community have also been devastating, (particularly west of Breiel Blvd.). When the ggovt.subsidy $$ runs out after the first week of each month, the recipients have literally no $$ to spend until the following month. Compund this issue by not having employment options available, and many recipients not being able/capable to hold employment of any type regardless. Nothing against the Section 8 voucher holders at all. They are simply using a service offered. A problem being that this situation here is so well-known throughout the area(and beyond), that we have attracted people from everywhere. This situation was created by our planning dept. I believe, and filtered through numerous city managers and Councils/Commissions with everyone involved either a willing participant or asleep at the wheel. The buck stops downtown. I have tried to discuss this issue with everyone from Council to Admin(specifically Economic Development), however I cannot even get anyone to take an appointment or listen.

Mike_Presta Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List MUSA Council Joined: Apr 20 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3483	Post Options Post Reply Quote Mike_Presta Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Jan 14 2010 at 8:10pm
	Spider: Exactly! It is the mindset of MMF and city hall to speak only of the "good" things about Middletown, ignore the problems, and attack those who attempt to bring the problems to the light of day. They cannot distinguish the difference between reality and negativity. They malign and ostracize those who attempt to address real problems but celebrate and elevate those who "paint and party". A good coat of paint (like a good layer of make-up ) can hide a lot of defects, but the next morning, nothing has really changed.
	“Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012