What I Wanted to Say on Radio Times
Forums:
I just spent the entire Radio Times show on hold, but didn't make it on air.
What I wanted to say is this:
I want to challenge several things the managing director said regarding the Thomas Buck Hosiery fire - not because I'm eager to assign blame, but because I think they are emblematic of systemic problems that need to be fixed in order to prevent this kind of tragedy in the future.
The managing director kept referring to the first notification to 311 being on November 2nd. I have a receipt for a complaint I made on October 31 which was marked as "Unfounded". I know others made complaints prior to the one I made because they told me how to make it.
Multiple times it was referred to that the building would be unsealed and resealed. This is true, as confirmed by neighbors. However, my complaint that was marked as "Unfounded" dealt with the danger of collapsing brickwork on the curtain walls and elsewhere on the building. This is not something that was in flux, and it was evident to all those who walked by.
The managing director said 3 notices were issued and then action taken, as he has in many forums. However, 3 notices were issued, and then there was a multi-month pause, and then a fourth notice was issued.
I would like further clarification as to what kind of notice was given. I have twice dealt with abandoned buildings - one next to my home and one across the street from Summerfield Church. It seems that often the "notice" is a piece of paper placed on the building itself. In the case of absentee landlords / speculators this is clearly inadequate.
It was also stated that there were no recorded police complaints regarding criminal activity (including trespass) at the site, so the city had no way of knowing there was a problem. However, this is not a failure of reporting - this is a failure of response. I know a neighbor who called 911 repeated times (his father estimated 20 or more times) to report trespassing. Most of the time there was no response. When the police did show, they never arrested, ticketed, or charged anyone. They simply made them leave the building and 'move along'. This shows another failure of enforcement in the city.
As I stated earlier, I am not a fan of 'witch hunts' to place blame. I do, however, believe in discovering where the system is failing and correcting failures and making other improvements - especially because it is needed to prevent this kind of tragedy in the future.
—
Quot capita, tot sensus
Pure_Fishtown
Tue, 2012-04-17 11:22
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Dan, there are so many "Whys"
Dan, there are so many "Whys"! Not just for this property but for others both industrial and residential.
Is there not a way in our City's system to track buyers of multi-properties and to track the property tax receipts?
Is there not a way to look at a developer, like YML, to see if he has all his rental certificates?
Is there not a way to pull up one particular company or person and see that he/she/they own 48 properties, 5 are industrial and 43 are residential? From there, they can see that XYZ has not paid taxes on 45 of the properties for X number of years.
Is there not a way that a computer program can spit out the tax deadbeats? Or how about the worse, the deadbeats who have properties that violations?
The Buck Hosiery is the worse of the worse but it could be a shining star to develop better laws that are regulated. I still think there should be a class action lawsuit against the City/L&I for this tragedy; not for the money but to force the City into becoming more responsive/responsible. Because the city (as my mom would say) drags their A__, we are the ones with the burden of paying more and more taxes. Just how many more Buck Hosiery's are around the city?
On another note, you want to hear a story of how over responsive L&I is? I met a woman this weekend who told us that she had a leak in her bathroom and had to replace her dining room ceiling. While the work was being done, there was a knock on the door from an L&I representative who fined them for not having permits. Obviously, someone must have called but I never heard about having to have permits for ripping out and sheet rocking your ceiling. If the city can be so responsive to the residents why can't they go after the big fish with such zeal.
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." (Edmund Burke)
lighterthief
Tue, 2012-04-17 11:44
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Great points Dan, thanks for
Great points Dan, thanks for laying this out clearly. City is in spin mode, I would rather see the city admidt to systemic failure and make efforts to fix this but they prefer to dance.
Empty factories to the east and all our waste
The shape of things that came shows on the broken workers face
Pure_Fishtown
Tue, 2012-04-17 11:52
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lighterthief wrote:
Dancing is what they seem to do best, maybe the city should appear on Dancing with the Stars! Chris did a great job in stepping on their toes when they tried to dance.
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." (Edmund Burke)
Kenzo
Tue, 2012-04-17 12:10
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Patrick was a very good
Patrick was a very good panelist too... he had all the numbers to throw out there and has been covering the tax crisis in the August series he did last year in the Inky.
Kenzo
Tue, 2012-04-17 12:19
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OK the podcast is now up.
OK the podcast is now up.
http://whyy.org/cms/radiotimes/2012/04/17/phillys-crumbling-vacant-buildings-what-to-do-about-them/
Coder
Tue, 2012-04-17 12:35
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Yeah Chris, doing his best to
Yeah Chris, doing his best to get "FlatIron" to stick. Lol!
Kenzo
Tue, 2012-04-17 12:38
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Beats "Port Fishington"
Beats "Port Fishington"
austen
Tue, 2012-04-17 12:47
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Listening now to the podcast
Listening now to the podcast - blocked from listening live.
City still spinning that 311 works and they were responsive. Sheesh.
Coder
Tue, 2012-04-17 12:49
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austen wrote:
I'm pretty sure, that talking out of both sides of your mouth is a pre-employment requirement.
lighterthief
Tue, 2012-04-17 12:59
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austen wrote:
...and Fairmount park is populated by unicorns, elves and fairies
Empty factories to the east and all our waste
The shape of things that came shows on the broken workers face
sdm
Tue, 2012-04-17 14:06
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Coder wrote:
Stop trying to make Flatiron happen.
"No, when I said I was going to eat cold rice out of a bag on the street I literally meant I was going to eat cold rice out of a bag on the street. There is no innuendo here unfortunately, this is just how I live."
Kenzo
Tue, 2012-04-17 14:10
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sdm wrote:
Too late. Also: you don't live in it.
sdm
Tue, 2012-04-17 14:12
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Kenzo wrote:
I used to.
"No, when I said I was going to eat cold rice out of a bag on the street I literally meant I was going to eat cold rice out of a bag on the street. There is no innuendo here unfortunately, this is just how I live."
Coder
Tue, 2012-04-17 14:15
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Thats why he's mad. He lived
Thats why he's mad. He lived there all that time and never knew he had a hood with a cool name.
Now he lives in "port".
Anyway, the name predates you both.
meredith
Tue, 2012-04-17 14:16
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Coder wrote:
the name flatiron stinks.
at least sdm doesn't live in oxford circle, like he initially wanted.
“Try to learn to let what is unfair teach you.” – David Foster Wallace
sdm
Tue, 2012-04-17 14:18
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meredith wrote:
It's not a cool name, and I'm glad none of my neighbors ever used it.
Not sure how you translated me looking at a CL post of a house into wanting to move to the OC. I was just trying to find out how far my money would go in various neighborhoods.
"No, when I said I was going to eat cold rice out of a bag on the street I literally meant I was going to eat cold rice out of a bag on the street. There is no innuendo here unfortunately, this is just how I live."
meredith
Tue, 2012-04-17 14:20
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sdm wrote:
you were totally in love with the idea.
“Try to learn to let what is unfair teach you.” – David Foster Wallace
Coder
Tue, 2012-04-17 14:22
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meredith wrote:
Well, it doesn't really matter, missy, because that's what its called.
Stinks? Really? I'm starting to have second thought about you.
meredith
Tue, 2012-04-17 14:23
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Coder wrote:
you love me.
“Try to learn to let what is unfair teach you.” – David Foster Wallace
sdm
Tue, 2012-04-17 14:23
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meredith wrote:
With the house, yes.
"No, when I said I was going to eat cold rice out of a bag on the street I literally meant I was going to eat cold rice out of a bag on the street. There is no innuendo here unfortunately, this is just how I live."
Coder
Tue, 2012-04-17 14:25
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meredith wrote: you love me.
For the time being, but its constantly being reevaluated. :)
meredith
Tue, 2012-04-17 14:29
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Coder wrote:
hahaha. whatever. you stink. ;)
“Try to learn to let what is unfair teach you.” – David Foster Wallace
Coder
Tue, 2012-04-17 14:39
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I don't know how to make my
I don't know how to make my little onion headed thing wink.
Dan
Tue, 2012-04-17 15:58
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Coder wrote:
use a semi-colon instead of a colon
Quot capita, tot sensus
Matt Benatar
Tue, 2012-04-17 23:26
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What I would have said on
What I would have said on Radio Times:
The artist formerly known as Matt Sajak.
Kenzo
Wed, 2012-04-18 05:22
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They did have water. And
They did have water. And office coffee.