phantom tollbooths in Davis Sq. ...

[an-art-worker.livejournal.com]

apropos of nothing and not a serious proposal but I was thinking about sales taxes last night, the discussion of tolls on 93 south and something to do with all the border violence going on in the world these days. Suddenly I had this image of tollbooths/checkpoints on the roads entering Davis Sq. Weird but interesting to speculate on.

The growth in popularity of the sq. has brought higher rents and housing prices, higher prices in stores and bars and general gentrification. The city of Somerville and the property owners benefit but the residents don't. Would be interesting to have a toll that went to offset the costs of gentrification to people who actually live here.

Comments

[an-art-worker.livejournal.com]

that's hilarious. I actually lived in Wicker Park when I was going to grad school at the Art Institute of Chicago. It was artists like me, traditional polish and mexican residents and gang members (*lots* of gang members). That was the onset of gentrification. A few hipster art bar dives opened and the gentirifcation clock started ticking.

That's what is funny/pathetic about stuff like the Union Sq. arts festival and the arts related stuff that is going on in Medford in the last year or two: the artists who participate in drawing attention to those areas will soon be displaced. At least Boston throws a bone to artists (BRA artist qualified subsidy housing).

[ron_newman]

What's happening in Medford, besides West Medford Open Studios?

[an-art-worker.livejournal.com]

oops - I meant Malden. Sorry.

[ron_newman]

OK - what's happening in Malden? (I'm even less familiar with Malden than I am with Medford.)

[an-art-worker.livejournal.com]

oh - the city has been trying to "revitalize" the downtown by making space available to artists and giving small grants to Malden based art organizations (Art window stuff, etc.). Thing is, once/if the area does start to turn around, then buh-bye artists.

That is cynical, but I have seen it happen repeatedly. Paltry little artists grants to paint silly utility boxes don't offset high costs of living.