Well the drought in California is officially over. I guess the first sign was all that fresh water running off into the ocean. I?EUR??,,????'???m sure glad we spent our drought years building all those new reservoirs. Not!

Maybe the politicians were waiting for a new administration to begin the infrastructure rebuild. That is, of course, what we were promised. . .

Now that good ole?EUR??,,????'??? Clinton has taken over, I?EUR??,,????'???m sure the economy will get that boost it needed. God forbid that we stay at a national growth rate of 3.9%. . .

It is an ominous sign of the times when I have more conversations about landscape architects acting as professional witnesses than about exciting new projects, but that was the case at the NLIS. At least all the natural disasters are creating work. . .

And what about work? Work for landscape architects means development. The old adage that ?EUR??,,????'??talk is cheap?EUR??,,????'?? is becoming outdated. The new feeling is talk can be very expensive. Especially when developers are waiting to see when the President will introduce a rational program and then stick with it. Will there be incentives to build and buy houses or are homeowners going to be paying taxes on the rental value of their personal homes?

Billochio

Last Oct. 1, when the Bush campaign calculated that Clinton?EUR??,,????'???s promises would mean raising taxes on families earning more than $36,600

Now the Clinton administration acknowledges that his tax increases will hit $30,000-income families, and some spokesmen are intimating that they will reach as low as $20,000. - A whopper.

Ok, Ok so I?EUR??,,????'???m a Republican and it shows?EUR??,,????'???but doesn?EUR??,,????'???t it seem like a better idea to use our military to protect our borders and work to stimulate our local economies, before they protect the borders and stimulate the economies of countries locked in civil war? Wasn?EUR??,,????'???t that the mistake Clinton fought against in Vietnam?

So?EUR??,,????'???you ask, what does all this have to do with landscape architects? Nothing, unless you believed that Clinton was going to rebuild the infrastructure, not tear it down. Nothing if you enjoy your new role as professional witnesses. Nothing if you still believe that landscape architects don?EUR??,,????'???t have the political clout to effect change. . .

Now is the time for landscape architects, and the ASLA, to really push for responsible development. As stewards of the land, you should have a powerful presence on capitol hill. Your presence is legitimate, even if relatively obscure. Your association is in Washington D.C. Your dues certainly are substantial. Now let?EUR??,,????'???s hear about the changes proposed by landscape architects. . .

From our economic sources around the country, it appears as if California is the hardest hit in regards to landscape development. CA now has one million unemployed and remains above the national unemployment rate. Maybe it is time we booted the one million illegal immigrants and put our citizens back to work. The question is: Can our citizens actually work at manual labor and will the employers (that means you landscape contractors, maintenance operators and growers) hire and provide incentives for our citizens to do the work?

Now that the municipal water districts don?EUR??,,????'???t have the drought as an issue against turf, I understand the conservationists are looking at green waste as a way to keep the turf out of landscapes. I hope their kids enjoy playing soccer on the pavement. . .

The South East seems to be holding its own, with an estimated 200 to 300 people moving daily to the Gator States. . .

I read in the Tampa Tribune about an architect in Florida who seems to believe that the urban community is a blight against society. That everyone would be better off in downtown apartments and living conditions. If carried to its extreme, this would mean one park per downtown community, and all quality-of-life development would be in the structural elements of the architects?EUR??,,????'??? dense downtown. I hope his kids enjoy playing soccer on the pavement. . .

It is only my opinion but I believe that the ASLA needs to step in and use its resources to: establish licensure throughout all fifty states; settle the testing issues with uniform national guidelines; and then get to the business of effecting change in the eyes of the public by promoting the role of landscape architects in the responsible development of our country. . .

Registration testing has become such a mess in California that the CCASLA who first pushed for a revised test, then pushed for a new independent test, is now pushing to join back with CLARB?! I understand that the Department of Consumer Affairs mandated an improved pass/fail rate, but when Mississippi is coming to California to administer the LARE test, somebody has to wonder who is leading us down the primrose path . . .

And it does have to do with leadership! Whether it?EUR??,,????'???s at the local, state or national level, somebody must step up and become the steward of the profession. If only Ray Page were alive today. . .

Question?EUR??,,????'???Is it a membership benefit to receive a publication if you have to pay for the subscription? Most other associations give their publication to their members, heck, LASN is free to members of many associations. . . A cheap shot you say? Only if you think the ASLA couldn?EUR??,,????'???t use the $210,000+ for more complete public relations, or if you think that a publication can run 120+ pages at 70% advertising and still need member dues to keep it in the green! Sounds to me like a job for Congress!

It was good, however, to see the association magazine on the freebie table at the NLIS Show. Maybe next year they will spring for a $600.00 booth and make their presence legitimate. . .

Another cheap shot? Maybe, but with all the rhetoric about an increased presence, LASN was the only representative of the Landscape Architectural Profession at the biggest landscape convention on the west coast?EUR??,,????'???and that, my friends, is not just a little scary, it is borderline neglect!!

Xeriscape

Although still unconfirmed, I received good news from the Xeriscape people recently. It appears as if they are stepping back their attempts to charge for the use of the name Xeriscape and are again focusing their efforts on the advocation of responsible, water-wise growth. Way to go, if it is actually true. . .

The Inner City

More good news about the LASN Play Park Student Competition. In a recent meeting attended by Cort Paul, Emily Gabel, and Lance Oishi (Landscape Architects) as well as the Los Angeles Department of Public Works - Director of Communications Bob Hayes, LADPW Architect Don Allen, Inner City Arts - Artistic Director Bob Bates, 9th Street School Principal Rudell S. Freer, and several other members of the school staff, there was a consensus to continue to pursue the possibility of actually building the park through City and Industry donations. This thing appears to have a life of its own. Now, if we can just get some commitment from the suppliers. . .

Quote of the Month:

?EUR??,,????'??I understand the need to preserve our ecology, but they are going to have to let us build something!?EUR??,,????'?? ?EUR??,,????'??? from a conversation with a landscape architect at the NLIS Show, referring to a local problem with the gnatcatcher.

?EUR??,,????'??+God Bless