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That is to say, do the City and its residents have the resources, tools, ways and means to correct (or at least adequately address) the problems of crime, poverty, unemployment, corruption, drugs, failing schools, crumbling infrastructure, and decaying and/or abandoned public and private buildings and housing stock?
Or must we always have to rely upon the state and fed to bolster our beloved, but seemingly perpetually floundering, City?
I know that there has been a slight population increase over the past few years, but so far that doesn't seem to be enough to turn things around in an appreciable way. I read that there is an uptick in incomes for jobs in medicine, sciences, communications and engineering, but the black population has an unemployment rate of over 25%. MD public schools are ranked amongst the best in the Nation, but Baltimore's H.S. graduation rate is well under 50%. Crime overall is said to be on the decline (whether this is due to the way crimes are reported, or some fudging of stats by the BPD, or is actually happening is a matter of some debate, tho') but the murder rate is increasing again. The City has torn down many vacants, but there are still tens of thousands of abandoned, collapsing houses all over the City. Sink holes in public streets and water main breaks are commonplaces.
My friend Tony the B.C. Cop says that the only cure for Baltimore City is an atom bomb, or "a couple of hundred thousand more white people." He's jaded, sure, after 24 years on the street, but could he be right? Are majority black cities doomed to failure, and will always have to be shorn up by taxpayers from other jurisdictions? After decades of flight, despair, and political mismanagement, can we do this on our own?
Older blue collar cities like Baltimore, Detroit, Flint that have lost their main job creators (here its Sparrow Point, GM, Solo Cup etc) need to reinvent themselves as a city that offers something that no other city has. There has to be a competent city government that wants to invest in this city and move it forward. The mayor is in Panama now I guess positioning Baltimore as a major player in the shipping trade. That could be a good thing. But will she follow thru? Always what happens here is we build these casinos, hilton hotel, station norths, Grand Prix, etc and there is no infrastrucure in place to support it. The city tries all these different ideas and nothing sticks cause there is no thought of how to keep it viable or how to keep people interested. Everything here is done so quickly without long term planning just to give the appearance of keeping up. This city needs people with disposable incomes to spend and boost the local economy. There is no viable transportation here and that is key. The red line will help but that will take years to complete. The crime needs to grind down to where its not discouraging people to come here. The crime and drug problem here are probably the biggest deterrent. People getting shot and stabbed at the inner harbor on the fourth of July will discourage folks from coming back. What could make Baltimore more desirable, livable, attractive to young folks? What job sector could be specific to Baltimore to bring people here? I say put it all on the ballot and see what ideas you get.
So...this is a great question and deserves a lot of thought. I do believe Baltimore is making slow but steady progress.... the question of who is responsible for that progress is a good one.
First I wanted to correct a statement from your first post- the HS graduation rate is well ABOVE 50% and recently the black male population has shown plenty of improvement (https://www.baltimorecity.gov/Office..._to_Climb.aspx).
The city receives huge amounts of cash every year from the state (mostly for transportation and education) and from the Feds (mostly HUD grants and education dollars.... and of course the absolutely massive amount of research dollars going to Hopkins and UMB). But so do many other major cities (I used to read plenty about about the people of Georgia not wanting to send money into Atlanta when I lived down south).
I don't think the city being majority Black is really the issue (DC, Atlanta, Savannah, and Richmond are all majority black and have far fewer social issues than Baltimore.) The issue here is concentrated poverty... its become so bad in so many parts of the city that its scared away a lot decent people of all racial backgrounds.
A come back will and should include a return of people from varying economic backgrounds...regardless of race. It just so happens that the majority of Americans, particularly rich and middle income Americans, are white (but hey they've had alot going for them for a looooonggg time so it shouldn't be too big a surprise that they're doing so well on aggregate.)
Last edited by baltplanner; 11-19-2013 at 03:17 PM..
I don't think the city being majority Black is really the issue (DC, Atlanta, Savannah, and Richmond are all majority black and have far fewer social issues than Baltimore.)
Yes, Baltimore Blacks do seem to have a certain je ne sais quoi, don't they?
That is to say, do the City and its residents have the resources, tools, ways and means to correct (or at least adequately address) the problems of crime, poverty, unemployment, corruption, drugs, failing schools, crumbling infrastructure, and decaying and/or abandoned public and private buildings and housing stock?
Or must we always have to rely upon the state and fed to bolster our beloved, but seemingly perpetually floundering, City?
I know that there has been a slight population increase over the past few years, but so far that doesn't seem to be enough to turn things around in an appreciable way. I read that there is an uptick in incomes for jobs in medicine, sciences, communications and engineering, but the black population has an unemployment rate of over 25%. MD public schools are ranked amongst the best in the Nation, but Baltimore's H.S. graduation rate is well under 50%. Crime overall is said to be on the decline (whether this is due to the way crimes are reported, or some fudging of stats by the BPD, or is actually happening is a matter of some debate, tho') but the murder rate is increasing again. The City has torn down many vacants, but there are still tens of thousands of abandoned, collapsing houses all over the City. Sink holes in public streets and water main breaks are commonplaces.
My friend Tony the B.C. Cop says that the only cure for Baltimore City is an atom bomb, or "a couple of hundred thousand more white people." He's jaded, sure, after 24 years on the street, but could he be right? Are majority black cities doomed to failure, and will always have to be shorn up by taxpayers from other jurisdictions? After decades of flight, despair, and political mismanagement, can we do this on our own?
Your cop friend is right. Baltimore is 65% Black, if that percentage gets lower things will improve. If not they won't. It's that simple unfortunately.
So...this is a great question and deserves a lot of thought. I do believe Baltimore is making slow but steady progress.... the question of who is responsible for that progress is a good one.
First I wanted to correct a statement from your first post- the HS graduation rate is well ABOVE 50% and recently the black male population has shown plenty of improvement (https://www.baltimorecity.gov/Office..._to_Climb.aspx).
The city receives huge amounts of cash every year from the state (mostly for transportation and education) and from the Feds (mostly HUD grants and education dollars.... and of course the absolutely massive amount of research dollars going to Hopkins and UMB). But so do many other major cities (I used to read plenty about about the people of Georgia not wanting to send money into Atlanta when I lived down south).
I don't think the city being majority Black is really the issue (DC, Atlanta, Savannah, and Richmond are all majority black and have far fewer social issues than Baltimore.) The issue here is concentrated poverty... its become so bad in so many parts of the city that its scared away a lot decent people of all racial backgrounds.
A come back will and should include a return of people from varying economic backgrounds...regardless of race. It just so happens that the majority of Americans, particularly rich and middle income Americans, are white (but hey they've had alot going for them for a looooonggg time so it shouldn't be too big a surprise that they're doing so well on aggregate.)
DC is no longer majority. Atlanta is barely majority Black. Savannah and Richmond have loads of social issues.
So...this is a great question and deserves a lot of thought. I do believe Baltimore is making slow but steady progress.... the question of who is responsible for that progress is a good one.
First I wanted to correct a statement from your first post- the HS graduation rate is well ABOVE 50% and recently the black male population has shown plenty of improvement (https://www.baltimorecity.gov/Office..._to_Climb.aspx).
The city receives huge amounts of cash every year from the state (mostly for transportation and education) and from the Feds (mostly HUD grants and education dollars.... and of course the absolutely massive amount of research dollars going to Hopkins and UMB). But so do many other major cities (I used to read plenty about about the people of Georgia not wanting to send money into Atlanta when I lived down south).
I don't think the city being majority Black is really the issue (DC, Atlanta, Savannah, and Richmond are all majority black and have far fewer social issues than Baltimore.) The issue here is concentrated poverty... its become so bad in so many parts of the city that its scared away a lot decent people of all racial backgrounds.
A come back will and should include a return of people from varying economic backgrounds...regardless of race. It just so happens that the majority of Americans, particularly rich and middle income Americans, are white (but hey they've had alot going for them for a looooonggg time so it shouldn't be too big a surprise that they're doing so well on aggregate.)
Interesting to learn that the City School's grad rate has gone up so dramatically-from 34% in 2007 to 41% in 2009 to 66% in 2012 to 87% in 2013- a nearly 2 1/2x increase in 6 years. So interesting that I find it hard to believe that any normal standards of educational practices could have brought about such a change in such a short period of time-don't these years happen to coincide with Andres Alonso's tenure as City Schools' Commissioner and hasty departure as a grade fixing scandal began to unfold earlier this year? Wholly coincidental I'm sure, as Harvard has need of "guest lecturers."
I'm also not convinced by the Atlanta argument-as a native Georgian I'm well aware of the "Two Georgias" issue. But Atlanta has always been that state's cash cow, something Baltimore surely is not.
I want Baltimore to succeed. This is my town, schizophrenic as it may be. But can it be done with what we have? Must it take a continual contribution of state and federal dollars just to keep Charm City barely solvent? Surely a slow influx of white yuppies with some money will help-but only in certain circumscribed areas of the city, and for how long?
As a high income business owner who is relatively new to Baltimore I think it can be done. People need to stop complaining and start doing. As the saying goes.....you reap what you sow. If residents want Baltimore to be a better place they've got to put in the work. This means getting highly involved in your community, and I don't mean just complaining to officials. Develop your community, this means volunteering in schools, getting to know neighbors, picking up trash, shopping locally, creating businesses, mentoring people, maintaining your property, helping your neighbors to maintain their property, making cross cultural connections, not stereotyping, and most of all.....STOP WHINING! In my eyes Baltimore is a city with serious issues, but also tons of opportunity given it's great housing stock and affordability. If more people start taking social responsibility more seriously this city will turnaround at a must faster pace. Also for the record I am "black" and don't see how my absence from the city would be a plus. If I left would you like me to take the high paying jobs I create with me?
Last edited by freeazabird; 11-19-2013 at 09:58 PM..
Repped freezabird! I know things have definitely improved in North Baltimore. Private developers wouldn't risk millions in my area of Remington if it wasn't a guaranteed money maker! Perfect location, shops, restaurants and mass transit all within walking distance. Things can only get better.
Interesting to learn that the City School's grad rate has gone up so dramatically-from 34% in 2007 to 41% in 2009 to 66% in 2012 to 87% in 2013- a nearly 2 1/2x increase in 6 years. So interesting that I find it hard to believe that any normal standards of educational practices could have brought about such a change in such a short period of time-don't these years happen to coincide with Andres Alonso's tenure as City Schools' Commissioner and hasty departure as a grade fixing scandal began to unfold earlier this year? Wholly coincidental I'm sure, as Harvard has need of "guest lecturers."
I'm also not convinced by the Atlanta argument-as a native Georgian I'm well aware of the "Two Georgias" issue. But Atlanta has always been that state's cash cow, something Baltimore surely is not.
I want Baltimore to succeed. This is my town, schizophrenic as it may be. But can it be done with what we have? Must it take a continual contribution of state and federal dollars just to keep Charm City barely solvent? Surely a slow influx of white yuppies with some money will help-but only in certain circumscribed areas of the city, and for how long?
The answer to that is: Until they have kids. I've lived in Upper Fells for quite a while. I've seen neighbors come and neighbors go. One thing, almost without exception, is young couples move as soon as their child becomes close to school aged.
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