Riding around town I keep seeing torn up streets and diversion signs redirecting my Bonneville.
In a town as small as Key West with post winter season traffic patterns it's no great hardship to be diverted but it surprises me how much money the city has to spend of roadworks. Actually I also find it heartening because I've read plenty about deferred roan maintenance in other parts of our blighted nation. Not here, things look surprisingly good.
In the photo above we see a large strip of black asphalt showing more city paving recently completed. We have elections coming up in Key West because the city has it's own election schedule and this year three districts, 2,4, and 5 are open and Barry Gibson wants to quit to run for the county office running elections. Mayor Cates ran in 2009 saying he wanted only one term but now he wants to get the new city hall built to his specifications so he's in for a second term.
In the photo above we see the recently completed sidewalks on Flagler Avenue which caused a lot of people to groan as they coped with the change. I didn't see it as a big deal but I guess I was missing something as I find the cut outs easy to navigate (I ride sober which must help!). I did an essay on this hot topic: http://conchscooter.blogspot.com/2010/03/flagler-reconstruction.html 
As we watch the campaigns ramp up this summer I want to see what the discussion is about the city's budget. The temporary city hall at Habana Plaza (above) is a big topic because it will have to be relocated somewhere in the city, though not every one agrees even on that. But the city budget doesn't seem as fraught as budgets are for most governments in these United States these days. What, I ask myself will have to be cut in 2012 to keep the city budget balanced? Street repairs? Jobs? The way the candidates are talking so far the budget seems to be just peachy. Long may it stay that way in this amazingly resilient tourist economy.
In a town as small as Key West with post winter season traffic patterns it's no great hardship to be diverted but it surprises me how much money the city has to spend of roadworks. Actually I also find it heartening because I've read plenty about deferred roan maintenance in other parts of our blighted nation. Not here, things look surprisingly good.In the photo above we see a large strip of black asphalt showing more city paving recently completed. We have elections coming up in Key West because the city has it's own election schedule and this year three districts, 2,4, and 5 are open and Barry Gibson wants to quit to run for the county office running elections. Mayor Cates ran in 2009 saying he wanted only one term but now he wants to get the new city hall built to his specifications so he's in for a second term.In the photo above we see the recently completed sidewalks on Flagler Avenue which caused a lot of people to groan as they coped with the change. I didn't see it as a big deal but I guess I was missing something as I find the cut outs easy to navigate (I ride sober which must help!). I did an essay on this hot topic: http://conchscooter.blogspot.com/2010/03/flagler-reconstruction.html 
As we watch the campaigns ramp up this summer I want to see what the discussion is about the city's budget. The temporary city hall at Habana Plaza (above) is a big topic because it will have to be relocated somewhere in the city, though not every one agrees even on that. But the city budget doesn't seem as fraught as budgets are for most governments in these United States these days. What, I ask myself will have to be cut in 2012 to keep the city budget balanced? Street repairs? Jobs? The way the candidates are talking so far the budget seems to be just peachy. Long may it stay that way in this amazingly resilient tourist economy.
1 comment:
Dear Conchscooter:
There is nothing like an election year to bring out civic projects that have been deferred. First of all, there are the city workers to keep employed. Then the government must show some sort of progress and local improvements. It is the day after new official are sworn int office that things go back to the program of slow and reverse.
Fondest regards,
Jack • reep • Toad
Twisted Roads
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