Here’s the first of a five-part series from Reason.tv entitled, Saving Social Security. The animated video comes from Lineplot, a company that creatively describes financial topics.
Economy
City, Development, Economy, Free Markets, University
Student Housing in Whitewater: Our Mistaken and Repetitive Approach
by JOHN ADAMS •
There are two stories from yesterday’s Janesville Gazette that describe the pressures of student housing: Students Spread Out in Whitewater City, School Address Housing Concerns. The stories ably describe arguments that residents of Whitewater have have made against student housing for years with no change in demand. I certainly don’t believe that demand for student…
Economy, Free Markets, Libertarians, Planning
A Libertarian Perspective on Energy Costs
by JOHN ADAMS •
Development, Economy
What the Progressives in Whitewater Don’t Have
by JOHN ADAMS •
I wrote a post reflecting on the election results in Whitewater, and one thing stood out to me: progressives have done well in the city on statewide referenda and races. That’s why I pointed out that Although I am not always in agreement with the progressives, it’s easy to see that they are increasingly successful…
Economy
New Website Chronicles High Tax & Regulatory Burden
by JOHN ADAMS •
There’s a new blog, entitled Leaving Wisconsin, that posts on the “great exodus out of the taxation and regulation hell of Wisconsin.” We have been a highly taxed and regulated state for some time — neither major party has moved us in true low-tax, low-burden direction. For data to support the contention that we are…
City, Development, Economy, Free Markets
Zoning and Housing Prices
by JOHN ADAMS •
Readers may recall that I have criticized politician-dentist Roy Nosek for his advocacy of limitations on student housing. Here are some of my posts on the subject: On Nosek on Student Housing, Part 1 (Economics) On Nosek on Student Housing, Part 2 (Culture) Student Housing in Whitewater One of the points that I have made…
City, Development, Economy, Free Markets
The Planning/Architectural Board Meeting for January 7th
by JOHN ADAMS •
This was a long meeting, with two principal topics: a request for a conditional use for a property downtown, and discussion of a moratorium on approval of first floor residential space in our downtown. The second topic was more interesting, being broader and more general, than the first. I’ll come back to that meeting as…
City, Development, Economy, Free Markets
Student Housing in Whitewater
by JOHN ADAMS •
Readers of FREE WHITEWATER know that I have been opposed to a restrictive, anti-market approach to student housing. Whitewater’s leading critic of student-rental housing is dentist-politician Dr. Roy Nosek. Nosek has mentioned, more than once, that student housing is a ‘death-knell’ for a neighborhood. Recently, I offered three posts critiquing Nosek’s understanding of basic market…
City, Development, Economy, Free Markets, Press
On Nosek on Student Housing, Part 3 (McCann’s Story in the GazetteXtra)
by JOHN ADAMS •
In this third post, I’ll address the quality of the GazetteXtra story from Carla McCann entitled, “Neighborhoods Oppose Housing for UW-W students.” It’s one of the worst stories on Whitewater I have read in months, and is the same league as the biased and misleading stories from the Whitewater Register. The Register cuts short the…
City, Development, Economy, Free Markets
On Nosek on Student Housing, Part 2 (Culture)
by JOHN ADAMS •
In this post, I will consider the cultural aspects of Roy Nosek’s opposition to student housing. I am convinced that’s really where his opposition rests; he has no coherent economic theory that describes and addresses student housing demand in Whitewater. He does, however, have a clear cultural opposition, and that’s what I will consider here.…
City, Economy, Free Markets
On Nosek on Student Housing, Part 1 (Economics)
by JOHN ADAMS •
Last week, a reader emailed me about a post over at the GazetteXtra.com, entitled, “Neighborhood Oppose Housing for UW-W Students.” The story highlights the views of Whitewater dentist-councilman Roy Nosek, on student housing, the housing market, aesthetics, and neighborhood quiet. I’ll address the GazetteXtra.com post with three of my own: Part 1 addresses the economic…
City, Development, Economy, Free Markets
Planning Commission Meeting for November 12, 2007, Part 2
by JOHN ADAMS •
This is Part 2 of my commentary on the Planning Commission meeting for November 12, 2007. (Here’s the link to Part 1.) Apartments at the old Hallmark Location Why are residential tenants worse than vacancies? Empty retail spaces are worse than occasional litter and disturbances from residential tenants. They’re a sign of our lack of…
City, Development, Economy, Free Markets
Planning Commission Meeting for November 12, 2007, Part 1
by JOHN ADAMS •
Here’s my commentary on the November 12th Planning Commission Meeting, Part 1. Intricacies of Public Meetings Public meetings run the risk of devolving into intricacy, ‘inside baseball’ commentary, and jargon unfamiliar to most residents. When there are a few committees involved, the risk grows greater. The politics of the Community Development Authority, Planning Commission, and…
City, Development, Economy, Free Markets
Common Council Meeting for November 6, 2007
by JOHN ADAMS •
The Common Council cannot tax more, spend more, and hire more, and expect Whitewater to grow more. Whitewater can easily do the first three, but it should not expect the final result. It is, however, what Council must expect now. Time will prove this expectation false. It’s predictable, though, that — initially — competent planning…