By Way of Introduction, or, Thoughts on the Future of the City

Welcome to Cities On a Hill, a new blog providing daily coverage of cities and urban issues - primarily in America but also abroad - along with opeds, research and other resources. The current conditions in Europe’s great cities, for instance, bear more than a striking resemblance to those faced in the U.S. during the 1960s. Written for elected officials, public policy experts, journalists and others interested in the future of the metropolis, Cities on a Hill is intended to stimulate debate on the basics of urban policy, such as how to eliminate unaccountable one-party politics and how to improve the quality while reducing the cost of public sector services. Taxation, transportation, regulation, immigration and urban design will come in for similar consideration. And because cities are part of metro regions, we want to pay particular attention to the ways in which state subsidies affect (and often encourage) sprawl.

Implicit in our mission is the question: What is the future of the American city? What will it be like in five years? 10? 25? What should it be like in an economy where technology has effaced some of the friction of distance? These questions will inform our daily dispatches, and will, in a few weeks, be the subject of our first featured discussion, with thinkers and actors from across the nation offering predictions and prescriptions.

Cities on a Hill is an open discussion with our readers, a resource and a meeting ground. Readers are encouraged to post comments and to email me and managing editor Harry Siegel news and thoughts about cities and about urbanism.

On the other side of the “continue reading” link below are some of our thoughts on the future of the city, which we hope will open the conversation:

Continue reading   By Way of Introduction, or, Thoughts on the Future of the City

Is Medicaid Sense Coming To New York?

New York has a Medicaid program that is two-and-a-half times as expensive as the national average, and larger than those of Texas and California combined. Two stories in the Metro section today's Times speak to why this is, and what can be done to provide a better safety net at a lower cost.

Continue reading   Is Medicaid Sense Coming To New York?

A New Model for Detroit?

The "Motor City" has been so dominated by its public sector unions that, under pressure from the teachers, Kwame Kilpatrick, the self-described “hip-hop Mayor," turned down a philanthropist’s offer of $200,000,000 to fund charter schools. But now, the crime-ridden city, faced with the decline of the big three automakers, the nations second highest unemployment rate and massive budget deficits, has announced plans to cut property taxes and charge a fee for garbage pick-up. But what’s more promising is that Kilpatrick has bucked the public sector unions to privatize some of the city’s snow removal. The mayor explained, "You need a core team of people in city government to do snow removal. But you don't need these 92 or 98 people on your staff all the time. Why? Because it's not snowing right now.” Is this, asks Josh Hendrickson writing for Tech Central Station, the beginning of a Detroit revival? It’s not clear, but if Kilpatrick sells off the Department of Public Lighting, a famously failed operation, you’ll know that something hopeful is starting to stir in Detroit.

Michigan Withers/Public Employees Prosper

4/14/6 The Detroit News reports:

The number of people in state government's six-figure salary club has soared about 85 percent since the economic slide started eroding Michigan's budget in 2000. The state payroll shows 700 employees are making more than $100,000 a year, compared to about 375 six years ago, according to a Detroit News analysis. The review of records, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, also shows 1,919 state workers earn more than Michigan lawmakers, who at $79,650 are the second highest paid in the nation. Gov. Jennifer Granholm's $177,000 salary makes her the nation's second highest paid governor. But she finishes a distant second on the state payroll. The runaway leader is James Epolito, the new chief executive of the Michigan Economic Development Corp., who collects $200,000 a year.

(Hat Tip: Bob)