Suburbia, the next slum? (Chicago, Cicero: employment, to buy, schools)

[rockinrolla]

Originally Posted by mendelman

Wrong-o. Steve-o presumes to know the settlement decisions for 4-5 mil people. No. Many people probably never even considered an "urban" setting or it was a better decision to locate outside the City due to job location for one, such as myself. I would love to live where I can walk to work and groceries and parks and you can do that in many neighborhoods in the City...and guess what, you can also live "urban" in many suburbs.

I am really tiring of blanket assumptions about huge populations from pseudo-intellectuals.

Whoops, you just made a blanket assumption.

All them upscale burbs north and west of the city have one thing in common, the metra trains running through them into the city are packed to the gills in the morning with affluent suburbanites, commuting to work into the city.

No, I'd have to say that most of them live where they do by choice, not circumstance. Myself included.

[rockinrolla]

Originally Posted by sukwoo

I'll just reiterate a point I made a year ago. Its not about what people what, its what they can afford. So long as our current economic system subsidizes suburbia, more people will choose suburban living than would do so if the playing field was level. If in the future, the economic landscape changes such that there are disincentives to live in suburbia, many of those same people will decide that, regardless of their personal preferences, living in a more urban environment makes the best sense from an economic perspective. Obviously hedge fund billionaires will live wherever they want, but except in HSW's world, they're only a miniscule fraction of society.

"Subsidized suburbia", lolz?

[supernerdgirl]

Originally Posted by rockinrolla

"Subsidized suburbia", lolz?

subsidized highways? lolz?

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by rockinrolla

"Subsidized suburbia", lolz?

Maybe you need to read more.

[cubssoxfan]

Originally Posted by supernerdgirl

subsidized highways? lolz?

And to be fair, subsidized public transit. Public transit agencies have been having trouble paying their own way for at least 70 years-way before the automobile took over after WW2.
I see cost and personal preference BOTH playing a role in this.

[rockinrolla]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Maybe you need to read more.

No, I actually don't. Why not call it subsidized city...them subsidized highways run thru it as well.

[oakparkdude]

Free Market Approaches to Sprawl
Good Jobs First - Chicago Sprawling Subsidy Bias
http://www.sbs.utexas.edu/resource/U...ews/27spra.htm
The Urbanophile: Building Suburbs That Last #3 - The Mother of All Impact Fees
The Urbanophile: End Property Tax Collection in Arrears

[supernerdgirl]

Originally Posted by cubssoxfan

And to be fair, subsidized public transit. Public transit agencies have been having trouble paying their own way for at least 70 years-way before the automobile took over after WW2.
I see cost and personal preference BOTH playing a role in this.

but why is it "ok" to subsidize the highways and it's an outrage to subsidize transit?

[oakparkdude]

Originally Posted by supernerdgirl

but why is it "ok" to subsidize the highways and it's an outrage to subsidize transit?

Because sprawl is good and all-American. People freely choose suburban sprawl so its simply the efficient market sorting out winners and losers. Sprawl is good therefore we should subsidize it. Transit is bad, and dirty, so it doesn't deserve our subsidies. Just look how much nicer our brand new highway is compared to that crappy, run-down subway. It just proves the innate superiority of highways over public transit.

[cubssoxfan]

Originally Posted by supernerdgirl

but why is it "ok" to subsidize the highways and it's an outrage to subsidize transit?

Well I didn't say it's Ok to subsidize one and not the other.
My question is why do so many outer ring villages allow the re-zoning for all the homes and commercial development? Politicians lining their pockets? Fulfilling what the market desires? Allowing the freedom for farmers to cash out? It is a complex issue.