will be similar to detroit. but also similar to portions of LA/LB near their ports.
why detroit:
city budgets are on involuntary diet-and-sauna programs. tax and property tax collections are sucking wind. for our land, air, water and bodies this is a good thing here in gluttony-USA. means we’re buying less junk and hopefully eating less crap. cuz the full time job isn’t there, which means the healthcare isn’t there to catch our fat heart attacked and diabetic asses.
direct democracy or getting our hands dirty by taking on city “dutiesa’ ourselves is not bad. it’s a way of muddling through the greater depression/collapse. by gardening. by battening hatches. by improving our own hoods. people are managing their common spaces already: planting flowers in medians (40th st), painting “slow – kids at play” images and words on streets (28th or 29th st @ MLK), coming together in cohousing throughout the city or otherwise tidily mingling.
citizens are becoming city staff by volunteering for projects listed above and events (oaklavia, oakland marathon, etc) — and these are not new developments except for the percentage of volunteers and decline of sheer numbers of city staff doing productive work becoming more evident each year. (public gardening? analyzing OPD crime stats and posting them online?)
meanwhile, more ex-city employees start raking in guaranteed six figure pensions including health benefits for their families - retirement salaries for life. even for fired ‘deadwood.’
why green zones:
green zones are physically defended areas of importance. important to people with money and power/physical force. areas of the primary economy: water, food, security, true “necessities.” or housing stock for our empire’s most valued citizens.
