If you want to consider strategies for "ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INVESTMENTS" in NEO; I believe that first you must protect the public at large from abusive practices that are unjust. You must create a trustworthy environment that is not about pay to play politics. NEO has countless people who have been denegrated and denied equal access to resources in order to develop ideas, businesses, and to participate democratically. It's a hush-hush truth that cannot be denied anymore. Once quality people who are not connected can invest without being used as a pawn for the objectives of public servants; then our community will grow exponentially and economic development will flourish.
I have to admit that I have found it difficult to optimize a community that has been entrenched in countless deviant schemes which violated the public at large for generations. I found it "freeing", if you will, to regurgitate the garbage of corruption that had been eaten for all too long here in NEO. While REALNEO may have had original concepts to inspire economic development to the outside world; the realities of mitigating the "TRUTH OF HISTORICAL UNJUST PRACTICES" became a flagrant concept that many citizens chose to illuminate. We found civic dialogue and a sense of safety here on REALNEO to speak the truth about the "UGLINESS" of the ongoing governmental and non government organizations that thrived off of using our citizens (quotas) as stepping stones to a dynamic slush fund of Foundations and Federal Funding schemes that were allegedly meant to spur more "economic development" in our region. Ultimately; it became a very sad history of friends of friends getting contracts, bid rigging, and much more over the last few generations.
As we progressed through it all; we learned, repetitively, that our yelps for disrupting corruption were nothing more than a joke with the spider webbed regime of corruption that has infiltrated almost every corner of our local government. Attempts to disrupt corruption were met with "interceptors" at almost every level of our government who covered each other's behinds through the "back scratching" process that kept corruption protected for so long. Meanwhile; the "WAG THE DOG" syndrome constantly got played out in scenario after scenario. Retaliation became a given and the power stroking public servants worked tirelessly to undermine the truth of their deviant actions which have hurt the public at large. Trial and Error became the way.
In 2009, I became a REALNEO member. At that period, our community was at the beginning stages of disrupting generations of corruption in our local government which had devastated the attitude of citizens at large. While many people remained steadfast in their beliefs that it was okay for politicians to scratch each others' backs for "favors"; countless other citizens had fallen victims to these con artists who manipulated our local government to levels of dishonor and national embarrassment.
Perhaps when I initially came here, I missed much ado about the origins of REALNEO and found friendship with many citizen activists who were diligently speaking out about wreckless, social injustices that were permeating our local region by enumerable public servants. The "ATTITUDE" which had enveloped our local population ran the spectrum from disenfranchised and disillusioned to disgusted and discouraged. As I walked from door to door I met with many defensively posture American Citizens who were fed up with being violated by their local "regime" of public officials.
My proud American Spirit which had faith in democracy, standing up for what is right, and fighting to protect the public at large was totally astounded by the citizens who were fighting mad about the way they felt that they were being neglected, used, and abused by the "system" in our area. I listened to story after story of citizens who had valid arguments as to why they were so apprehensive about anyone who worked for our local government. My hopeful and helpful spirit was challenged far beyond words during this door to door campaign.
The truth remains that despite getting a "NEW GOVERNMENT" structure at County Levels; our City & County Levels had been saturated with a "GOOD OLE BOY NETWORK" of "WHO YOU KNOW" and "PAY TO PLAY" politics which fundamentally devoured the "INNOCENT" and "NAIVE" people who had wanted to do legitimate business locally.
This saga is far from over, but some wish to pay to play and build lives based on the corruption of their deals. Perhaps it's about survival of the fittest and most connected by and through using the rest as "TOOLS".
It's intriguing to watch it all unfold. It's amazing to see lifelong citizens brushed off, business investors shunned, and real estate developers snagged in the spider webs of corruption. Transparency in our local government is something we pushed hard to achieve. It's unfolding SLOWLY and perhaps it will unfold to levels of fairness in our lifetime; or perhaps it won't. The truth of countless backroom deals that have raped the public's trust is something that cannot be hidden anymore. Prayerfully; more and more truths will come to light until the players in the scandals and their thriving families learn that their ways are not acceptable.
In the interim, changing that "ATTITUDE" which believes it is okay to abuse citizens at any level by and through public service is a goal that will take generations to achieve. Creating a safe and sustainable public environment where honest and humble citizens can speak the truth is priceless. Using those citizens as a "quota" is by far the hugest disservice I have ever seen in my life. It disempowers them and destroys any motivation to grow, invest, and participate. If you want to inspire a proactive population; you must protect their rights.
Currently; we are caught in a transforming time in history. We are caught between the historical strategies of development through disempowerment and the reality of motivating the public at large to take back their communities by holding the public servants accountable relentlessly. Prayerfully, some of the citizens still have enough faith to take risks in our local region and invest in their communities.
For now, I see the truth as being a positive part of the process which needed to see the light of day. While much of that truth may dissuade others from participating; the reality should be a great reason for countless organizations locally to revamp their practices. It's time for gut wrenching change that protects our public at large.
Countless folks have thrived through corruption while smirking at the people they stepped on to get where they are in this game though and they should be held accountable. Our sense of security as Americans seems to have been terrorized by local public servants for several generations and we are beginning to restore the public's opinion of our community one day at a time...but recovery is never easy; just ask any one of the people who are recovering addicts locally. We all know someone in that phase of life. It's never an easy process to heal the wounds. Moreover, the scars remain for the duration.
I'll try to find inspiration in new development in our region. Yet, I pray that as I do so-that the players realize that our citizens are intolerant to corrupt practices. I pray that our local government streamlines unnecessary government wasteful spending and redundant services. I pray that the public servants quit milking the cows and respect and appreciate that they work for our citizens and that they are not protected by corruption anymore. I'll pray that pay to play practices get disrupted at every corner and that our people get more proactive by the day.
Yet, without a sense of community; you continue to isolate and discourage folks from fighting for their rights. That's simply contemptuous. So, I will also pray that the powers that be sustain a public forum such as REALNEO which empowers citizens to share at will their perspectives on these considerations as the watchdogs of their own tax dollars without fear of retaliation.
REALNEO became a community for sharing at countless levels. I believe that it's origins to inspire economic development got REAL along the way and that really disrupted the hearty goals of the forum originators. Prayerfully, once the original concepts are brought to a concise understanding for all participants; then many more will come to that understanding. So, I pray that the concepts can be merged and respected by all members in the future.
Have a blessed day!
All the best to everyone!
Links:
[1] http://realneo.us/open-source-economic-development-as-realneo-framework