Raise the Hammer

I agree with Bob Bratina and Tammany that the MIP is good as long as it doesn't poach.

The Yale New Haven example brought up by Tammany is interesting as well. Here is my take on that example. The relationship between Yale and the city is different in that the University is centrally located within the downtown core. I think The University and the City are forced to get along because the two institutions developed at the same time within the centre of town. Yale University takes safety seriously, and requires that incoming freshman stay in one of the residential Collenges on campus. It also provides 24 hour shuttle service for students that live off campus in the downtown area. There is a research park there as well - Science Park at Yale. Although there are many private sector new economy companies there, it hasn't been a magic bullet for the town. The same rich-poor divide that you see in town between students and townies is apparent at Science Park. The park is located on the former Winchester Factory site that borders too very poor communities - Dixwell and Newhallville. I worked for a Biotech company there that employed 250 people at its peak. The areas surrounding the Park is economically depressed and seen as a deterrant to some for locating there. The residents feel irritated as they get the negatives that come with development (construction noise) but none of the benefits ( jobs and prosperity). Interestingly, the recent move by Yale to buy the former Bayer site in the affluent West Haven suburb has irked some at The city of N. Haven as a missed opportunity to encourage start-ups and feed the tax base inside N.Haven.

I commend Councillor Bratina on his efforts to get a student residence downtown. This is City's best interest in the short term, and the University's interest in the long term. Yale students love being in downtown N. Haven because of the culture and amenities. The disposable income of the average Yale student is higher than a Mac student, but our enrollment is much larger, meaning that there is a buying force that we are not currently captivating. Most Mac students spend their money on campus during the week, and at home in the GTA on weekends.