Consider the impact of the closure of vocational education institutions on our city, which has affected every part of our community by contributing to rising crime rates. To address this issue, it’s crucial to examine its root cause: a lack of skills necessary for a decent quality of life, which many individuals are currently missing. Instead of continually engaging in unproductive crime summits and meetings that drain resources and yield no reduction in crime, we should acknowledge that persisting in identical actions with the hope of different results represents a form of illogical thinking.

I propose that we unite as a community and provide our children with the opportunity to acquire valuable skills. This will enable them to lead fulfilling lives and steer clear of the pitfalls of jail, prison, or premature death. By doing so, we can begin the process of healing our city and restoring it to the place we all once cherished.

While we strive to reopen vocational education schools, I recommend that the administration establish a Community Advisory Group. This group would serve as a central coordinating body for various programs across the city, ensuring that residents have easy access to and can utilize these resources in the interim. It is my belief that this Advisory Group should comprise a diverse array of stakeholders, including former vocational education instructors, union members, corporate partners, parents, skilled tradespeople, and more. Together, we can achieve this goal by actively listening to and valuing the input of our residents.”