Protest, Poverty & Politics - activities at political conventions

Reason, Nov, 2000 by Michael W. Lynch

I'm sure McDermott believes in miracles, and not only because he's a priest. Just listen to his plan to bring the middle class back to Camden: "Part of it is the type of houses we are going to build, and there will also be a light rail..." he told me as the backhoe tore the roof from the building. McDermott is confident because the houses will go for just $40,000, which is damn cheap for a newly refurbished house (each house, he said, costs roughly $100,000 to buy and fix up). But there's no rush to get into Camden, even though buyers can rely on a steady stream of government cash and incentives.

Back on the bus, I asked about the role high taxes play in keeping residents and businesses out of town. Primas told a story involving the bank for which he now works. The bank has identical buildings in Camden and a neighboring suburb. The taxes for the suburban branch, which does much more business, are $20,000 per year. The taxes in Camden are $40,000. The same is true for homeowners, though on a smaller scale. Primas drew no practical lessons from his example, however. High taxes, especially on business, seem to be, if not a force of justice, then a force of nature.

There is a recognition that money isn't the only answer, yet that's the only model the politicians know. "Certainly money isn't the issue," said Primas of the schools. "We're spending $11,000 a student"--a sum that would come close to paying tuition at some of Jersey's better private academies, if not its swankiest prep schools such as Lawrenceville or Peddie. Yet Camden's schools don't even have a superintendent--you literally can't pay anybody enough to stay in the position--and kids drop out in droves.

We continued to drive around the city in comfort, being told of myriad government programs and reminded that it is the government's discretionary spending, the very spending the Republicans meeting in Philly want to cut, that keeps these people alive. The final destination on our tour was North Camden, home of Riverfront Prison and many nonprofits working to revitalize the area. We passed the historic home of Camden's founder--now in a city park--which is appropriately burnt down. We saw boarded-up building after boarded-up building. "Despite the challenges you see," Primas told us, using challenge as a euphemism for abandoned houses and litter-strewn lots, "the section looks 50 times better."

We ended with a presentation at a refurbished home site. Presenter after presenter told us what they were doing to make the neighborhood more comfortable. It's been a decade, and they finally have financing for a housing market. Everything involves massive government subsidies, which have worked so well...where, exactly?

I wish these folks success, and I hope they have the answers. I just don't think they do.

Subj: The Protests

Date: 8/15/00

From: mwLynch@reason.com

Lowell Fletcher and his girlfriend set out for Los Angeles from Kansas 12 days ago, their thumbs extended on the side of the road. It took them a while to get picked up, but the hitching got good soon enough, and a series of trucks and cars got them to L.A. in time for the protests at the Democratic National Convention.