Editor’s Notebook — Federal Urban Policy

Historical February 1994 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.

On January 13th, Professor John Mollenkopf of the City University of New York Graduate Center spoke to the Urban Forum at the Missouri Historical Society Library and Collections Center. Mollenkopf has written a great deal about federal programs to designed to aid cities.

He spoke of the great difficulty in funding urban programs now because the votes are in the suburbs and legislators are reluctant to back programs aiding central cities.

He offered a solution which is worthy of some consideration: grants to fund programs in both central city areas and contiguous suburbs. Congress has always been responsive to a “what’s in it for my district” approach.

It could also foster increased feelings of togetherness which are often absent today. Further, Mollenkopf proposed greater activism on the part of community-based organizations; in other words, he favored a joint regional and neighborhood approach.

We may hear these ideas again because he has been asked to help draft the Clinton urban policy.

The size of the deficit alone should necessitate lowered expectations but Mollenkopfs approach was novel and it engendered a little hope at least in this listener.

The Times still needs writers.

If you would like to help, give me a call.

The Board and I would also love to see you at our chili-trivia event on Feb. 26. Come and give us a hand while having an enjoyable evening.

Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, February 1994.

Read this article in the original newspaper issue.

Original source: SD_Times1994_02.pdf, printed page(s) 2; PDF page(s) 2.