During my morning jogs, I regularly see a police SUV. Sometimes, it's probably the officer who lives in my neighborhood either headed to or from work. Other times, they may just be on a shortcut. Rarely, they are there to enforce the law. I live in a fairly affluent neighborhood where crime generally boils down to running stop signs, trash blowing into yards, and obfuscation of view at blind corners. Yet, there is a major thoroughfare that runs through the neighborhood on a hill along which virtually everyone speeds.
This morning as I ran, I crossed this street eight times like I usually do when I run a 10K. At one point, there were three police SUVs detaining vehicles for speeding along the road. Hooray! I like to see the law enforced. However, to do the right thing for the wrong reason is still the wrong thing.
I am glad to see the police out issuing tickets for speeding in the neighborhood. Does it really take three SUVs to patrol this stretch? They would not be necessary if the law were regularly enforced. This is not about the law. The problem is that to enforce speed limits now exacerbates the problem for everyone. This decision, while it may buoy up municipal government budgets, hurts the economy. So, they may bandage it now only to have an internal hemorrhage later. We all know why you are out there. I have lived here almost three years and only seen you enforce the speed limit twice. Shame shame.
The city needs tax money. The solution is not to punish people for crimes that have thus far been ignored. Now that money is tighter for everyone, to take it out of our pockets will not give you long-term liquidity. If you want more money, you need to entice more people to live and do business here. Raise taxes, and people and businesses will leave. Lower them, and more people will be here. If 10,000 people pay 80% of their income in taxes, you will have less tax revenue than if you have 200,000 people who pay 50%.
We need an incentive to be here. I have left jobs, left cities, resigned from positions, and cut my output when there was no personal incentive. Our neighborhood was safe enough before. Most of the speeding cars are passing through and pass through regularly. There are better solutions, and I encourage the cities to seek those instead.
Thank you.
This morning as I ran, I crossed this street eight times like I usually do when I run a 10K. At one point, there were three police SUVs detaining vehicles for speeding along the road. Hooray! I like to see the law enforced. However, to do the right thing for the wrong reason is still the wrong thing.
I am glad to see the police out issuing tickets for speeding in the neighborhood. Does it really take three SUVs to patrol this stretch? They would not be necessary if the law were regularly enforced. This is not about the law. The problem is that to enforce speed limits now exacerbates the problem for everyone. This decision, while it may buoy up municipal government budgets, hurts the economy. So, they may bandage it now only to have an internal hemorrhage later. We all know why you are out there. I have lived here almost three years and only seen you enforce the speed limit twice. Shame shame.
The city needs tax money. The solution is not to punish people for crimes that have thus far been ignored. Now that money is tighter for everyone, to take it out of our pockets will not give you long-term liquidity. If you want more money, you need to entice more people to live and do business here. Raise taxes, and people and businesses will leave. Lower them, and more people will be here. If 10,000 people pay 80% of their income in taxes, you will have less tax revenue than if you have 200,000 people who pay 50%.
We need an incentive to be here. I have left jobs, left cities, resigned from positions, and cut my output when there was no personal incentive. Our neighborhood was safe enough before. Most of the speeding cars are passing through and pass through regularly. There are better solutions, and I encourage the cities to seek those instead.
Thank you.
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