sorry for taking so long to respond
#1) Do you think you are fairly taxed, given the services available to you and your neighbors?
The short answer is no. I've only lived back in Boston about 4 year. I do see things getting better but there a much more that has to be done. One example is that my police district spends the bulk of it's effort in Lower Roxbury but I'm sure most of the taxes paid are from the rest of division 4, the South End.
#2) Do you feel Mayor Menino and other elected officials address all of the issues you care about in your community? If not, what can they do better?
There still many issues to be resolved but I have seen a big change in the past few years.
Trash is a big issue in my neighborhood and they need to go after the trash pickers. One woman slices open the bag then turns them upside down so that no one can see what she did. The trash men pick up the bag and every thing falls out. The firm the city hired in my area does not pick up lose trash. The city needs to make them clean up lose trash or find a new firm that will. Same with cardboard this firm won't take it. It may be time for the South End to organize a south end wide group to be more powerful. Right now it's about a dozen different groups. There is now a south end business group and hopefully they will step up to the plate too.
One of the other big issue is the medical center both it's workers and patients. It not uncommon to see their employees litter my neighborhood on the way to work. We also have a big problem with their patients, one of our alleys is filled with needles and human excrement. I find the hospital to be very indifferent. I would like to see the city stand up the the hospital. As you may have seen Beacon Hill had a big say in the Suffolk ten year master plan. The hospital called my neighborhood group on Monday to say they want to present their plan at our meeting on Tuesday, no input just here it is. We should be able to give input just as ever other section of the city does.
On the other had I watch 'House Hunter's Interational' on hgtv and I'm shocked at how much graffitti there is in other countries. It's not a big problem in Boston and that's because Boston cleans it up as quickly as it's reported.
#3) Do you feel safe at night in your community?
I feel very safe, but I also I know how to be safe. I avoid certain streets and that varies by time of day. I would never go though Cathedral and Villa Victoria i would only go though only during the day and never alone. West Newton between Shawmut and Tremont is always a no alone and never at night. Before I moved to where I'm living now I thought about what streets could I use get home at night alone from downtown or the back bay and I realize that there are few and maybe none that I would use at say 1 am. I lived in the St Botolph neighborhood from 77-85 and thought that are was much safer at night, even when it was a red light district.
#4) Are you a parent? How many people live in your household?
no children 2 adults
#5) How would you rate the quality of the public schools in your district?
terrible
#6) Are you concerned about the quality of police and fire safety, education, and medical care in the South End today? How do you think you'll feel about it five to ten years from now?
On most those things I think things are pretty good and will be getting substantial better. The city has been actually doing things to improve and I think the residents are more active. There is a new initiative with the DPW and I think it will produce real results.
My limited dealing with the police, fire and code enforcement have all be successful. When I lived in Boston 24 years go if someone had been robbed the police officer who showed up told the victim to move out off the city. I've heard this myself and had neighbors tell me the same.
I was almost slashed by a wino with a butcher knife where the BCA is now and a saw a police man getting out of his car in the police parking lot next door. I told him what happened and that the person was still there, about 30 feet away. He told me he wasn't on duty and to go into division 4 headquarters across the street. I went in they gave gave me a bunch of papers to fill out so I said forget it I'm late for work already and left.
Recently I heard some people in my downstairs neighbor's apartment about 10 pm on a Sunday night. I knew they were away for the week so I called, no answer, rang the bell and still no answer, so I called the police and they came right away and knocked on the door repeatedly and still no answer. I watched the back door. The officer then loudly demanded they open the door at which point they did and it turned out to be the cleaning people. He was very polite and agreed we did the right thing, didn't even tell us to move out of the city.
I really can't say about medical.
I have a very low opinion of Boston Public Schools. Things will probably get better but busing complicates everything
#7) What ethnicity do you most closely identify with? About how old are you (30's, 40's, etc.)?
white 55
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If you have any questions let me know or if you want details on some of the efforts I've seen the city making. I absolute feel that if a city is going to work both the residents and the city have to work very very hard to make it happen.
Apparently my partner & I will be meeting with an Emerson student this weekend who is writing a report on trash in the South End for the JSONS news website.
