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December 11, 2012 By News Staff
Philadelphia has taken a page out of Boston's book by creating a new agency: the Mayor's Office of New Urban Mechanics.
The new agency -- which Mayor Michael Nutter launched Oct. 1 at the Code for America Summit -- is intended to serve as a hub of innovation that connects government with the public and initiate projects that solve civic problems.
On Dec. 10, Nutter signed an executive order formally creating the agency, which already has spawned several small projects, including Neighborhow, a website that aims to help citizens improve their communities. The website also features guides with such topics as “How to get free trees for your yard” or “Host a block part on your street,” as well as an area where users can submit ideas or suggestions as a way to start new local projects.
“Philadelphia is an innovation city with immense talent and a great start-up environment. It is the right blend of forward-thinking and entrepreneurial idealism to establish the Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics,” Nutter said in a press release. “New Urban Mechanics will have the flexibility to experiment, the ability to re-invent public-private partnerships and the strategic vision to create real change for Philadelphia. I am excited to establish the Office of New Urban Mechanics as a civic innovation tool for urban transformation.”
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[Littering and dumping breeds disease and pests while harming, even killing, humans, animals, natural landscapes]. Unfortunately, unlike Mayor Menino (Boston counterpart), Mr. Nutter's administration is failing at combating decades-old, long-standing, still-horrific environmental conditions--found frequently along 127 square miles of city-county streets, sidewalks, parks, waterways, major roadways. Philadelphia's the #6 "Dirtiest American City" (TRAVEL LEISURE); has the 2nd largest population of "age 16-25" profiled litterers for all major U.S. cities over 350,000 population. To be honest, Philly's got LOTS of work to do before even remotely meeting existing higher green standards, quality of life and "innovation" cultures of Boston.
Resolving problems as profound as Philadelphia's will require more than window-dressing. There are great possibilities that rely on shifting authority to neighborhoods, to create neighborhood-based green enterprise. My book "Green Jobs Philly" explains how 100,000 such jobs can be created. http://www.issuu.com/metroeco/docs/greenjobsphilly
I would like you to build a mall in southwest philly as big as the king of prussia mall in the northeast.contact the owner of the land at 1-800-409-5452 its located in southwest philly at 70th and elmwood. i think it would be a good idea for the community and its people because it would bring jobs and people to the area.it will help people in the community obtain jobs at the new mall. our community despertly need jobs. location is in southwest philadelphia between 70th 69th and elmwood. we need your help!please build a mall there.