Saturday, January 5, 2008

Oxymoron of the Day

"Inclusionary zoning".

Why is this an oxymoron? I try to explain that here. There is a development near my house that has 5 acre zoning. What says "rich people only" better than 5 acre zoning? The lack of workforce housing is a serious problem, and I almost want to say that it is far to serious to be solved with a band-aid on some zoning laws and a lottery. I am not trying to sound like an Ulman hack, because I think he spends too much of my tax money, but kudos to Ken Ulman for recognizing the problem and trying to do something about it. I don't think that this goes far enough, but I bet Ulman would agree with that. Sometimes, the best approach is to do what you can. I think it was Teddy Roosevelt who said something like "I respect the man who takes the first step, not the one who theorizes about the two-hundredth step." That's politics.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Didn't the Council pass some work-force housing legislation this fall?

Anonymous said...

FM, I think you have a hang up about "rich people". "Rich people" need a place to live, so why not next to you. Are you being the ultimate snob, rpnimby (rich people not in my back yard). I also think if you check with them, they are part of the workforce.

Did you ever see Teddy Roosevelt's home, not to shabby. That's politics.

Anonymous said...

Jim- why would you think I have a hang up about rich people? Seriously, I am curious. If I left that impression, it was way off of my intent. When I said that 5 acre zoning means “rich people only”, that in no way insults people who can afford acreage. It was simply a statement of fact.

Anon- the only legislation that can do anything for the workforce is a cut back in legislation, which is politically infeasible. Hence the “that’s politics” and “do what you can” tone of this post.

Anonymous said...

Crap. The last comment is mine. I was not only to lazy to log in, but I was too lazy to type my moniker!

Anonymous said...

Dear Freemarket/anonymous,

I was having fun with your expression "rich people". I think it is a relative term.

I begining to get old and my values are changing.

There was a time when I wanted to be rich, own 15 or 20 acres, have a couple barns to put my toys in, with a home that Southern Living would want to run a story about.

I traded those dreams in for simpler dreams of wealth, the kind that makes a man really feel rich. A good hour of exercise, a hot cup of coffee, and the fun I get from reading your blog.

p.s.I do think those people we may refer to as rich are for the most part ( I know there are exceptions)
hard working, talented, and intelligent individuals, who may even deserve more than what they have.

p.s.s I just may have just disclosed one or two of the reasons why I can't afford to live near you.