At Church Today a full 30% was unable to give 30% unable to even give a token amount.
On my way walking home I saw house after house for sale a few empty buildings lots of men sitting around drinking, a quick few questions got me the answers that many of them have no jobs and some for years.
Walked around Doge St talked to a few standing by Ships when asked told me they had no plans to do any boating “Who has %^$^! Money?” Good question who does?
City of Racine is still #1 in unemployment (Go us!) most of the folks I know who have jobs do not work in Racine Kids in the West 6th st area few have jobs some sadly stand on the corners helping folks find radio stations why else who they lean into cars for?
Thinking in the last week I talked to a couple looking into how to walk away from a home they bought last year, they cant afford the taxes as they are projected to increase and their child is one of only 5 English speakers did not like the Bedbugs or the Lice the kid brought home. Truly sad truly painful
The book above is a great read if you have not read it yet do so, tells an interesting story about the fall of Nazi Germany
what I found most interesting is how others around Hitler knew the war was lost others continued to believe that everything was going to be great and that the Germans were going to win somehow.
Sadly if you said anything that might suggest that the war was lost or had any ANY part of you that did not believe 100% in Hitler you could as was the case for many killed.
Today’s post started after talking to a Reporter outside of Racine and a Racine elected official who asked the same question “Why do I care about keeping track of the Fall of Racine as it was put.
Easy the History needs to be know what happened who do I think it was and what did they do or not do to lead Racine to ruins.
and as History goes
“The most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history.”
― George Orwell
“Study the past if you would define the future.”
― Confucius
“That men do not learn very much from the lessons of history is the most important of all the lessons that history has to teach.”
― Aldous Huxley, Collected Essays
“The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.”
― Winston Churchill
See at some point in time someone may want to know why what was a great City (Racine) in 1910 by 1990 had major issues and by say 2025 like other cities had to declare Bankruptcy.
Why did folks start to leave Racine in large numbers,why did elected leaders still spend millions on a small area of Racine (Downtown) and leave much of the rest fall apart.
I know Documents from the ongoing RICO case will help but so will blogs like this one and others
In the mean time nothing to worry about in Racine the streets are Gold!
Between Rain storms in the last few days, I have been driving around with others the City of Racine.
We had noticed something and wanted to look into the idea more
The City of Racine has indeed is becoming more and more Hispanic. Sure has in my area what started out being mostly Black has now become mostly Hispanic.
Let me say that again in an area that in the year 2000 was mostly African American is now 2014 mostly Hispanic! (and more are coming)
More and more businesses opening or starting underground (Day Care Cars being fixed in small garages)
Hard working right wing Catholic Hispanic. Interesting to say the least why?
Well one they as they are in need of more services from the City from basic health care to ESL classes in the Public Schools to Gateway
Services they are not getting the poorest some not having Cars need basic Bus service a Bus Service that Racine IMHO no longer has to offer. or cares to.
From talking to others I am told that the Hispanic Businesses on lower Douglas are harassed by the White owned business on upper Douglass.
Talking to the Hispanic Business owners I get blank looks when I ask them if they ever have met their Alderman
Hero of the Hispanic Community of Racine?
Now what do you think the City needs more ESL so good folks can get jobs or Machinery Row that will IMHO only enrich a few in the Downtown area a place I hear all the time dislikes ANY Hispanics in unless its to clean or landscape.
A strong Health Department ready and able to help our growing Hispanic Community or looking the other way when Alderman have questions about who is making $$ from State Grants?
Of course our Leadership Discount our Hispanic Population since they see them as well worker slaves only good for slave type jobs.
Sadly for the Good Old Boys in Racine of both Parties after living together knowing them as I do they will be the driving force economically as more of the 2nd Generation grows up and should they stay in a City (Racine) that they speak of as a pit of filth, may sooner then the White Good Old Boys find themselves well not in charge
Now in my time in Racine I have served as Co Vice President of the Tri-County Hispanic Chamber of Commence/Hispanic Chamber of Racine
Severed on Former Senator Russ Feingold Hispanic Affairs Group
Active in Hispanic circles at the grassroots
and have contacts all over Mexico to Argentina in fact created for CAR 25 Spanish Programing.
As we know, both the Nation and City face horrific debit issues. I believe the USA is 15 Trillion in debit and the City of Racine 200 Million and more debit coming for both.
We hear all the time about how debit is bad for this Nation/City. Both sides of the isle agree that Debit as we had more issues from massive debit are harder to deal with.
For example the City of Racine was downgraded may be downgraded again causing the public to pay more for the City’s spending spree.
Many leaders in the GOP have called for smaller Goverment and cuts in spending Paul Ryan and Sen Johnson from Wisconsin being just two of the many in D.C. doing so.
Our Local Tea Party folks have been very much talking in the past about lowering taxes
But then when it comes to Downtown Racine its Kate bar the door
Now Ladwig wants to spend $$ on Machinery Row
With an est 65 Million cost and no idea about of developer cash how much will come from the County? 10% 25% 50%? More?
The county is already spending money in the Reef Point Marina and giving away free rent to attract and keep business at Reef Point.
How much more will the county spend on Belle Harbor to ready that for more “Development”
Of course I would expect the local tea party to be raising hell about this nothing I have seen.
Why where is the outrage on this perhaps huge spending increase that only benefits a very few in Racine mostly in the say few blocks of Downtown Racine?
I would hope that the Citizens for Responsible Government of Racine who’s stated mission is We, the Citizens for Responsible Government of Racine was created Jan 2010. Our Watchdog mission is to hold local Racine City, County, and RUSD elected officials accountable. Primarily: Balance the Budget. No new Taxes, Fines or Fees. No new regulations. crgofracine@tds.net
Wait the City of Racine under John Dickert I am sure via a T.I.F will spend a bunch of cash and what else? Loan Guarantees? Outright Loans?
God only knows what the County will do how much our County Executive will kick in.
For this project that helps few in Racine and no one as I see it West of I-94
So why is our local GOP/Tea Party so quiet?
Well this might be the Answer in part
Kinda of hard to bitch when the GOP is marching lock step with the Tax loving Democrats one parties with pals, as seen above.
How long will we be looted to help an area of Racine that IMHO simply be left to blow away in the wind, for after years and millions spent on this area we still see empty store fronts little foot traffic and other then when its party city USA, the few Cars you see driving to find the fastest ways out of town.
Mind you this will be an interesting post, for unless it is way over the top or information others are not talking about I going to keep my posting to my Blog on the Root River and what I see as the huge scam called RootWorks, Boy is it!
This in many way last post here in so I thought I should say why.
Easy I got Called last night to do something far better that being Urban Agriculture and that call came from God. Do not know about you but when God calls I pay attention. Something perhaps Our Mayor may wish to do so should his pals. I however digress
Far better writers then I like Racine Exposed do a great job and give in detail what is going on in the City. I just rant not that there is anything wrong in that, to rant about the wrongs I see going on in this Pit of Doom but I can have a greater better impact by working in Urban Ag. I will let others call out Mayor Dickert on what I will say IMHO are crimes on the folk of Racine.
By the way God has heard the cries of the poor, the Homeless, the Widows, God, Himself has seen the Looting the Pillaging and what I see as the Raping of The City for Mayor Dickert’s Benefit and that of his pals.
Again IMHO I think God is pissed off and will be doing something about this and right soon. I am not Judging guilt in God’s eyes I trust God to be with us to guard us and protect us even if it means and it might that the best way to do that (Protect us) is have us get the Hell out of Racine.
It might mean that elected officials may have to say no more and resign vs go along with the program perhaps call the Lawyers suing the Mayor under Rico and start saying what they know, I can not tell you that is between them and God.
I can say this I strongly feel that very soon God will be paying a visit to Racine and will crumble to dust the haughty, them who take from the Homeless, the Poor, them who have little so the Good Old Boys can have more.
I myself Forgive Mayor Dickert for any harm he has done me and hope Our Mayor changes his ways before it is too late
I also feel that Rootworks will not happen and it will end most spectacularly drawing into it many who have joined the Mayor in his games and plundering.
To be clear I will be writing on the Root River and Rootworks on the Root River Blog and what freelance gigs I can find just not very much here.
Do not post here much as you know but thought this observation should be
This last week I have talked to three City Employees from two departments who said the same thing that they no longer trust there supervisors to tell them the truth. Huh?
Gets better I have talked to elected officials who tell me that they (Elected officials) have been knowing lied to. Huh?
Now its one thing to be wrong in what you say if you think at the time that is the right information. Anyone can and do make mistakes. We all have done so. We all fall short of the Glory of God. No issue with that.
I know when I do I make it right and say sorry for the misinformation ever Newspapers like the New York Times has done that, again it happens.
In what I am saying here its not that but far far worse that for City Workers to come to think that they can not (as some have told me) they can not trust Supervisors to tell the truth or Elected officials trust City Staff of the City of Racine to tell the truth when they have questions can only as I see it come from one man that allows this to go on if not encourage the behavior
Mayor John Dickert of Racine.
I would hope that if Our Mayor thought that Staff was not telling the truth they would be punished if not fired. I would hope that officials would have told him by now that they have been lied to and by who over what. Perhaps not.
I also would hope that if City workers were being mislead that this fact be brought to the chain of command and dealt with by our Mayor, or I would hope so.
Are we living in a city that misleading the Public, our elected officials, and other City Employes is now the norm and should be expected?
Should Developers that come to town expect to be lied to? That will help bring them here right?
So Then were we lied to about:
Porter’s
Delta Hawk
Are we being lied to about Rootworks?
And our leaders wonder why we do not trust them do you?
Racine in Ruins a Muckrakers Dream 