http://txpropertyrights.blogspot.com/2009/02/mayoral-preview-brian-phillips.html

If LA has 2.6 times the density as us, then Peter Brown’s point is probably still valid – LA would have far fewer “mile long” streets per person to service its population – or, put another way – if a garbage truck drove down a mile long street in LA it might be expected to pick up the trash of 260 people, where in Houston it would pick up the trash of only 100 people. I don’t know where Peter got his stat from, but certainly a more dense population can have some advantages. The garbage man’s route is probably one of the least of these advantages.

-Mike

OK Ian, registering in a math refresher might be warranted. If the street is one-mile long, driving on the west half doesn’t mean it’s 1/2 a mile long. It’s still a mile.

Reading through their comments and after perusing their websites, I have to say that most of their talk seems like just that…talk and vague rhetoric. Words like “quality of life” really have no meaning without a definition of what constitutes “quality of life.” Does it mean better sidewalks, roads, bike lanes, transit, parks or does it mean more strip malls and cheap big box stores?

And honestly, it seems what Houston really needs right now is someone who will get results. For all the grandiose words of Mayor White, he seems to have been severally lacking on actually following through with many of his goals. An initial system for Metro by 2012…well that is simply a pipedream now. Bike paths along the old MKT right-of-way north of Washington Street…haven’t even started construction yet even though the plan was approved in 1993. A new train station for the city…still in “planning.” A regional commuter rail…again nothing.

Now granted, the State of Texas certainly doesn’t give a damn about urban redevelopment or really urban issues in general. In fact, it often seems that the state actively works against urban interests. But if the city had the right man/woman who knew how to push things forward, get results and, if needed, pressure the state by way of the federal government (a federal government that is likely to be much friendlier to urban issues now) we could start to see some results. Mayor White belong in a city council or Congress but he is not a leader.

NONE discussed the sure to fail and cost us bigtime muni pension plans, the plethora of tifs and tirzs that sequester monies that should be routed to general funds, the scams known as affirmative action, etc.

An amazing group indeed, just more FLUFF & PUFF, bring on Outlaw Josey Wales again, or maybe Jailbird Jack Terence. I give up, I’m done here.

* Yes.

This is ironic since she doesn’t do it. She was very instrumental in passing the ordinance which forces a certain percentage of construction costs to be utilized for public art. After 4 yrs, only one project has been done. Now as City Controller, she still backs the project that is considered a failure.

Peter Brown:
* LA has 2.6 times the density we do, that means you have to drive garbage truck 2.6x further per pickup.
LOL. Peter, a street that is one mile long is still the same whatever the density.