Urban/Suburban/Rural breakdown of 1988-2008 election

[JohnnyD]

Originally Posted by sokinwet

1st guys.. that's not my quote...that's me quoting another post.
Naive?? As I said..30 yrs working as a program director in housing & community development just might give me a few insights into this issue that go a little deeper than what you're hearing on FOX news or reading in the Herald.

I certainly wouldn't call you Naive, I don't think you were referring to me though. However, I've been in these people's homes and seen it first hand. And as someone stated above, I'm sure just about any working city PD or Fire/EMS can attest to the same thing.

[sokinwet]

JD - I don't doubt that you do; all it takes is plastic, a Walmart..and there's your TV; but my experience has been different. I monitor 45 assisted rental properties in a south shore community on an annual basis for housing code and tenant income and asset compliance. Most of these folks live a modest lifestyle. Believe me when I tell you that the review process and determination of eligibility for these programs is very thorough. Do people slip through..of course..hopefully not on my watch I have caught people trying to scam the system and 99% of those people have been middle income suburban homeowners not assisted renters. In addition, we have found that properties not on public transportation tend to be occupied more by moderate income familes than low income, with the primary reason being that they haven't saved up enough for the BMW ;-) yet and have to rely on the train.
The original subject of this thread urban/sub/rural elec. breakdown when viewed from a public policy perspective is an interesting study. MA currently has a 10% goal of affordable housing in every community. Communities with less are subject to override of existing zoning for affordable developments under Chpt. 40B "anti snob zoning" legislation.(and to pre-empt any response..yes I agree it's a developer abused program!) One of the idea's behind this is to provide housing for "local" lower income persons and also to eliminate concentration of lower income housing and families in urban areas. However, in the past 8 years federal housing policy has been to reduce rental assistance and promote homeownership. (we all know what a trainwreck this has caused). This has been a factor in suburban property values and rents going through the ceiling, restricting many lower income families to urban areas. If the republican admin. promotes housing & social policies that don't favor me am I going to vote for them or the Dem's?

[fishbones]

Originally Posted by sokinwet

1st guys.. that's not my quote...that's me quoting another post.
Naive?? As I said..30 yrs working as a program director in housing & community development just might give me a few insights into this issue that go a little deeper than what you're hearing on FOX news or reading in the Herald. I know I probably won't change your "someone told me so" perceptions that everyone on public assistance is dealing drugs, etc. but "for crying out loud" before you fall too deep into the all pol's & cops are crooks, all gov. workers are lazy, teachers got it easy, why should I pay taxes..I get nothing for it, well of uninformed public opinion, take a more in depth look at the actual situation. And Fishbone...if I knew someone was a drug dealing, thieving scum bag in my neighborhood I'd drop a dime...not BS about it on a fishing forum.

Sorry Sokinwet, but I don't take my information from any television or newspaper reports. I get it from seeing it happen and from people who work as public servants. As for dropping a dime on a drug dealer who's cheating the system, it's not that easy. Tell a welfare case worker that one of their clients is dealing drugs and driving a BMW and they'll shrug their shoulders. Someone making that kind of money isn't going to risk their lives over their job.

[sokinwet]

Fishbones - The Fox news comment was not aimed directly at you (I try not to take "too many" personal shots but sometimes it might read that way)...just a collective shot a those who form opinion's based on somewhat slanted and very often fact challenged coverage. As I said, I am one of those public servants with "feet on the ground" and my experience has been different than what people are writing here.
I meet once a month as a gov. rep. for a Board that is comprised of most of the homeless and social service providers located from south of Boston to Brockton. You are correct..a very underpaid and unappreciated profession and it certainly isn't their job to fight crime ;but these folks deal with those on the bottom rungs of the ladder everyday and there's not much they don't see and deal with regularly. Funny thing is, on that Board I'm not the most popular guy because many of these folks are zealots for their cause and being a bass slaying, bird killin, gun toting, guitar pickin type I'm perceived as somewhat right of redneck! Guess it all just depends on who you run with! Sorry if I stepped on any toes, not my intention...it's off to self excile in the Muzik and Grumpy ole Farts forums!