Comments on: Donation boosts Web site and city staff, not citizen-participation efforts http://thelensnola.org/2010/02/23/donation-boosts-city-hall-staff-not-citizen-participation/ Investigative Journalism from New Orleans and the Gulf Coast States Wed, 16 May 2012 20:21:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Tom http://thelensnola.org/2010/02/23/donation-boosts-city-hall-staff-not-citizen-participation/comment-page-1/#comment-568 Tom Sat, 17 Apr 2010 01:24:03 +0000 http://thelensnola.org/?p=3939#comment-568 It is entirely understandable that the city government would waste funds meant to foster civic involvement, considering this ultimately would put pressure on them from below that they, being bought and paid for by moneyed interests, would be unable to control. Meaningful civic engagement will take more than a half million dollar grant, it will take the radical democratization of city life. The NPN ought to run its own candidates for city council and organize petition drives on the basis of a platform to amend the city charter to increase direct democratic participation. For example, we could replace the current mayor-city council setup with a representative town meeting structure, which is common in rural New England towns. Even if such initiatives fail at first, they could still be important steps in building a direct-democratic consciousness within city residents. It is entirely understandable that the city government would waste funds meant to foster civic involvement, considering this ultimately would put pressure on them from below that they, being bought and paid for by moneyed interests, would be unable to control. Meaningful civic engagement will take more than a half million dollar grant, it will take the radical democratization of city life. The NPN ought to run its own candidates for city council and organize petition drives on the basis of a platform to amend the city charter to increase direct democratic participation. For example, we could replace the current mayor-city council setup with a representative town meeting structure, which is common in rural New England towns. Even if such initiatives fail at first, they could still be important steps in building a direct-democratic consciousness within city residents.

]]> By: Billy Brown http://thelensnola.org/2010/02/23/donation-boosts-city-hall-staff-not-citizen-participation/comment-page-1/#comment-457 Billy Brown Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:15:49 +0000 http://thelensnola.org/?p=3939#comment-457 Maryland and New Orleans (look in the bottom left of their site). They started <a href="http://www.dirtycoast.com" rel="nofollow">dirtycoast</a> and <a href="http://nola.humidbeings.com/" rel="nofollow">humidbeings</a> - 2 well known local websites. The guy who owns it also has a <a href="http://thecanarygallery.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">gallery on Julia</a>. Maryland and New Orleans (look in the bottom left of their site). They started dirtycoast and humidbeings – 2 well known local websites. The guy who owns it also has a gallery on Julia.

]]> By: Sam http://thelensnola.org/2010/02/23/donation-boosts-city-hall-staff-not-citizen-participation/comment-page-1/#comment-454 Sam Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:18:01 +0000 http://thelensnola.org/?p=3939#comment-454 Canary Collective, hmmmmmm.......they are located in Maryland, right? Canary Collective, hmmmmmm…….they are located in Maryland, right?

]]> By: Billy Brown http://thelensnola.org/2010/02/23/donation-boosts-city-hall-staff-not-citizen-participation/comment-page-1/#comment-426 Billy Brown Fri, 26 Feb 2010 17:17:48 +0000 http://thelensnola.org/?p=3939#comment-426 Especially when there are tons of local web designers/programmers like the Canary Collective ~ http://thecanarycollective.com/ ~ And why no social media? If your gonna spend $145,000 at least get an intern to run your social media to actually get people involved. The point is to foster involvement right? Seems like a no brainer. Especially when there are tons of local web designers/programmers like the Canary Collective ~ http://thecanarycollective.com/ ~ And why no social media? If your gonna spend $145,000 at least get an intern to run your social media to actually get people involved. The point is to foster involvement right? Seems like a no brainer.

]]> By: uberVU - social comments http://thelensnola.org/2010/02/23/donation-boosts-city-hall-staff-not-citizen-participation/comment-page-1/#comment-418 uberVU - social comments Thu, 25 Feb 2010 14:30:14 +0000 http://thelensnola.org/?p=3939#comment-418 <strong>Social comments and analytics for this post...</strong> This post was mentioned on Twitter by kareng: Yet another web site :http://bit.ly/axlJWN... Social comments and analytics for this post…

This post was mentioned on Twitter by kareng: Yet another web site :http://bit.ly/axlJWN…

]]> By: Zé daLuz http://thelensnola.org/2010/02/23/donation-boosts-city-hall-staff-not-citizen-participation/comment-page-1/#comment-413 Zé daLuz Wed, 24 Feb 2010 02:06:43 +0000 http://thelensnola.org/?p=3939#comment-413 It is pitiful how much money is wasted on bloated website "development" which usually involves bureaucrats outsourcing to India and pocketing the change.... NPN is a great organization which has done much to try to improve neighborhoods' involvement in politics and build citywide grassroots momentum... it follows that our city would completely shut them out of that arena. It is pitiful how much money is wasted on bloated website “development” which usually involves bureaucrats outsourcing to India and pocketing the change…. NPN is a great organization which has done much to try to improve neighborhoods’ involvement in politics and build citywide grassroots momentum… it follows that our city would completely shut them out of that arena.

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