Back to DC (Atlanta: crime, job outlook, private schools)

[back2dc]

Just wanted to say that I gave Atlanta a six-month chance, but I think I've made up my mind to head back to DC. I've been reading these forums for a while and weighed all the pros and cons presented here.

I think Atlanta has a lot of potential, but I just cannot take the sprawl or the lack of a subway system (or the lack of state planning for an expanded subway/public transit).

I imagine in about 20 years Atlanta will be on par with DC, Chicago, San Francisco, etc., but I'm not getting any younger and can't wait around. In the meantime, the people that do stay here HAVE to vote those good ol' boys out of Georgia state office. You're going to have to raise taxes to pay for more police, road planning, public transit, pollution control and crime prevention.

Atlanta needs to densify, densify, densify ITP. Good luck to all of you. See you in the DC/Northern Virginia forums.

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by back2dc

the people that do stay here HAVE to vote those good ol' boys out of Georgia state office. You're going to have to raise taxes to pay for more police, road planning, public transit, pollution control and crime prevention.

Atlanta needs to densify, densify, densify ITP. Good luck to all of you. See you in the DC/Northern Virginia forums.

I agree that the people need to vote out the old farts that have been running the show. There are some key people who have been in office for a long time that slow down progress in key areas, from town leaders all the way up to the Governor's office. People need to make the effort to vote, though. Atlantan's are famous for not being very motivated and having the attitude of, "Oh dang, I meant to vote, but I had to pick up my drycleaning instead!". Leave the drycleaning behind for a day - VOTE.

As far as "densify", it won't happen much more. You're comparing Atlanta to a Northern city such as DC, Philly, NYC... where cities are more condensed and close-in. Atlanta is the "L.A. of the East", and that will never change. Sprawled and spread out is the way it will continue to go. As more people move to the area and some suburbanites move closer-in so as to avoid the growing traffic problem, it will naturally become a more dense city, but it will continue to have a sprawl problem in all directions as that is unfortunately the nature of this city.

[Mike Jones 1999]

Originally Posted by back2dc

Just wanted to say that I gave Atlanta a six-month chance, but I think I've made up my mind to head back to DC. I've been reading these forums for a while and weighed all the pros and cons presented here.

I think Atlanta has a lot of potential, but I just cannot take the sprawl or the lack of a subway system (or the lack of state planning for an expanded subway/public transit).

I imagine in about 20 years Atlanta will be on par with DC, Chicago, San Francisco, etc., but I'm not getting any younger and can't wait around. In the meantime, the people that do stay here HAVE to vote those good ol' boys out of Georgia state office. You're going to have to raise taxes to pay for more police, road planning, public transit, pollution control and crime prevention.

Atlanta needs to densify, densify, densify ITP. Good luck to all of you. See you in the DC/Northern Virginia forums.

Good luck to you on the move back to the DC area. My wife and I cannot wait to get the heck out of this area. For us the cost of housing/living here is crazy for a young family starting out. We will be moving to the Atlanta area before the end of the year. Good luck to you!!!!

[RainyRainyDay]

Originally Posted by back2dc

You're going to have to raise taxes to pay for more police, road planning, public transit, pollution control and crime prevention.

I agree this would be desirable but I can't see it happening. Our state legislators and apparently the voters think we're way over-taxed at present. They apparently favor gated communities and private schools over police, crime prevention and public education. They do seem to be in favor of more roads, but favor private partnerships with tolls to pay for 'em. Public transit? You must be kidding.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by back2dc

Just wanted to say that I gave Atlanta a six-month chance, but I think I've made up my mind to head back to DC. I've been reading these forums for a while and weighed all the pros and cons presented here.

I think Atlanta has a lot of potential, but I just cannot take the sprawl or the lack of a subway system (or the lack of state planning for an expanded subway/public transit).

I imagine in about 20 years Atlanta will be on par with DC, Chicago, San Francisco, etc., but I'm not getting any younger and can't wait around. In the meantime, the people that do stay here HAVE to vote those good ol' boys out of Georgia state office. You're going to have to raise taxes to pay for more police, road planning, public transit, pollution control and crime prevention.

Atlanta needs to densify, densify, densify ITP. Good luck to all of you. See you in the DC/Northern Virginia forums.

I'm an Atlanta native, but I have to say that you're preaching to the choir on this...we've got some real troglodytes in the state legislature with an inherent anti-Atlanta bias. As for Sonny, his mindset is if it don't belch smoke, it ain't transportation.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by back2dc

I imagine in about 20 years Atlanta will be on par with DC, Chicago, San Francisco, etc.,

Maybe 50. Definitely not 20.

I'm dying to read this book:

Moderator cut: image removed Grand Avenues
I doubt there's anyone in Atlanta's history who had an ounce of the urban planning sense of L'Enfant.

[Iconographer]

Oh, wow...I'm ordering that today.

[Scraper Enthusiast]

Originally Posted by back2dc

Just wanted to say that I gave Atlanta a six-month chance, but I think I've made up my mind to head back to DC. I've been reading these forums for a while and weighed all the pros and cons presented here.

I think Atlanta has a lot of potential, but I just cannot take the sprawl or the lack of a subway system (or the lack of state planning for an expanded subway/public transit).

I imagine in about 20 years Atlanta will be on par with DC, Chicago, San Francisco, etc., but I'm not getting any younger and can't wait around. In the meantime, the people that do stay here HAVE to vote those good ol' boys out of Georgia state office. You're going to have to raise taxes to pay for more police, road planning, public transit, pollution control and crime prevention.

Atlanta needs to densify, densify, densify ITP. Good luck to all of you. See you in the DC/Northern Virginia forums.

Atlanta is by far LARGER than DC. It actually has a skyline, and is a much more mature city, in terms of "fastness of life". The only thing metro DC has on Atlanta is a much denser "downtown" (the district) and inner suburbs, as well as a superior rail transportation system (having a better heavy rail line, as well as a commuter rail line).

Atlanta beats DC in these areas:

More affordable
Better Highway network
Skyline
Better job outlook

DC was built to be dense, from the start. If Atlanta had been designated the place for the US capital district, the same would have occurred.

Sheesh.

On back to DC you go.

[Scraper Enthusiast]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

I agree that the people need to vote out the old farts that have been running the show. There are some key people who have been in office for a long time that slow down progress in key areas, from town leaders all the way up to the Governor's office. People need to make the effort to vote, though. Atlantan's are famous for not being very motivated and having the attitude of, "Oh dang, I meant to vote, but I had to pick up my drycleaning instead!". Leave the drycleaning behind for a day - VOTE.

As far as "densify", it won't happen much more. You're comparing Atlanta to a Northern city such as DC, Philly, NYC... where cities are more condensed and close-in. Atlanta is the "L.A. of the East", and that will never change. Sprawled and spread out is the way it will continue to go. As more people move to the area and some suburbanites move closer-in so as to avoid the growing traffic problem, it will naturally become a more dense city, but it will continue to have a sprawl problem in all directions as that is unfortunately the nature of this city.

The governor's office has little to do with it. Atlanta's numerous municipalities simply do not want to work together. Add in the numerous county governments, and it is hard to get anything laid as a foundation for cooperation.

Roy Barnes, former governor, tried with the Ga. Regional Transportation Authority, and at least it has tried and given us a few bus routes, as well as long range plans. It is not the "good ol' boy network'. Furthermore, the rest of the state is vying for state dollars, too, as metro Atlanta isn't the whole state. To deny the rest of the state at the interest of Atlanta, which already gets a comparable share to its population, is wrong.

[Vampgrrl]

I can tell you too that having gone to school in south GA one year, people outside of metro Atlanta HATE Atlanta, despise it and would prefer the earth open and swallow the metro area whole.
I do not endorse this idea but legislators outside the metro Atlanta area as hostile to Atlanta, and legislators in the metro Atlanta but outside atlanta proper hate Atlanta as well.
it's not a good formula for getting anything done.