Add Some Spice to the Stewpot, Couvers!

I realize we're all real new here to urban living, only having 13 years of it under our belt (since the Great Leap East of 2001), but now that we've left our tweens, and their twerker crushes behind, its time we accept some responsibilities along with the privileges of being a teenager city of 165K+.

Im not asking us to spice up the bland bedroom community gruel too much-dont want us to have collective urban heartburn, but our suburbanite starches could stand a little pepper at the very least (try a bit of garlic-I promise its not hot).

This means things like building up parks, rec, and culture; finishing up downtown by getting rid of the bits that dont work; NOT using our lovely mall as a town center; not quibbling over whose lawn isnt mowed/whos violating homeowner codes (yes East Vancs, talking to yall out 164th way); not putting up with half-done subdivisions of ticky tack; sidewalks and good lighting; connecting parts of city to others-like our isolated train station; not relying on white elephant saviors-like oil terminals and semiconductor plants, let alone Gummi vitamins; NOT relying on disinterested admins and underpaid/unempowered City Councilors; no more passing buck to County; much less teat sucking at Portlands saggy hooters and much more insisting our full say to work together; and NO MORE halfassed sideways campaigns for things like: 5K rubber sidewalks; wishes for happy fairy dust from venal County council; 20 mph speed zones on arterials; protests and civic actions that CONTINUE, not sputter out once we hear soothing words; and an INSISTENCE that City leaders and workers work to hear out what we want-instead of tootling around with arcane bureaucratic processes, like volunteer boards that dont have any powers.

Time to sell off underused parking garages (14!), insist business folks step up game, folding up overpolicing of street unsightlies and instead do actual beat policing-yes, officers, this does mean WALKING along 4th Plain from Ft Vanc Wy to Andresen, Mill Plain in Heights and 112th to 136th, and around downtown, insist developers actually build things that attract tenants (and make em get ones to boot), and LASTLY, quit relying on and blaming everyone but our own City folks in positions of power when things arent there/dont work (and quit being apathetic).

Im not saying "bedroom community" doesnt taste good. But Bellevue, 2/3 our size, tried that one for years and it didnt work there either-their downtown is MUCH more imposing, busy, and bigger by far-and theyre getting light rail. Tacoma and Spokane each far outdo us (and yes, we're same size), Bellingham blows us out of the water when it comes to charming (and historic preserving), even little Camas and down at heels Longview have more cohesive and charming, and walkable, downtowns and city center adjacent 'hoods (and yes, I live in Hough-and it, Arnada, Shumway, and Carter Park lovely and swell-Fruit Valley, Rose Village, and what is NOW the warehouse wasteland of the 98666 ZIP code, w of Courthouse, are not so nice).

It wont bite, you'll love it. Just try a little bite. We're not getting up from dinner til you do.