When the city can't afford a Rec Center...

Everywhere you turn you can hear someone saying "I just can't afford it right now." It may be a home, a car, the monthly cable bill, or even a Dilly bar that they can't afford. But I have heard it said that what people can or cannot afford is really a matter of priority. For instance, if you were to have the meager funds in my bank account it is quite possible that you would choose to spend it differently than I do. But what happens when the city "can't afford it"? Right now the city maintains it cannot afford 3 of the rec centers on the East Side. I would argue that they can. I think we would be able to afford the rec centers if the city bank account were mine to spend. And that's the rub isn't it? Technically the city bank account is mine to spend-through my representative. Unfortunately my representative and I disagree on what we can afford and the representative holds the pen to sign the check, not me. So, now the city is about to become the newest landlord on the block. They can't afford their property anymore so they will rent it out. The questions remain: Will they screen their tenants well? Will they adequately maintain the property? Will they respond to concerns or complaints? Or will they be neglectful like many of the other absentee landlords on the East Side? Stay tuned as the peanuts keep you up to date about the newest neighborhood landlord and their tenants.