Mardi Gras festivities will go ahead at New Orleans

[Sean in New Orleans]

I'm aware of everything that is going on in this city. And I know that I'm optimistic. But, I'm also aware of the challenges and the negatives. But, I'm the kind of person that focuses on the positives and builds on them. I have little time for the negatives. At this time, I'll view 30% occupancy in One Shell Square as something that is great, considering where we were and where we could be...it's just my style and it's shared with my friends in the Young Leadership Council of New Orleans, the Downtown Development District, The Chamber, and the Vieux Carre Commission. We are people that grasp the positive and leave the negative behind. It just works for us and we are a group that is determined to bring New Orleans back. We love everyone in New Orleans, but, at this time, we have little use for the negatives...they just don't do anything for us, our spirit, or our cause. We view this as one of the best opportunities presented to a major City in America, ever, and we fully intend on taking advantage of this opportunity and applying all opportunities to every corner of New Orleans. There are three options: 1.) Jump on the bandwagon, 2.) Stay and be depressed, or 3.) Leave New Orleans.

[CajunMama]

it wasn't just the poor that lost their homes...many middle class and wealthy people did too. They have to live somewhere also.

the wealthy and the middle class had CARS that made all the difference as far as survivors go

So what you are saying if you're wealthy and had a car, it was okay to lose your home?

[Lindaloo]

No Kathy, they had the means to get out and come back.

[Lindaloo]

I'm aware of everything that is going on in this city. And I know that I'm optimistic. But, I'm also aware of the challenges and the negatives. But, I'm the kind of person that focuses on the positives and builds on them. I have little time for the negatives. At this time, I'll view 30% occupancy in One Shell Square as something that is great, considering where we were and where we could be...it's just my style and it's shared with my friends in the Young Leadership Council of New Orleans, the Downtown Development District, The Chamber, and the Vieux Carre Commission. We are people that grasp the positive and leave the negative behind. It just works for us and we are a group that is determined to bring New Orleans back. We love everyone in New Orleans, but, at this time, we have little use for the negatives...they just don't do anything for us, our spirit, or our cause. We view this as one of the best opportunities presented to a major City in America, ever, and we fully intend on taking advantage of this opportunity and applying all opportunities to every corner of New Orleans. There are three options: 1.) Jump on the bandwagon, 2.) Stay and be depressed, or 3.) Leave New Orleans.

The last statement describes what the people in the Ninth Ward are feeling. Go visit outside of uptown.

I look around at my own town. I grew up here and everything I grew up with is GONE, including my childhood home as I knew it. There are alot of For Sale signs going up all over Pascagoula. I try to remain optimistic until I take a ride around town and see all there is to see, which is nothing.

I just do not see how we will ever be the same.

It is easy to sit back from afar and make statements that this or that will be back better and stronger. Come on down and see it for yourself. It just isn't going to happen anytime soon, just that simple!

[CajunMama]

No Kathy, they had the means to get out and come back.

But they may not have the $$ to do anything else. Just because you have a car doesn't mean you have $$ in the bank. At an evacuee function i volunteered at, i met a gentleman whose family did not own a car...they stuffed like 11 people into 2 compact cars with their neighbors and got out. They found a way to get out but since they got out does that mean they have the money to rebuild? NO...

The state of LA is broke, the city of NO is broke. All i'm saying is if an investor wants to come in a refurbish a highrise building into condos...let him. It will be income and taxes coming into the city and state. It will create jobs. If the condo's don't sell...that's the investors problem but at least it helped get the economy going again. And btw...wealthy people need a place to live also.

[Sean in New Orleans]

I feel for those in the Ninth Ward and I pray for them. It's very refreshing to hear that this part of town fully intends on rebuilding. Deep roots lie in the Ninth Ward and I hope it returns to what it was (without the crime). The Ninth Ward will have some issues to deal with as the Metro area and St. Bernard Parish are utilyzing this as an opportunity to upgrade East/West Corridors, including an interstate along Florida Blvd to Paris Road and further to behind Meraux...

[Lindaloo]

No Kathy, they had the means to get out and come back.

But they may not have the $$ to do anything else. Just because you have a car doesn't mean you have $$ in the bank. At an evacuee function i volunteered at, i met a gentleman whose family did not own a car...they stuffed like 11 people into 2 compact cars with their neighbors and got out. They found a way to get out but since they got out does that mean they have the money to rebuild? NO...

The state of LA is broke, the city of NO is broke. All i'm saying is if an investor wants to come in a refurbish a highrise building into condos...let him. It will be income and taxes coming into the city and state. It will create jobs. If the condo's don't sell...that's the investors problem but at least it helped get the economy going again. And btw...wealthy people need a place to live also.

They should convert that elaborate high rise building and rent it out to low income families. Bet that would go over like a lead balloon.

[cycloneye]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10243525/



When you read the above articule you can see that things in New Orleans are recuperating slowly with some pockets more recuperated than others.Cindy you are right about what you are saying about the city being in a slow phase to regain it's normal status.

[Ixolib]

Sean - Let's not confuse "negativism" with "realism". While the two terms can seem similar, they are light years apart in their meaning... My wife accuses me all the time of being "negative" when all I'm really being is "real".

History proves that a lot of "positive" efforts went awry because someone failed to add the appropriate level of realism into the mix...

[sunny]

Sean - Let's not confuse "negativism" with "realism". While the two terms can seem similar, they are light years apart in their meaning... My wife accuses me all the time of being "negative" when all I'm really being is "real".

History proves that a lot of "positive" efforts went awry because someone failed to add the appropriate level of realism into the mix...

Well said. And exactly right. I used to be the eternal "optimist". This entire situation has forced me to become a "realist". I am sure there are people here whose lives are pretty much rosy. That is not the case for a lot of us.

As far as the 30% occupancy at OSS, no, I do not this it's good enough. Especially when you consider the fact that my firm occupies 4 1/2 floors here. From what I'm told, we are just about the biggest game in town. In order for the REAL rebuilding to begin, businesses HAVE to come back. You bring the businesses back, you bring the people back. You bring the people back, the people spend money. The people spend money, the economy grows. Get where I'm going? But you can't bring people back when you do not having housing for them. Not to mention the fact that there are STILL parts of the city that are without electricity. It's like we are caught in a vicious circle.

Which also brings me back to my original point regarding security during Mardi Gras. Our new police chief is not concerned about recruiting at the moment because he feels his numbers are "sufficient to protect the DEPLETED population of New Orleans". Okay, that may be. But when you begin talking about the number of tourist we will have for Mardi Gras, many coming here "just because", what do you do then? How do you protect the tourist and the citizens now?

[CajunMama]

No Kathy, they had the means to get out and come back.

But they may not have the $$ to do anything else. Just because you have a car doesn't mean you have $$ in the bank. At an evacuee function i volunteered at, i met a gentleman whose family did not own a car...they stuffed like 11 people into 2 compact cars with their neighbors and got out. They found a way to get out but since they got out does that mean they have the money to rebuild? NO...

The state of LA is broke, the city of NO is broke. All i'm saying is if an investor wants to come in a refurbish a highrise building into condos...let him. It will be income and taxes coming into the city and state. It will create jobs. If the condo's don't sell...that's the investors problem but at least it helped get the economy going again. And btw...wealthy people need a place to live also.

They should convert that elaborate high rise building and rent it out to low income families. Bet that would go over like a lead balloon.

Let's be realistic here. If you had the means to convert a high rise building and being a business person....would you really rent it out to low income families? There's absolutely no way. Those in the business world out to make a profit (which is what the majority of businesses try to do) would never do it. How long before the high rise you spent billions on would be worthless because it was damaged beyond repair?

[Lindaloo]

Reality is that there is more to overcome than building a high rise. That is my point!

[CajunMama]

You need to get those with spendable income back in NO first. Those poor that are dependent upon our government for living won't get the economy moving. Those who can go in and spend money are. Get those people back in first and if their house was damaged, let them buy a new condo.

[Lindaloo]

So, by your thinking, they should allow only rich people back? I am having a hard time dealing with your last reply.

[CajunMama]

You need to get those with spendable income back first. You can't support an economy with those who spend very little money or are on a small fixed income. You also need the sales tax that those who can afford more in there to jump start the economy. You can get your city back on its feet faster with someone who for example pays 9% tax on $1000 rather than $100. I'm looking at it from an economical point of view, not an emotional point of view. I'd like all the evacuees to be able to live in NO again but as stated, it's going to take time but those with more spendable income will help the economy more.

[Lindaloo]

That is all well and good but how long do you think that is going to take? New Orleans has bigger problems than that, like the levee failures and flaws in the police department, etc. Life in New Orleans is more than Bourbon Street.

Your opinion IMO sounds a bit extreme. Hopefully I nor you will ever have to experience being cast aside just so an economy can make a "comeback" I have never in all my life had someone tell me something like that before.

[sunny]

I'm going to go ahead and put this out there.

The only thing that saved my apartment building from being destroyed were the two back buildings that WERE destroyed (there were a few complexes on the Westbank that had that same fate). My apartment manager called me to see if I was going to keep my apartment, because they were looking for places to put the families in those buildings. There are no places here, or if there are they are very few and well hidden.

NOW, suppose my building HAD been destroyed? I would be one of those people who are presently looking for permanent housing here. Because I do not have $300,000 to buy a condo, I should be left behind? Most of the people adversely affected by Katrina and the flood in New Orleans are ordinary working class people who do not have that kind of money. But we are also the kind of people the city needs to get up and running again. The support staff the professionals need in order to do their jobs and bring in money. We play as important part in the rebuilding of the city as any other.

[CajunMama]

If you don't have an economy you can't have a community. No spending, no stores, no people.

Linda, you want more poor people back in NO? You'll need more police patrol. You need more police patrol? You'll need more taxes. I never said anything about Bourbon St. in my posts...i'll look again but i know i didn't. You've got to have an economy to make a comeback. You can't start with zero, add people who are going to contribute zero and expect growth. 0 + 0 does not equal a postive number.

The evacuees from the NO area that are living here are now in brand new FEMA trailers and probably alot nicer than the the homes some of them had been living in in NO. They are so not cast aside and forgotten. You have no idea then what the towns and cities in LA are still doing for these people along with caring for those who lost everything south and west of me. Our communities have given and given and given without asking for anything in return. Our wallets, homes, schools and businesses are still open for those who want or need help.

[CajunMama]

I'm going to go ahead and put this out there.

The only thing that saved my apartment building from being destroyed were the two back buildings that WERE destroyed (there were a few complexes on the Westbank that had that same fate). My apartment manager called me to see if I was going to keep my apartment, because they were looking for places to put the families in those buildings. There are no places here, or if there are they are very few and well hidden.

NOW, suppose my building HAD been destroyed? I would be one of those people who are presently looking for permanent housing here. Because I do not have $300,000 to buy a condo, I should be left behind? Most of the people adversely affected by Katrina and the flood in New Orleans are ordinary working class people who do not have that kind of money. But we are also the kind of people the city needs to get up and running again. The support staff the professionals need in order to do their jobs and bring in money. We play as important part in the rebuilding of the city as any other.

Sunny, if you'd check my previous posts I wasn't just talking about the wealthy. Somehow "wealthy" was all that was seen and it all took off from there. I spoke of the middle class also but that was overlooked. All I was saying in the beginning is that refurbishing that highrise will bring jobs and more income into the city. A city that sorely needs their funds replenished.

[therock1811]

Look, I'm all for Mardi Gras rolling, because it will be seen as a return to the way things used to be. But, I don't think doing it in '06 is a good idea, because even though it will bring more income to that city, it will probably still be the same Mardi Gras that was seen on an episode of COPS one year. And you can't handle that with 342 fewer police.