Our View: City gets high marks - Opinion - DailyTidings.com - Ashland, OR

Ashland Daily Tidings (Ashland, OR — Wayback)

2015-01-28

Document text

0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation  |  Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Students send heartfelt message to missing Ashland girl End-of-month sale set at Ashland library Rose Circle volunteers help mentor children 10 things to know for Tuesday Mt. Ashland Ski Area looks for ways to diversify Education A connection between Charlie Hebdo, MLK and the classroom Crunching the numbers Chickenpox in rear-view mirror? Ashland schools expand chicken pox exclusion rules Students go behind the scenes at hospital Environment Grant will help restore 'legacy' oak habitat in Southern Oregon and Northern California Mt. Ashland Ski Area crew dips to five Mt. Ashland Ski Area announces layoffs The top five conservation success of 2014 Protestors want Keystone pipeline plans stopped Business Ride & Drive: 2015 Audi Q5 Silvio Calabi: Chrysler 200S — hey, who is that? Ashland Fiber Network wants to be able to keep trade secrets The heart of Brammo will remain Silvio Calabi: Ford Escape Still a Solid Player Politics and elections Ashland Fiber Network wants to be able to keep trade secrets Volunteer award, State of City address presentations Tuesday City's policy, efforts aim for diversity, but numbers show shortfall Kent Bush: The keys to decoding the State of the Union address Chief Holderness retiring, wants to help find successor State News State records show number of big marijuana farms has increased New wandering wolf arrives in Southern Oregon Nation - World Obituaries May E. Harrison James Bernard Death Notices Death Notices James Bernard Shareable Looking back: Do you remember 2014’s biggest stories? In memoriam: 2014’s notable deaths Sports Latest Stories Sacks, Gooding claim Century title Sacks, Gooding claim Century Tourney title Ashland girls remain winless in MWL Fourteen Raiders earn CCC academic honors Four Raiders up for SOSC honors High school Ashland girls remain winless in MWL Springfield takes advantage of Ashland letdown A Grizz sweep Comets press past Grizzlies Raiders put on a show Southern Oregon University Ashland girls remain winless in MWL Fourteen Raiders earn CCC academic honors Four Raiders up for SOSC honors Springfield takes advantage of Ashland letdown Mariota wins Manning award Opinion Latest Stories Our View: Whole lotta shakin' ... Letters to the Editor, Jan. 27 Other Views: Managing wild horses Letters to the Editor, Jan. 26 Chris Honoré: Modern media: the unreliable narrator Editorial Our View: Whole lotta shakin' ... Other Views: Managing wild horses Our View: Adjusting the lines Our View: City gets high marks Our View: King's other message Letters Letters to the Editor, Jan. 27 Letters to the Editor, Jan. 26 Letters to the Editor, Jan. 23 Letters to the Editor, Jan. 22 Letters to the Editor, Jan. 21 Guest opinions Chris Honoré: Modern media: the unreliable narrator Guest Opinion: The relevance of socialism in the U.S. Herb Rothschild Jr.: Support single-payer Guest Opinion: We're Oregonians, but we're not stupid Chris Honoré: The Lewis Glacier on Mount Kenya — an elegy Revels Latest Stories Listings for Varsity Theatre and Ashland Street Cinemas Brian Freeman presents 'An Evening of Scottish Music' Best Bets: Jan. 22-29 Ballyhoo! brings reggae and rock to Brickroom 'Sniper' reveals the total cost of war Theater Roy Orbison tribute hits high note Insights into the gifts theater offers off the stage Theater is an act of co-creation Music The Farr Side: Trainor building a music niche A laid-back chat with Marilyn Manson Roy Orbison tribute hits high note Jeff Kloetzel at Belle Fiore The Farr Side: Top 10 album count-up for 2014 Visual Art Schneider winter exhibits on tap: 'Baker's Dozen' and 'New Works' First Friday kicks off a new year Movies Movie review: ‘Mortdecai’ majorly misses the mark Movie review: Aniston’s performance is the icing on ‘Cake’ Movie review: ‘Cake’ showcases Jennifer Aniston at her best Listings for Varsity Theatre and Ashland Street Cinemas 'Sniper' reveals the total cost of war Food and Drink Cruelest Month: Poetry Blog Lifestyle Latest Stories Rose Circle volunteers help mentor children Eleanor's dog and the veil between worlds Buying a home? Consider its walkability Shayne Looper: ‘Unanswered’ prayers can challenge one’s faith Food for Thought: These healthy Super Bowl snacks are game-changers Aging Happens Inner Peace Column Inner Peace Blog Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED   » Obituaries Photos Videos Blogs Business NEWS NOW   Students send heartfelt message to missing Ashland girl       ...       Mt. Ashland Ski Area looks for ways to diversify       ...       Our View: Whole lotta shakin' ...       ...       Students send heartfelt message to missing Ashland girl       ...       Mt. Ashland Ski Area looks for ways to diversify       ...       Our View: Whole lotta shakin' ...       ...           OUR VIEW Our View: City gets high marks Comment DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Jan. 22, 2015 @ 2:00 am Updated Jan 22, 2015 at 9:17 AM Posted Jan. 22, 2015 @ 2:00 am Updated Jan 22, 2015 at 9:17 AM »  Social News City leaders have plenty to feel good about in the results of a biennial survey of Ashland residents. That's not to say there isn't room for improvement, but the negative marks generally came in areas that could be considered works in progress rather than failures. The survey compiled the responses of nearly 400 people, assessing their level of happiness with their city, its staff and the services it provides. Overall, the results indicate Ashlanders like city employees and services, love their community and feel safe in it. Respondents gave lower marks for housing affordability, cost of living and job opportunities. They also criticized parking and snow removal. Parking hassles are an unfortunate side effect of living in a tourist mecca. The city has made some progress, but residents should ask themselves if they really want soaring parking garages à la downtown Medford. We'd bet they don't. Snow removal? Last January's icy deep freeze left many streets impassable for days. It's tough for a small city that doesn't get much snow to maintain a fleet of plows that might see a day or two of work every couple of years. Limited housing options and a high cost of living, as we've said before, are a direct consequence of the city's no-growth policy. As long as city boundaries can't expand, prices for real estate and retail goods are liable to stay high. Jobs are an elusive goal, and Ashland is not alone in struggling with this one. More efforts to welcome and encourage new businesses should be a priority.   DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Jan. 22, 2015 @ 2:00 am Updated Jan 22, 2015 at 9:17 AM » Comment or view comments   Reader Reaction »  STAY INFORMED   Email NewsLetter   Sign Up Today   Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed   Email newsletter   Sign Up Today   Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.    Privacy Policy  |  Terms of Service  |  Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. DailyTidings.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501