Arcadia Class Structure

The loss of industries was one of the reasons for the decline of the city. Therefore, the city in conjunction with the federal government must work on serious strategies and tactics to bring back industries that were lost in the 1970s. This of course would mean giving out incentives to the corporations and certain tax reliefs and so forth. That initiative alone would solve the city’s major economic issues because it would provide jobs to low-skilled workers as well as the blue collar workers because that those are the groups that are

Compared to California’s education demographics, San Leandro has a higher percentage of high school graduate, but a lower percentage of higher educational attainment compared to the entire nation (bachelor’s degree or higher). Using Thompson and Hickey’s model for social class in the United States (2005), my family would be considered working class. This is defined as “clerical, pink and blue collar workers with often low job security; common household incomes range from $16,000 to $30,000 [and] high school education” (Thompson et al., 2005). My mother currently works as a part-time waitress and is going to community college to receive an associate’s degree in accounting. My father has been working as a full-time cook at a Chinese restaurant in Oakland Chinatown for about 25 years. His highest level of educational attainment is high school. These racial and social class demographics are important in understanding my social location.

Despite the debates about social class, the United States is usually described as having four major social classes, the elite or upperclass, the middle class, the working class, and the lower class (Goldscmidt). Classes are generally differentiated by income, education, and occupation although other factors do have an effect. The upperclass consists of about 1% of the population making 750,000 dollars or more a year as investors, top executives, or heirs to large fortunes (Hughes and Jenkins). There tends to be no question about who is in the upperclass as they are pretty clearly isolated in their power and wealth. The middle class makes up about 40% of the population making anywhere from 40,000 to 749,999 dollars a year (Hughes and Jenkins). The large disparity in income and wealth have led to a further division of this class into upper-middle class and middle class in some circles. The middle class usually work white collar jobs as professionals and managers, however some highly skilled blue collar workers are included. Those in the middle class have usually obtained higher education degrees and place a high value on individual responsibility for one’s class (Goldschmidt). The working class is composed of about 50% of the population earning 13,000 to 39,000 dollars a year (Hughes and Jenkins). Some also divide this class into a working class and a

Identifying economic class goes beyond determining how much money a person makes; it is also defined by where a person lives. The lowest people on the economic scale are assumed to live in central cities; the middle-low income people live in the inner-ring suburbs, and the wealthiest live in the exclusive outer-ring suburbs. The authors point out that as one moves outward from the central city to the inner-ring to outer-ring suburbs incomes rise

If the Barasi Village’s controversy is resolved and the project ultimately proceeds, its success will somehow reflect public acceptance of mixed-use development in Corpus Christi. This positive sign might relatively pave the path for the implementation of Plan CC. According to the news article, the opponents of the Barisi Village project are mainly the residents from adjacent neighborhoods, who value green space, separation, and sparsity. They also fear the possibility of unsuccessful outcomes, environmental and traffic impact, or even the threat of privacy abuses. In contrast, the project is simultaneously supported by other nearby residents, who hope for an increase in their property values. In addition to that, the plan is encouraged by Pharaoh Valley Neighborhood Association and the City Council. In my perspective, young adults - who tend to favor metropolitan lifestyles, might also positively embrace the plan. Small-business owners might also bolster the project for it offers them financial

Many hours of intensive effort have gone into the development of this plan, but the work is not finished. The district will continue to monitor and adjust this plan according to the changing needs of our school and community to ensure

When I moved to this area, we looked to live in a “better neighborhood” not only because we felt safer, but we also wanted to ensure my daughter received the best education opportunities. While it is challenging to make changes and ensure we are benefitting all students, I feel this is a larger part of why I am currently getting my degree in this field; so that I can be a voice of change and seek out ways to benefit all students to reach their full potential.

A comprehensive plan, as stated by Lafayette officials, is “a Comprehensive Plan is a long-range plan or “guidebook” for a community’s growth, development and redevelopment. It is a vision for the future that plans for a twenty year time period, based on local conditions, values, and aspirations” (Comprehensive Plan). The planning, zoning, and development is a system of their government responsible for: Purchasing or developing property, Undertaking construction projects (permitting, inspections), Condemning Unsafe Structures, and Opening or relocating businesses (Comprehensive Plan). Lafayette officials are working to annex additional land to its parish to free up congestion. Another problem that city officials are trying to cure is that their school systems have fallen behind and have an increasing student to teacher ratio. Lafayette schools have become congested and have over thirty kids per classroom. It is much harder to learn and get one on one time with a teacher given such high numbers. School officials are working to rezone and add schools to the district. Stated by Lafayette Parish School System officials, as the “community grows and progresses it is important that all stakeholders assist in creating a quality school system that offers every child equitable opportunities and an excellent education” (LAFAYETTE Public Schools).

As a junior, I enrolled in an AP Language course. Going into the course I was aware of the research paper I would have to write at the end of the year. As a junior in high school, a six page research paper was nowhere near a simple task. Being that my public high school was new to the AP system, the teachers were learning as well as the students; enforcing students to work twice as hard outside of the classroom.

McVey believes the city’s main concerns should be getting its financial health back, organizing its management and prioritising the economy. “We cannot put more police officers on the street, we cannot fix the potholes and the infrastructure, and fix other problems without revenue.”

The growth of the County is detailed through several planning elements: demographics, population needs, housing, economic development, environment, community character, parks and recreation, public facilities, transportation, land use. Many goals include, a focus to establish a sustainable long-term supply of water systems, an improvement of infrastructure, facilities, and simultaneously modernize with technological systems. Other initiatives include the establishment of mixed-use development, and several land-use surveys for future schools road projects. The economic development goal is to expand and diversify the economy by making the County more business-friendly. Another goal is the concern for the overall aesthetics of the County such as tree standards, open space development, and redevelopment of underutilized property. Other population needs include the modernization of public services including parks, sport complexes, but also services to the elderly, disabled, and low income citizens (James City County,

Of this group, about 1/3rd belongs to the upper-middle class. The annual income of person belonging to this group is $70-$75,000. The jobs that the typical upper-middle class person holds would have a prestige rating of 65 or higher. 2/3rd?s of the middle-class population is the lower-middle class. White-collared individuals make up the majority of this class, earning anywhere from $30,000 to $60,000 a year. Lower-middle class Americans have a set standard of priorities. They take pride in the fact that they are financially stable, and promote hard work, and press on education. Without education, the members feel that they would not be where they are economically, and preach the importance to their children so that they, too, can live a lifestyle very similar to that of theirs (Norton).

While the plan appears to be thorough and complete, this very characteristic may also prove to be a weakness. As sustainable technologies and even planning methodologies improve, a plan as cohesive as the current Portland Plan may leave little breathing room to accommodate the integration of future improvements without large investments and comprehensive re-planning. In addition, plans as comprehensive as this one is tend to leave less room for the creative expression, which adds diversity and charm to the cities neighborhoods. In terms of raw efficiency, the choice to make this plan a joint effort between the city government and the citizens themselves, though a noble cause, can cause each step to take much longer, and even the delay of the project in its entirety due to the volatility of entire populations. One final risk of the plan, is the risk associated with time. As any program needs money to continue on, people must continue to vote for the Portland Plan’s various programs over the years in order for them to maintain funding, so that they may continue bringing about the sustainable Portland as exists within the plan. The plan is to take place over 25-years, over the course of which any number of variables may change. The issue is things may change over the course of those 25-years, that could cause people to lose support for the plans various programs. Likewise, over

our city. My proposal is to offer new development in a vigilant and financially responsible

Perhaps the most definitive example of New Urbanism has been DPZ's project, Kentlands, a 352-acre community in Gaithersburg, Maryland begun in 1990. An oasis of good planning in a sea of suburbia, it is not only a model of Traditional Neighborhood Design (TND) but also the predecessor to many other such neighborhoods developed within CSD areas. In Kentlands, much like Seaside, the Citizens' Assembly runs a recreation center and provides for common maintenance of public areas. Civic buildings and shopping in mixed-use buildings are within walking distance of the development's six architecturally distinct neighborhoods. This compact design reduces auto traffic significantly, allows children to go about their daily business without requiring a mother chauffeur and puts workplaces near their employees.5