Barb Van Kerkhove
@bvankerk.bsky.social
politics watcher, loves the outdoors, locavore foodie, trying to be the change
Reposted by Barb Van Kerkhove
Legislation making its way to President Trump’s desk stands to have wide-ranging effects on the economy — bolstering tax benefits for businesses, higher-income households while threatening health insurance for millions of Americans.
More: nbcnews.app.link/lE2aQBZdIUb
More: nbcnews.app.link/lE2aQBZdIUb
July 3, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Legislation making its way to President Trump’s desk stands to have wide-ranging effects on the economy — bolstering tax benefits for businesses, higher-income households while threatening health insurance for millions of Americans.
More: nbcnews.app.link/lE2aQBZdIUb
More: nbcnews.app.link/lE2aQBZdIUb
Reposted by Barb Van Kerkhove
It's impossible to make sense of American zoning, historically or today, without understanding that it has almost nothing to do with separating residential and classic nuisance. It's a mechanism of segregation, that's it.
Peak NIMBY brain is trying to keep a neighboring airport open, even though the planes that land there are literally spraying toxins over your home, because if the airport closes then they're going to build affordable housing there. lapublicpress.org/2025/06/sant...
Santa Monica's elite are using an airport to block affordable housing
A campaign to build housing on the site of the soon-to-be-shuttered airport is drawing pushback from opponents of new development.
lapublicpress.org
June 4, 2025 at 8:36 PM
It's impossible to make sense of American zoning, historically or today, without understanding that it has almost nothing to do with separating residential and classic nuisance. It's a mechanism of segregation, that's it.
Reposted by Barb Van Kerkhove
Three more in comments.
May 11, 2025 at 1:42 AM
Three more in comments.
Reposted by Barb Van Kerkhove
Federal officials should be immediately decrying this. Full stop. Enough of the "we're working behind the scenes" crap. Give people some confidence that you're doing the right thing.
Stephen Miller says they are “actively looking at” suspending the writ of habeas corpus, which is only allowed when the US has been invaded or during an insurrection, which would not allow people to challenge their incarceration in court if they are arrested and detained.
May 9, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Federal officials should be immediately decrying this. Full stop. Enough of the "we're working behind the scenes" crap. Give people some confidence that you're doing the right thing.
Reposted by Barb Van Kerkhove
The experts on walking are the walkers.
On February 23, 1954, Rochester banned jaywalking. As an experienced walker, Sally Otis had something to say on the subject.
On February 23, 1954, Rochester banned jaywalking. As an experienced walker, Sally Otis had something to say on the subject.
May 7, 2025 at 2:37 PM
The experts on walking are the walkers.
On February 23, 1954, Rochester banned jaywalking. As an experienced walker, Sally Otis had something to say on the subject.
On February 23, 1954, Rochester banned jaywalking. As an experienced walker, Sally Otis had something to say on the subject.
Welcome walkers, wheelchair users, and bicyclists.
Want safer city traffic? Welcome walkers and slow drivers down. Providence proved this 85 years ago.
In 1938-40, Rochester attempted to impose pedestrian control downtown. But Rochester's walking majority resisted control.
In 1938-40, Rochester attempted to impose pedestrian control downtown. But Rochester's walking majority resisted control.
May 4, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Welcome walkers, wheelchair users, and bicyclists.
Reposted by Barb Van Kerkhove
Walking did not merely decline. It was deterred.
When authorities were drafting plans for Rochester’s downtown expressways, few Rochesterians ever drove downtown. The great majority rode streetcars and buses – and walked.
When authorities were drafting plans for Rochester’s downtown expressways, few Rochesterians ever drove downtown. The great majority rode streetcars and buses – and walked.
May 3, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Walking did not merely decline. It was deterred.
When authorities were drafting plans for Rochester’s downtown expressways, few Rochesterians ever drove downtown. The great majority rode streetcars and buses – and walked.
When authorities were drafting plans for Rochester’s downtown expressways, few Rochesterians ever drove downtown. The great majority rode streetcars and buses – and walked.
More on Rochester transportation history.
In 1964, quoting Victor Gruen, the president of Rochester Transit warned Rochester’s city planning commissioner: “The economic well-being of any city center decreases in exact proportion to the increase of private automobile traffic.”
May 1, 2025 at 4:16 PM
More on Rochester transportation history.
We can learn from transportation history.
The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle ran this editorial in 1948.
Construction of the Inner Loop expressway began in 1952.
Rochester’s subway closed in 1956.
Construction of the Inner Loop expressway began in 1952.
Rochester’s subway closed in 1956.
May 1, 2025 at 4:16 PM
We can learn from transportation history.
Reposted by Barb Van Kerkhove
“We found there’s this perfect one-to-one relationship. If a city increased its road capacity by 10% then driving in that city went up by 10%.” Still one of the best articles on why building bigger roads leads to more driving. Understanding #InducedDemand Via @wired.com
What's Up With That: Building Bigger Roads Actually Makes Traffic Worse
The concept is called induced demand, which is economist-speak for when increasing the supply of something (like roads) makes people want that thing even more. Though some traffic engineers made note ...
www.wired.com
April 26, 2025 at 11:40 AM
“We found there’s this perfect one-to-one relationship. If a city increased its road capacity by 10% then driving in that city went up by 10%.” Still one of the best articles on why building bigger roads leads to more driving. Understanding #InducedDemand Via @wired.com
Thanks for printing @economist.com and for bringing it to my attention @hcrichardson.bsky.social, but I really don't want to wait that long.
April 25, 2025 at 12:27 PM
Thanks for printing @economist.com and for bringing it to my attention @hcrichardson.bsky.social, but I really don't want to wait that long.
Read how the NY Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act makes both economic and environmental sense. Pass it this session! www.beyondplastics.org/publications...
REPORT: Projected Economic Benefits of the NY Packaging Reduction & Recycling Infrastructure Act — Beyond Plastics - Working To End Single-Use Plastic Pollution
New report from Beyond Plastics estimates roughly $1.3 billion in savings over 10 years after passing key packaging reduction legislation in NYS.
www.beyondplastics.org
April 19, 2025 at 12:03 PM
Read how the NY Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act makes both economic and environmental sense. Pass it this session! www.beyondplastics.org/publications...
Reposted by Barb Van Kerkhove
Is owning a home less valuable than #renting?
In an Urban Wire post, Urban researchers offer a method for more accurately comparing the value of renting versus owning a home that #policymakers can use to address systemic barriers to #homeownership.
In an Urban Wire post, Urban researchers offer a method for more accurately comparing the value of renting versus owning a home that #policymakers can use to address systemic barriers to #homeownership.
Measuring the True Value of Renting versus Owning a Home
Accounting for differences in property and neighborhood characteristics, the value of homeownership relative to renting is greater than what existing methods suggest.
www.urban.org
April 18, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Is owning a home less valuable than #renting?
In an Urban Wire post, Urban researchers offer a method for more accurately comparing the value of renting versus owning a home that #policymakers can use to address systemic barriers to #homeownership.
In an Urban Wire post, Urban researchers offer a method for more accurately comparing the value of renting versus owning a home that #policymakers can use to address systemic barriers to #homeownership.
Reposted by Barb Van Kerkhove
We’re always thinking of innovative ways to address the lack and cost of housing. @alexbores.bsky.social and I sponsor the Land Value Tax Bill (S1131), which we discussed on Capitol Pressroom. This would shift the tax burden from buildings to land, spurring housing development and economic growth.
April 17, 2025 at 5:49 PM
We’re always thinking of innovative ways to address the lack and cost of housing. @alexbores.bsky.social and I sponsor the Land Value Tax Bill (S1131), which we discussed on Capitol Pressroom. This would shift the tax burden from buildings to land, spurring housing development and economic growth.
Blue sky through budding trees, so we can take a break and breathe.
April 17, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Blue sky through budding trees, so we can take a break and breathe.
Another example of the Trump administration supporting corporate profit on the backs of the poor and working class.
The program developed during Joe Biden’s presidency was credited by users with making tax filing easy, fast and economical. But Republican lawmakers and commercial tax preparation companies complained it was a waste of taxpayer money.
Trump administration plans to end the IRS Direct File program for free tax filing, sources say
The program was credited by users with making tax filing easy. But Republican lawmakers and commercial tax prep companies have said it's a waste of taxpayer money.
nbcnews.to
April 17, 2025 at 2:19 AM
Another example of the Trump administration supporting corporate profit on the backs of the poor and working class.
Reposted by Barb Van Kerkhove
Direct File makes it free and easy for millions of Americans to file their taxes.
Getting rid of this popular program makes zero sense.
Trump's admin is taking money out of the pockets of working people and giving it away to their Big Business and tech bro buddies.
Getting rid of this popular program makes zero sense.
Trump's admin is taking money out of the pockets of working people and giving it away to their Big Business and tech bro buddies.
April 16, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Direct File makes it free and easy for millions of Americans to file their taxes.
Getting rid of this popular program makes zero sense.
Trump's admin is taking money out of the pockets of working people and giving it away to their Big Business and tech bro buddies.
Getting rid of this popular program makes zero sense.
Trump's admin is taking money out of the pockets of working people and giving it away to their Big Business and tech bro buddies.
Reposted by Barb Van Kerkhove
Through new policies and aggressive cuts, the Trump administration is taking steps that will encourage more pollution while muffling the science that shows its harms. The very air that Americans breathe will likely become less safe, @zoeschlanger.bsky.social reports:
Breathing in America Is Going to Get More Dangerous
A third of Americans still breathe unhealthy air after decades of improvements—which the Trump administration wants to roll back.
bit.ly
April 9, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Through new policies and aggressive cuts, the Trump administration is taking steps that will encourage more pollution while muffling the science that shows its harms. The very air that Americans breathe will likely become less safe, @zoeschlanger.bsky.social reports:
Reposted by Barb Van Kerkhove
Join us on Thursday to learn about the grassroots effort for frequent, reliable, and accessible public transportation as well as safe streets for walking and biking all across New York!
April 5, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Join us on Thursday to learn about the grassroots effort for frequent, reliable, and accessible public transportation as well as safe streets for walking and biking all across New York!
April 5, 2025 at 8:05 PM
Reposted by Barb Van Kerkhove
Half of business owners on this Toronto street estimated that more than 25% of their customers arrived by car.
In fact, it was 4%.
And the % of customers who who walked or cycled? 72%.
Retailers routinely overestimate the # of “car customers.” Via @carltonreid.com www.forbes.com/sites/carlto...
In fact, it was 4%.
And the % of customers who who walked or cycled? 72%.
Retailers routinely overestimate the # of “car customers.” Via @carltonreid.com www.forbes.com/sites/carlto...
March 25, 2025 at 5:44 AM
Half of business owners on this Toronto street estimated that more than 25% of their customers arrived by car.
In fact, it was 4%.
And the % of customers who who walked or cycled? 72%.
Retailers routinely overestimate the # of “car customers.” Via @carltonreid.com www.forbes.com/sites/carlto...
In fact, it was 4%.
And the % of customers who who walked or cycled? 72%.
Retailers routinely overestimate the # of “car customers.” Via @carltonreid.com www.forbes.com/sites/carlto...
Reposted by Barb Van Kerkhove
Vaccines are why 1 of every 4 of us didn't die in infancy.
Fluoride is why most of us keep our teeth into old age.
The ACA is why 21 million of us can see a doctor.
The FDIC is why we don't lose our life savings.
And a handful of GOP billionaires want to take it all away.
Fluoride is why most of us keep our teeth into old age.
The ACA is why 21 million of us can see a doctor.
The FDIC is why we don't lose our life savings.
And a handful of GOP billionaires want to take it all away.
December 13, 2024 at 6:33 PM
Vaccines are why 1 of every 4 of us didn't die in infancy.
Fluoride is why most of us keep our teeth into old age.
The ACA is why 21 million of us can see a doctor.
The FDIC is why we don't lose our life savings.
And a handful of GOP billionaires want to take it all away.
Fluoride is why most of us keep our teeth into old age.
The ACA is why 21 million of us can see a doctor.
The FDIC is why we don't lose our life savings.
And a handful of GOP billionaires want to take it all away.
Stop single use plastics.
Negotiations over a U.N. treaty to cut plastics have been bogged down. Environmental groups blame the oil and gas industry.
Plastic waste is everywhere. Countries have one more chance to agree on a solution
Negotiations over a U.N. treaty to cut plastics have been bogged down. Environmental groups blame the oil and gas industry.
www.npr.org
November 25, 2024 at 6:34 PM
Stop single use plastics.
🤨 Agreement on facts is much harder to find these days.
"There is no major study in the world that says that bikeways are a leading cause of congestion, and most will even suggest that they're a way to improve traffic and congestion. If we can't agree on these facts, it does make having these conversations very challenging…”
How a handful of rich Toronto businessmen with entirely too much political access and influence, but apparently zero understanding of how urban mobility actually works, appear to be getting their way with Ontario Premier Doug Ford on bike-lanes province-wide.
www.thetrillium.ca/news/municip...
www.thetrillium.ca/news/municip...
November 25, 2024 at 6:31 PM
🤨 Agreement on facts is much harder to find these days.