sorry folks, forgive me if i'm wrong, but wouldn't the proper forum for discussing this particular topic be on the other site? We all know that politics is a crime story, but for the sake of consistency,... ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kris Marais" <dreamsn...@yebo.co.za> To: <obsnw@googlegroups.com> Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 2009 2:35 PM Subject: [obsnw] Re: "Left in the Lurch"
Only 9 cents, out of every Rates rand Obs pays to the council comes back to Obs in terms of services. I have asked several Politicos (including Tony Leon) what happens to the bulk of the money (ie is it accounted for: where does it go and what is it spent on? ) The most detailed response thus far has been " It goes into the Metro" I support the OID because the Rates/Services status quo continues and so does the decay of our (once) beautiful neighbourhood. Parts of Obs are sliding towards Slumhood in my opinion and the revenue provided by an Improvement District can go some way to arresting this situation. I rent rooms to students: one recently delivered a short lecture to me about the 'Gentrification of Observatory'. A rich boy, who is a transient here, and who will probably remember fondly how he ''roughed' it in Obs as a student' and might even return to give substance to nostalgia one day, misinterprets the intention of the OID, in my opinion. Obs is very unlikely to be gentrified by an Improvement District. Perhaps new suburbs like Plattekloof can afford to pour most of their rates into the Metro. But Obs is not a fledgling residential area. Unlike Plattekloof, Obs has a century and more of existence. Its ageing infrastructure probably requires 50c in the Rates rand, for several years, in order to arrest its deteriorating condition. This is not going to happen. Hence the need for the OID, Kris -----Original Message----- From: obsnw@googlegroups.com [mailto:ob...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of marion Sent: 14 April 2009 04:49 PM To: The Observatory Neighbourhood watch Subject: [obsnw] Re: "Left in the Lurch" Well, if I was going to vote for the ID, I certainly won't now! This political game-playing makes me so angry. Marion On Apr 13, 9:51 pm, Miss Marple <bevp...@gmail.com> wrote: > Thanks for enlightening us Brian - very helpful. I often don't read > the papers ecause.................well.............because of the > level of crime I deal with on a daily basis; never mind all the > horror found in newspapers so I would probably not have got around to > discovering the content of this letter. Nice of you to take this > trouble Brian - but Hey! that's what our boy's all about, huh.... > And..... > > Yip - I second all David says. The hypocracy of political parties is > maddening ! > > On Apr 13, 9:22 pm, Big Brian <gra...@iafrica.com> wrote: > > > It seems no-one reads newspapers anymore. Here it is, as published by > > the Cape Times, Monday, April 13 2009: > > Left in the lurch > > The letter on the Independent Democrats' "12-point plan to tackle > > crime" (April 9) sounds like the same electioneering we are hearing > > from the Democratic Alliance. I question what solid action the ID can > > and will take against crime. In Observatory, crime has been tackled by > > involving the community and starting an active neighbourhood watch > > which patrols 24/7 in close co-operation with the South African Police > > Service. There are even "guerilla gardeners" who clean up , plant and > > tend council areas. However, the big hope has been to start an > > improvement district and thus make the funds available to fight crime > > and clean up the district properly. For 15 months, volunteers have > > been slogging away at signing up residents and businesses and have > > obtained the over 50% resident and business agreement that Simon > > Grindrod, representing the council and ID, said was necessary. This > > process has suddenly been thrown into doubt by the ID. It now appears > > to be opposing approval of all improvement districts where the full > > 75% agreement is not obtained. For Observatory to do this would take a > > few more monthsand would mean that a complete year would be lost, with > > commencement only on July 1, 2010. The ID media representative stated > > that the basis for its opposition is that, as a pro-poor party, it > > would not support any matter that could possibly perpetuate the > > imbalances of the past. I find this political action difficult to > > understand. It is the less well-heeled who are particularly vulnerable > > to crime. Observatory is a mixed but cohesive suburb whose only > > additional way to fight crime and grime is a levy to pay for increased > > security and cleaning. Part of the improvement district budget will go > > to alleviating social problems and providing a "level 1" shelter to > > homeless people. Observatory works closely with Loaves and Fishes in > > feeding the homeless. Observatory's concern for the poor and the > > marginalised was reflected in the support given to refugees of > > xenophobic violence last year. (Observatory provided a level of > > support that according to Shade was unique in Cape Town). The > > increasing number of exploitative landlords charge maximum rentals > > regardless. The effect of not having a surcharge on rates is thus > > likely to benefit landlords rather than tenants. It seems strange for > > political parties, who are voted in on a simple majority, to act > > against the expressed wishes of a community as demonstrated by a > > simple majority in a democratic signing process. It is great to plan > > for long-term action to tackle the underlying causes of crime. > > However, I feel immediate action is needed. Grindrod, now with COPE, > > says that COPE will support Observatory with six councillors. It would > > be wonderful if all the politicians in the city would work together on > > constructive action to fight crime. > > David Raphael > > Observatory. > > End of quoted text. > > Please excuse any errors as I typed it from The Cape Times. Thanks to > > Independent Newspapers for publishing David's letter. > > Your comments are welcome. > > Brian Gray > > > On Apr 13, 7:59 pm, Trevor Hughes <tghug...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > On Mon, Apr 13, 2009 at 12:05 PM, David Raphael <draph...@iafrica.com> wrote: > > > > The Cape Times chose the above heading for my letter that they published > > > > today. > > > > Well David > > > > Don;t keep us all in suspense - what did you letter say? > > > > Trev __________ NOD32 2960 (20080319) Information __________ This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system. http://www.eset.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No virus found in this incoming message. 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