by Travis Mateer
I had an implied question in the form of reader confusion about the goals of the TIF I announced on Friday (Travis’ Impact Fund). Here’s the confusion:
To bridge the understanding gap that seems to exist with this normally astute Zoom Chron reader, let me provide some clarity about what I am NOT and we’ll see if that helps.
I am NOT Parks and Rec, nor am I interested in duplicating their efforts because those efforts are driven by COMPLAINTS and only concern their respective jurisdiction, which is parks. My plans are MUCH bigger than that.
If Parks and Rec is complaint-driven, then it’s totally fair to ask what’s driving me? I mean, besides the hope I can get, you know, actually PAID for some of the work I’m doing?
The answer is simple: REAL public safety. And I’m going to do that by providing REAL fucking data, minus the attitude, of course.
Since I’m a poet with a decade of non-profit experience and a police-approved sense of gallows humor, my AA form is going to be both functional and fucking hilarious. Why? Maybe you have to be an occult researcher into Crowley fanboy culture to understand.
Also, if you think my AA form has anything to do with abstaining from alcohol, THINK AGAIN! What the A’s stand for is what I’m going to do wherever I think it needs to be fucking done, and that’s ASSESS and ADDRESS!
Before I get to the rough draft I completed on Saturday (in a later post, hopefully next week) let’s discuss the little matter of how much I’m going to be paying myself. Does a $20 dollar hourly rate sound reasonable? I agree, it’s less than I’m worth, but that’s the sacrifice I’m willing to make for my community.
I am VERY excited to continue working on my TIF, and the timing couldn’t be more perfect. On Monday I’ll be traveling to Helena to testify in support of legislation that would place the sweetest set of handcuffs on the municipal hands abusing the original TIF tool in Missoula. I hope no former Sheriffs announce their Mayoral bid while I’m gone.
If you’d like to provide general monetary support, that donation button can still be found at my about page and, yes, it still works.
Thank you for listening/reading!
JC
The barbed jab at my astuteness aside, you still haven’t answered anything. What are you doing EXACTLY? Not some divertive “what I’m not doing crap.” Give me a bullet point list of exactly what you’re planning to do. Walk me through it step by step. What is the goal? What is your solution? I don’t care if you’re paying yourself, you deserve a livable wage for work you do, but what are you actually doing for that wage?
That will come in another post, so you will have to exhibit some patience. I’m currently writing my testimony for tomorrow, then I need to figure out how I’m going to pay rent next month.