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There are so many towns that were once great places to live but are now real hell holes. Who is to blame for the rapid loss in the quality of life in these communities?
The people who live there
or
The government officials who let the quality of life go down hill by not promoting the economy, improving the housing stock, attracting retail businesses, letting the schools go down hill, etc.
Some would say as the economy in America changed and people moved from small towns to suburbs, that saving many of the small towns became impossible. The quality of the people left became worse and worse and local governments just stood by and watched everything go down hill and there was little anyone could do.
There are so many towns that were once great places to live but are now real hell holes. Who is to blame for the rapid loss in the quality of life in these communities?
The people who live there
or
The government officials who let the quality of life go down hill by not promoting the economy, improving the housing stock, attracting retail businesses, letting the schools go down hill, etc.
Some would say as the economy in America changed and people moved from small towns to suburbs, that saving many of the small towns became impossible. The quality of the people left became worse and worse and local governments just stood by and watched everything go down hill and there was little anyone could do.
Are these the only 2 choices?? What about the rise and fall of industries? What about corporate buy-outs? What about decline in the tax base? What about influxes of uneducated people? What about decisions made at the Federal level? What about... Well, you get the idea. In your quest for those to blame you will turn up many disparite perpetrators.
The government officials who let the quality of life go down hill by not promoting the economy, improving the housing stock, attracting retail businesses, letting the schools go down hill, etc.
You do realize that the local government is comprised of "people who live there," right?
Sometimes geography comes into play. I remember reading once that Youngstown's growth as a steel center was stunted by the lack of water. The city's major river, the Mahoning, didn't provide the amount of water that Pittsburgh, Cleveland, or Chicago had access to. This led to lack of reinvestment in Youngstown area plants. Of course, there are many other factors involved, such as those mentioned by Ben Around. The Steel Industry collapsed, economic diversification did not occur, the middle class fled the city, the tax base declined, the schools worsened, crime escalated, the city's reputation was tarnished, etc etc etc...
A combination of factors causes an urban area to start to suffer but I think one of the biggest reasons is jobs and the lack thereof. I am thinking of Youngstown, Ohio as an example. When the steel industry shut down, so did Youngstown and it has been hard for that city to recover. I don't think this is inherent of older cities either. The cylce continues, some rebound while others who are doing great may begin to experience similar difficulties. Maybe it is growing pains.
It is the fault of the people who DON'T live there, and the FEDERAL government. The states with the most declining cities are also the states that have a low taxes paid to federal dollars received ratio. That, combined with a loss of people, are the main problems of most declining areas. I have written extensively on this in some of my other posts.
Priceless location, Perfect Weather, Lots of Money, Endless potential.
Wasted by an ineffective and absent Mayor(the last one was awesome) who was elected primarily by a backwards thinking political establishment that subconsiously wishes to keep the city down. Theyd rather have the city's flatlands remain ghetto than have it gentrified.
Its a damn shame. But I think it will change due to economic market forces(heck its already happening quite briskly in downtown and the waterfront), only much slower than possible because of resistance from the city itself. Aint that a b*tch?
Oaklands problems stem from globalization. Its just not feasable to manufacture goods in america anymore. Oakland has suffered as a result. Early 1970's oakland looked nothing like early 80's oakland, etc, etc,. Oakland has been fortunate considering the multitude of other industries through out the bay. Oakland has been able to avoid certain aspects of poverty that citys like st. louis, detroit, baltimore, etc., have not been able to. Some cities have blocks that look like Dresden after a b17 bomber raid.
Oakland culturally i feel is another story. Voilence seems to be more prevelant than ever. As one popular bay area rapper put it, "all the crack babies have grown up and have a.d.d now". Some of these kids its just really sad, and its only getting worse. That couped in with the whole machismo culture in the hispanic neighborhoods and its no suprise oakland is up there in the most dangerous cities rankings.
I feel that blaming things on the mayor is far to vague. Mayor after mayor has stepped into a situation in oakland where a multitude of economic forces beyond their control, kept them from making many major changes in oakland. Id attribute a lot of oaklands demise to the mainstream culture thats been prevelant in the black community and the hispanic community for many years. The whole glorification of criminals, its a shame ands been going on in oakland for many years.
Oaklands problems stem from globalization. Its just not feasable to manufacture goods in america anymore. Oakland has suffered as a result. Early 1970's oakland looked nothing like early 80's oakland, etc, etc,. Oakland has been fortunate considering the multitude of other industries through out the bay. Oakland has been able to avoid certain aspects of poverty that citys like st. louis, detroit, baltimore, etc., have not been able to. Some cities have blocks that look like Dresden after a b17 bomber raid.
All true.
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Oakland culturally i feel is another story. Voilence seems to be more prevelant than ever.
It was actually much worse when I was in high school(89-92). Definitely.
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That couped in with the whole machismo culture in the hispanic neighborhoods and its no suprise oakland is up there in the most dangerous cities rankings.
Im just beaming with pride about it.
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I feel that blaming things on the mayor is far to vague.
Under normal circumstances Id agree. But Ron Dellums had such a grand vision for Oakland-as if Jerry Brown hadnt laid the groundwork for huge increase in DT living and retail(Jerry Brown oversaw the development of 5,000 new housing in DT Oakland, that is amazing). Ron Dellums said he wants to see 100,000 more people living in DT, has promised to fix everything and has yet to offer up a plan to fix anything.
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Mayor after mayor has stepped into a situation in oakland where a multitude of economic forces beyond their control, kept them from making many major changes in oakland.
Downtown Oakland is now a different place thanks to the forward thinking policies of Jerry Brown.
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Id attribute a lot of oaklands demise to the mainstream culture thats been prevelant in the black community and the hispanic community for many years.
This pertains to most cities in the country, not just Oakland. But I tend to agree.
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The whole glorification of criminals, its a shame ands been going on in oakland for many years.
Yes. Its hard for do-gooders to make it in a culture that seems to shun you. I know from my own personal experience.
Voilence seems to be more prevelant than ever. As one popular bay area rapper put it, "all the crack babies have grown up and have a.d.d now". .
ADD doesn't violent people make. If it did, Oakland could distribute Ritalin amongst the "crack babies" and downsize the police department.
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What about the rise and fall of industries? What about corporate buy-outs? What about decline in the tax base? What about influxes of uneducated people? What about decisions made at the Federal level? What about... Well, you get the idea. In your quest for those to blame you will turn up many disparite perpetrators.
