His nickname is “Turtle” ”“ affectionately bestowed on him by Dave MacFarland, Pattern for Progress”™ chairman of the board. But Jonathan Drapkin doesn”™t seem to mind the analogy associated with the name. He certainly sticks his neck out ”“ and although the going can be painstakingly slow, he”™s determined that the organization gets there.
Drapkin has a long wish list shared by many: “Bringing new business to the region; good paying jobs, taking the pain out of the SEQRA (State Environmental Quality Review Act) process; providing decent housing for our residents; and finding a solution to the most painful burden on businesses and homeowners ”“ school property taxes.”
Drapkin has been the president and CEO of the 46-year old research and public policy nonprofit for three years. Created at a time when America believed it could change the world for the better, its nine-county region consists of Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester. Though technology has changed the world, it hasn”™t changed the mission: a decent quality of life and a sense that government is working for the people, not against them.
“Governor-elect Cuomo wanted this job badly. He created extensive plans on how to reshape and restart our government ”“ he seems serious about economic development. Let”™s hope he turns around our image as the most business-unfriendly state in the nation,” he said.
“Hundreds of public agencies and more than 4,200 local governments have become so burdensome it”™s easier to move away than to keep paying and paying. Pattern is working to facilitate municipal consolidation and get relief for the mid-Hudson; it”™s way overdue.”
And despite the pain it”™s caused, Drapkin sees a silver lining in the financial tsunami: “The state”™s multibillion-dollar deficit will bring cuts ”“ whether local municipalities or state agencies want them or not. They will be forced to work together if they don”™t want to go under.”
One of Pattern”™s initiatives in 2011 includes working with four Hudson River cities to bolster their waterfronts as destinations: Beacon, Newburgh, Poughkeepsie and Kingston.
“These are the hubs of the cities”™ financial largesse. It won”™t ”˜fix”™ the city, but it will certainly help them grow income ”“ kayaking, night life, a daytime destination for art shows ”“ it creates tourism, which creates dollars.”
The other initiative is K-through-12 education reform, which Drapkin readily admits is an uphill battle.
“We”™re only one of two states that demand Regents courses; many students do not thrive in these courses. Magnet and charter schools should be encouraged. We should be reaching out to put students in settings where they succeed. A feeling of accomplishment goes a lot further than struggling to keep up,” he said.
Tenure “was originally designed for college professors ”“ today, every teacher is tenured by their third year. Don”™t get me wrong, there are many wonderful teachers who go above and beyond and truly care for their students … but they are hampered by those who are not good, and there are many of them. We would not permit anyone in the private sector to perform badly and put up with it. The Board of Regents needs a wake-up call.”
Drapkin would also like to see school uniforms become part of every school”™s dress code. “It has been a standard in Europe for years ”“ the idea is to promote learning and take the focus off the fashion show. I think parents would welcome it. It certainly levels the playing field, no matter what ”˜field”™ you play in.”
