July 3, 2009 - The Austin Chronicle

CONTINUED FROM P.8AmongP0STMARKSADDRESS DRIVE-BY SHOOTINGDear Editor,“We’re now a big city, and we have to startaddressing [the drug problem] like a big city,” saysPolice Chief Art Acevedo in Savlov’s article “Crimeand the City Solution” [Music, June 26]. Howabout starting by addressing the drive-by shootingthat happened on Red River and Fourth Streeton Friday, June 19, around midnight? No one washit (not even the car the shooter was aiming at);however, there were about 20 people total dividedamong the street corners mulling about, and theshooter was in a dark green Caddy with cursivewriting all over the back windshield (so artistic thatwe couldn’t read it and were only feet away). Theworst part about the entire incident is that later onour friends who were with us saw the cars involvedhanging out under I-35 at Seventh (across fromthe police station), told the cops just east of thatintersection, and were reprimanded by said copsfor flagging them down on “the wrong side of theircom-system.” Huh? Since then I have yet to be ableto track down a single mention of the incident savefor a Yelp entry. I have always felt safe in Austinand don’t like where it looks like it’s going.Jennifer Smith‘LIVE MUSIC’ NEED NOT BE TOO LOUDDear EditorAs is too often the case, the most vocal of theadvocates for a position have alienated me anddriven me to the other side. In this case the causeis live music. There needs to be some balancein this issue. The South First Street area wasresidential long before Freddie’s Place was there.Barton Springs Road and the adjacent neighborhoodwas a residential area before Shady Grovestarted offering live music. And, believe it or not,Sixth Street had residents before most of thecurrent clubs even existed. A prominent architectand a member of the City Council were among theearlier contemporary residents. To remain viable,a community must work for all its citizens.The 360 complex and the Music Hall areexcellent examples of how music can cooperateand coexist with other uses. The musicvenue predated the residential development, sothe developer took the initiative to arrive at acooperative, and I’m sure not inexpensive, solution.It is a commendable example. Live musicadvocates must work to offer solutions as tohow to coexist with other uses instead of takingan antagonistic either/or stance. Just repeatingthat Austin is the live music capital does notfurther the discussion.Austin is many things to many people, andmusic is just one of its attractive components.Austin can still be the live music capital withoutbeing the loud music capital.John MooreDON’T CUT FUNDING FOR SPAY/NEUTER PROGRAMDear Editor,The city will be shooting itself in the foot if itcuts or eliminates funding to Emancipet’s freespay/neuter program, which provides 4,000free pet sterilizations of Austin dogs and cats.Programs like this have been proven to reducethe population of homeless animals living incity shelters.This program costs the city of Austin $195,000per year. The program is a proactive approach tocontrolling the pet population that saves the citymore money than it costs. The cost of a singlesurgery is $33. The cost to shelter a singleanimal is $140. A single, unfixed female dogcould give birth to five to 30 puppies a year.Litters of unwanted dogs, especially from lowincomeareas where the residents depend onEmancipet’s services, very likely end up at TownLake Animal Center, where they have to euthanizenearly 11,000 animals a year.The two proposals on the table don’t doenough to ensure the future stabilization of thecity’s animal population. One proposal, whichrelies on private donations, is unreliable, and theother cuts the number of annual sterilizationsavailable to Austin’s pets in half.I urge the city to keep its partnership withEmancipet the same as it considers ways toremedy the budget shortfall. I understand thatour city officials face terribly difficult decisionsright now, but I sincerely hope they look at thelong-term costs before making a final decision.Jessica HendrickAPD HAS AN EXCESSIVE BUDGETDear Editor,I must agree with our friend John Nordstrom inhis assessment of the Austin Police Departmentas of late [“Postmarks,” June 26]. It seems thatdespite our cash-strapped city budget, it hashad no problems acquiring brand-spanking-newpatrol cars, which have begun to outnumber theold Crown Victoria models on Austin streets. Nofewer than four were present for my recent speedingcitation, and I can assure you they are very,very nice. Furthermore, APD parades its excessivebudget every weekend on Sixth Street, with afull cadre of horse-mounted cops that disrespectfullyspread feces all over our fine city, withoutany appreciable increase in public safety.other recent APD purchases is asmall fleet of armored, military-style vehicles forcombating imaginary supervillains. Is all of thisreally necessary?The city has bent over backward (or is it forward?)for the department and gotten very littlereturn on its investment. It’s time to cut budgets.I’d start with the stable fees, advertisingcampaigns, and new vehicle purchases. Maybeeven shift some resources away form marijuanaenforcement to drugs that actually cause someharm? And I’d get a move on to save that moneybefore the citizenry decides en masse to go afteryour bloated, ridiculous salaries.Cordially,Mike “Dub” WainwrightAUDREYRETRODESKSale price$499DiscontinuedHurry InLimited QuantityChair & Monitor not includedURBAN LIVING7727 Burnet | 451-2144 | urbanlivingaustin.comhours: monday - saturday 10-6pm | sunday 1-5pm10 T H E A U S T I N C H R O N I C L E JULY 3, 2009 a u s t i n c h r o n i c l e . c o mS U P P O R T A U S T I N | S H O P L O C A L | K E E P T A X D O L L A R S H E R E