Can Baltimore City Save Itself, By Itself? (apartment, renting)

[baltplanner]

I feel as though a lot of native baltimoreans tend towards self destructive behavior. It seems like alot of locals have terrible upbringings where they aren't taught basic manners, civic responsibility, or consideration for other people. Furthermore many have little ambition to make more of themselves or do anything positive to benefit their community (there seems to be an absence of good role models in a lot of neighborhoods)... there's just alot of negativity in the environment and bad parenting.

Alot of newcomers (the people I spend most of my time with) are unimpressed by what they see as the generally inconsiderate, boorish behavior of a lot of the "blue collar locals". Littering, public intoxication, not saying please and thank you, not bothering to take care of your property, swearing around children, and generally being inconsiderate of how your behavior impacts other people around you are all low class traits and do nothing to create a more positive living environment.

Its easy to see why alot of new people isolate themselves to parts of the city where this behavior is less common- it just makes for a better quality of life.

If Baltimore is going to be saved, locals need to start taking more responsibility for the impacts their actions have on their community. Also, a shot of fresh blood from middle and upper class outsiders moving in could have transformational benefits for many neighborhoods.

[baltplanner]

Also net-migration is actually much higher in most other major cities in the region (Net Migration Estimates for U.S. Counties, 1950-2010). Having a greater percentage of people moving in and out (bringing in cycles of new blood) would actually make us a more typical city.

[pokeable]

[quote=baltplanner;32386814 Also, a shot of fresh blood from middle and upper class outsiders moving in could have transformational benefits for many neighborhoods.[/quote]

You need for there to be a reason for upper class folks to move downtown. High-paying jobs (or ease of commute to said jobs), unique lifestyle, excellent schools, good city services are typical draws for "the upper class".

Places like Fells, Canton, Federal Hill are pretty unique, especially more character than some of the cookie-cutter places in Bethesda, the newer parts of DC. However, this doesn't make up for the MUCH higher property tax, crap-tastic traffic out of Baltimore, poor city services, not-as-good public schools and the dearth of higher-paying jobs.

[baltplanner]

You're right- property taxes definitely need to come down if we're going to significantly turn things around. A trade off needs to occur where an increased number of higher income people (and more expensive properties) are being taxed at lower rates to make up for the net per property loss in revenues you'd initially experience because of the decline in tax rates. In this scenario you'd eventually see overall increases in tax receipts which ideally would be reinvested in infrastructure and quality of life issues to attract even more people, keeping the city budget on a sustainable, positive trajectory. Over time property values would rise as areas became more attractive and would reinforce growth in tax revenues (and I'm a democrat saying this... it's just that the democrats in this city have taken the tax and spend strategy to a self destructive level). Boston was able to begin a very successful turn around during the late 80's using this same method.

For Baltimore, quick capital improvements, particularly a growth in rental apartments, in the near term will improve property values, increase the number of residents, and improve local service sector and other business activity. The added benefit here is that property taxes are hidden within rents and become a non-issue to those tenets (even with the property tax rates rental prices in Baltimore City are generally competitive with the surrounding area.) The city should encourage the development of rental properties in high amenity neighborhoods to see more immediate gains in property, business, and income tax revenues; while at the same time decreasing property tax rates to benefit new and long term property owners. The City should be careful to reduce property tax rates at a pace where they can still continue to increase total capital project funding by at least 5-10% per year so that they can actually make progress in reducing backlogs of deferred maintenance (they should even consider deficit spending as type of long term investment to control ballooning infrastructure costs....repaving a surface when its just "bad" is a lot cheaper than ripping up an entire road bed because the condition has become "awful") . A positive physical environment will have spill over effects on social issues (the "broken window theory".... treating at least a portion of the disease instead of the symptoms ie. criminal and anti-social behavior).

From a city budget perspective spending money on issues directly targeted at the poor in Baltimore is often a sunk cost. For instance, we have the 8th largest police force (measured by number of officers) yet we're the 25th largest city. If there were less poor people we'd need less cops... policing the anti-social behavior of the poor is causing us to have a much higher police budget than most cities our size (and this is just one example of many). I think about these issues as fitting with the "lifeboat ethic". You can save alot of drowning people (those in the poor community) by sticking them in your life boat, but if you try saving them all they'll eventually swamp the boat (you'll be spending all your money on them without being able to invest in areas that more effectively grow tax receipts) and kill everyone. In short- of course these people need the city to help them.. but the city can't do much to help if it doesn't do something to get its fiscal house in order.

[baltplanner]

With all this said- I'm still optimistic about Baltimore's future. City government, while frequently inept, is directing policy towards productive outcomes. I think SRB, and maybe more so the mayor after her, will have a huge influence at this critical turning point.

[emmiesix]

Originally Posted by baltplanner

With all this said- I'm still optimistic about Baltimore's future. City government, while frequently inept, is directing policy towards productive outcomes. I think SRB, and maybe more so the mayor after her, will have a huge influence at this critical turning point.

You seem like a level-headed person with a good eye for what Baltimore needs, so out of curiosity, who would you support for Mayor in 2014? Replace SRB? My somewhat uneducated opinion from living here a year is that she's not the best option, though far from the worst. Seems to not really have a vision for Baltimore, is rather to inclined to listen to her friends in local business.

[fibonacci]

People are getting priced out of DC and will move to Bmore. Compare philly in the 70s and 80s to now. People got priced out of NYC and are moving to philly while constantly improving it.

[baltplanner]

I personally like SRB's policies, I just think she does a poor job selling a "vision" of the future. She needs to be clearer, more detailed, and more enthusiastic about the direction she wants to take the city in and why she wants to move it that way. Cities on the mend need aggressive, charismatic leaders (think of what Giuliani did for crime in NYC or how Cory Booker actually turned around certain neighborhoods in Newark and marketed them to wealthier Manhattan commuters). Business leaders find comfort in an realistic, articulated vision, and they're more eager to latch onto cities with that type of strong leader.

[baltplanner]

This was in the business journal today (PMC is about to start work on another 170 downtown Baltimore apartments - Baltimore Business Journal)

You can see that the City is already working with developers to renovate downtown and add rental units. Its a good short term strategy to promote development while property taxes are still so high. In the long term however this will just concentrate redevelopment to certain properties and certain neighborhoods. City-wide improvement will only occur when you encourage individual property owners to reinvest (ie. you need to lower property taxes and improve living conditions).

[EdwardA]

Originally Posted by DC's Finest

DC is 50% black.

and dropping. Hence the improvement.