Give us tools, not controls
Matt Edens' report titled "Abated Breadth" in your Sept. 14 issue demonstrates again why local citizens and out of town investors have been frustrated with Knoxville over the past decades. The mayor is concerned about "attendant problems."
Incentives for the Bank of America Building, Whittle Building, the two glass towers, $130 million of infrastructure for the Worsham Watkins development, Streetscape, the 1982 World's Fair, etc. weren't stopped because of attendant problems.
Did these efforts punish those of us who did it without incentives? I don't think so. Maybe we are just concerned about some friends or the established investments that are afraid of competition. Instead of Doug Berry trying to determine whether tax abatement or low-interest construction financing is best for us, why not do both? Instead of trying to find a better "legal" way of doing things, why not just do it, whether it is the Memphis Pilot model or the Empowerment Zone model?
I think the attitude that Charles Swanson states: "Just because the vehicle is here, doesn't mean the city wants to take the ride," has been the most frustrating over the years. Instead of the city administration trying to determine what is best for us and controlling everything, it may be more beneficial to everyone if they just create a box made out of an infrastructure, such as a transportation system that is not based solely on the automobile, and a comprehensive downtown plan with an inclusive process and design guidelines.
Provide the tools for the box—such as tax abatement, codes for existing buildings, tax increment financing, low interest construction loans, fast track permitting, utilities infrastructure, etc.
In every economic development and community development meeting I have attended in the past three years I have seen many tool boxes from many different size cities, states, and organizations (varying in size and complexity from over an inch-thick book from the state of Indiana to a few type-written pages from the Memphis Center City Commission).
I ask the city to develop a box with tools that all of us can use, whether it is a $10,000 project, or $10 million, or hundreds of millions of dollars.
Let us decide which tools to use. If this attitude can prevail we will move forward and faster in revitalizing our inner city neighborhoods.
>Jim Ullrich
Knoxville
We're not Slovenia, but...
As a parent and taxpayer in Knox County, I read the "Back-to-school issue" [Aug. 17 Metro Pulse] with interest. I am in favor of offering foreign languages and art classes in elementary schools, but agree that from the description in the article, "internationally competitive" is too nebulous.
Here are a few suggestions to get started. In recent international tests of math and science achievement, the small republic that came out ahead of every other country (including the United States) was Slovenia. Slovenia is a country of 2 million people in an area south and east of Austria and north of Croatia. It was a part of former Yugoslavia. A quick search of "Slovenia" on your computer will bring up information about this country. There are probably some immigrants or visitors from Slovenia locally; last year I had a casual conversation with a young salesman whose newlywed wife grew up in Slovenia and was educated there. He spoke with great admiration of her ability to fluently speak at least three languages, plus her considerable ability and understanding of many other topics concerning math, science, and history.
Knox County is not Slovenia and not everything that they do would necessarily work here. However, it would be worthwhile to find out what they are doing to provide education in Slovenia: the scope, sequence and even the costs of what they provide. While Slovenia has a different currency, and exact dollar quotes would not be available, I wonder if they spend approximately more or less than $4,700 per student in their public school system. I would be willing to bet that the top-ranking Slovenian math and science students did not begin Algebra I with $80 calculators (or with expensive Abercrombie & Fitch wardrobes). While I am willing to invest in whatever is necessary to help my children and other people's children, I am cautious of the difference between investments that will yield results and throwaway spending for the exhilarating feeling of having "new stuff".
With regard to textbooks, it is important to have enough textbooks for all students. It is also important for the textbooks to be well-designed and helpful to students. Many current textbooks, including products from recognized and respected providers, do not teach as much as they test.
Thanks again for an informative article, and good luck to Dr. Lindsay. I hope that Knox County schools do achieve world-class standards.
Mary Ben-Ami
Knoxville
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