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Trojan, how about a Summary? Your thoughts? This is a discussion forum not an AMC.
Basically poorer, dense, urban, walkable neighborhoods contribute more financially to a city than affluent suburban neighborhoods. Quite interesting because over in the New Jersey forum suburbanites are the ones who complain the loudest about property taxes.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Our city (Sammamish WA) of 65,000 has no poorer, dense, urban, walkable neighborhoods at all. In the 2008 recession there were only a few layoffs, in the building permit department. Not because there was no money to pay them, but because there was no one building. With the average home at $1.2 million, and property tax at over $12,000 now, the city has more than enough funds to build new parks and maintain the streets and other infrastructure.
Our city (Sammamish WA) of 65,000 has no poorer, dense, urban, walkable neighborhoods at all. In the 2008 recession there were only a few layoffs, in the building permit department. Not because there was no money to pay them, but because there was no one building. With the average home at $1.2 million, and property tax at over $12,000 now, the city has more than enough funds to build new parks and maintain the streets and other infrastructure.
You brag on these numbers as though they represent a healthy economy.
All it shows is high cost suburban isolationism.
lots of flawed assumptions in that video, which is produced by a "urban density, fewer cars!" outfit. Primary one is assuming the entirety of infrastructure gets replaced every 20 years.
Another example, claiming an older urban "poor" section of Lafayette subsidizes the "ncier", "richer", "suburban". This isn't true because ...
The infrastructure of "poor area" - be that repaving roads, the power grid, but more importantly the water/sewer infrastructure is far closer to needing the "investment" than a 10 year old suburban neighborhood. Yet theoretically, the cost of capital replacement is borne by all.
Anecdotally, we know more crime requiring high LEO involvement occurs in poor areas. I mean sure, the "rich area" gets property crime, but that's sending A cop or duo out to investigate, not the high-stakes activity of felony assault or gunshot incidents.
Also, it seems pretty standard - but I could be wrong - that cities charge developers at least SOME of the infrastructure cost. For intersections, sewer permits, the actual water/sewer within the neighborhood. And the developers pay for the roads within the subdivision to current city standards, and then "turn them over" to the municipality when complete ... the city isn't repaving those roads for a decade at least. Now, should cities charge the developers a higher % of the costs - sure.
Basically poorer, dense, urban, walkable neighborhoods contribute more financially to a city than affluent suburban neighborhoods. Quite interesting because over in the New Jersey forum suburbanites are the ones who complain the loudest about property taxes.
Doesn't the bolded kind of make sense since the affluent suburbs aren't typically within the corporate limits of the city?
Eventhough Europe is touted as being so walkable, and dense, and everyone rides bikes, I still see a ton of cars, and more motor bikes. Germany built the Audobon for a reason.
Even a place like Hong Kong with its public transportation, still has many cars. In fact, having a car is a symbol that one aspires too. If you move out to the New Territories, you get a car.
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