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Follow the Money

February 11, 2005

Yesterday my economic development planning class hosted Mr. Keith Schneider of the Michigan Land Use Institute (a Think-Tank up north). He was there to tell us about a new report from MLUI called Follow the Money. The report basically says that Michigan is continually funding sprawl, which is bad, etc. He was an interesting speaker, and spoke well to us planners, but, had a Republican representative from Oakland or Ottawa counties been in the room, they would have had a fit.

I’ve been trained to put on my critical thinking cap when I listen to extremely value-laden speaches, and this was no exception. Even though I agreed with most of his talk, I was put off by many of the statements made. I’m sure he talks differently to more “hostile” groups, but I don’t think he should be so quick to assume that everyone in a planning classroom is completely on his side. (Although it was a class session, we did have notable guests - Joe Grengs, Robert Fishman, Doug Kelbaugh, Bob Marans, and they were all eating it up.)

What he did convince me was that I love Michigan. I love West Michigan. And that’s why I came to U of M to study planning. I want to make a difference in Holland. I want it to be vital, to be cool, to be everything it can be.

But I need people to help me. Mr. Schneider made the correct assertion that it’s almost always grassroots Republicans who push the best Smart Growth measures (it’s all about the economy), but the elected officials (in our case, Republicans), do not follow that cause. We need to change that. We also need to promote a paradigm shift. People need to realize they don’t need massive homes and yards, that they can be just as happy in downtown Holland as they are in Port Sheldon or Laketown Townships.

Vote Ryckbost in 2006! What seat? Ummm… don’t know yet :)

Posted by paul at February 11, 2005 08:06 AM

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