big problems in small cities (London, Hazard: crimes, homes, neighborhoods)

[bullfrogger]

I am looking for opinions and ideas here. I am wondering what you think are the biggest problems in the smaller cities in Kentucky. I am open to any and all Ideas too. I would like to take my city, Munfordville, and make it grow. It's a small stagnant town with little to no progress. Thank you.

[tomocox]

The absolutely most terrible problem facing any small government is meddling by state and federal governments. Unfunded mandates are huge issues that face every small town, county, or berg from Portland, ME to Hilo, HI. Politicians love to pass things such as mandatory supplies of road salt for Key West, then get banner headlines of how they were able to have grants awarded to the small towns.

But to be more direct to how I think you are questioning, small towns fight to have enough commercial services such as super-markets, even gasoline stations operating a profits allowing them to be open. The economies of scale are such that a 1 or 2% markup by retail grocers over their wholesale costs just don't allow most to keep their doors open. It's a harsh economic time fighting the mass marketers.

[timelesschild]

Drugs, especially meth, are a huge problem in small Kentucky towns. I'm sorry, but that is a difficult one to solve. Part of it stems directly from the difficulty of making a living in a more acceptable way.

People living staring at their televisions is quite a problem and subtracts vibrancy from any town. Good luck solving this one too.

[InLondon]

Originally Posted by timelesschild

Drugs, especially meth, are a huge problem in small Kentucky towns. I'm sorry, but that is a difficult one to solve. Part of it stems directly from the difficulty of making a living in a more acceptable way.

People living staring at their televisions is quite a problem and subtracts vibrancy from any town. Good luck solving this one too.

Meth is a problem nationwide. It started on the West Coast and has been really bad in states such as Washington and Oregon.

[timelesschild]

Originally Posted by InLondon

Meth is a problem nationwide. It started on the West Coast and has been really bad in states such as Washington and Oregon.

Yes, it's been around a long time, and I'm not saying it's solely a Kentucky problem (neither is television-staring). However, these are problems anyone will face when trying to revitalize small Kentucky towns.

Here is another problem: the farms which are all on the federal grass program. It actually pays better to grow nothing, than it would to grow actual crops! I'm not judging any farmer who prudently takes the option which pays him best for his acrage.... but it doesn't encourage industry, doesn't keep people busy, doesn't keep people in the community....

Tomocox is right, too, of course. It's becoming very difficult for many small businesses to compete with Wal-Mart...

I grew up in small Kentucky towns, have been a Kentuckian all my life, and would love to see the small Kentucky towns thriving. I wish I knew what would work. I think it almost has to be a grass-roots movement.

[Brenda88]

No matter how and where it started. Kentucky needs to clean up their drug problem. The biggest users are the whites. When i grew up African American families, kept there children away from drugs, gangs, and liquor. We are going to keep educating our young people about the evil of drugs, and other illegal crimes. Drugs have always been used mainly and mostly by whites. You stop the drug dealing with whites, and you cut off the African Americans from bringing it into their neighborhoods. Whites feel drugs is a clean business. Wrong.... It is an illegal business. You are destroying your people daily with this drug trade. Alot of white families allow their children to drink, use drugs, and have sex at a young age. Alot even come from dysfunctional families where this is the norm. Some come from homes of wealth, that have gained their wealth, thru this ill gotten gain. African Americans are not the problem. White Americans are. You donot want to work. The end story will be African Americans will be the highest wage earners and whites will be the lowest. I forgot this is already the case. Look around your neighborhoods. You are the problem. Clean up your own backyards. Before you can talk about someone else. Kentuckians, think before you speak. Everything that comes out of your mouths is ignorant. That is why people in foreign countries treat you like crap and try to steal you blind. They see how bad you treat your own. Ignorance, bigotry, and lies still rules in Kentucky.

[TheTransientTranny]

Brenda88, there really isn't anything I can add to what you just said. I am white and I agree with you completely.

[easydoesit]

Originally Posted by Brenda88

No matter how and where it started. Kentucky needs to clean up their drug problem. The biggest users are the whites. When i grew up African American families, kept there children away from drugs, gangs, and liquor. We are going to keep educating our young people about the evil of drugs, and other illegal crimes. Drugs have always been used mainly and mostly by whites. You stop the drug dealing with whites, and you cut off the African Americans from bringing it into their neighborhoods. Whites feel drugs is a clean business. Wrong.... It is an illegal business. You are destroying your people daily with this drug trade. Alot of white families allow their children to drink, use drugs, and have sex at a young age. Alot even come from dysfunctional families where this is the norm. Some come from homes of wealth, that have gained their wealth, thru this ill gotten gain. African Americans are not the problem. White Americans are. You donot want to work. The end story will be African Americans will be the highest wage earners and whites will be the lowest. I forgot this is already the case. Look around your neighborhoods. You are the problem. Clean up your own backyards. Before you can talk about someone else. Kentuckians, think before you speak. Everything that comes out of your mouths is ignorant. That is why people in foreign countries treat you like crap and try to steal you blind. They see how bad you treat your own. Ignorance, bigotry, and lies still rules in Kentucky.

Right. I think your off topic rant was pretty unnecessary, not completely fact based, poorly presented and racially charged but I won't bother picking it apart. Be gone.

BF -

There may not be problems per se, just a shortage of desirable jobs. That's why there is a strong trend showing that more people move to urban areas and now the majority of the US lives in urban areas. Hard to reverse that trend (although the wind farms, etc. in west TX have produced some boom towns or so I have read).

Also, from my experiences small towns are more resistent to change. As in business, you either evolve or you die.

[rnc76]

The biggest problem in small town Kentucky is DRUGS. Meth and prescription pills is the worse. Pot is grown extensively throughout Kentucky. The second biggest problem in my opinion is the failing education system and the culture in some parts of Kentucky that seems to look down upon those that get educated. I believe there is a similar effect in poor urban neighborhoods.

I know there will be several posters who retort with "Drugs are everywhere!" or "My uncle is from Hazard and he got a PhD!"

[Digger57]

Originally Posted by Brenda88

No matter how and where it started. Kentucky needs to clean up their drug problem. The biggest users are the whites. When i grew up African American families, kept there children away from drugs, gangs, and liquor. We are going to keep educating our young people about the evil of drugs, and other illegal crimes. Drugs have always been used mainly and mostly by whites. You stop the drug dealing with whites, and you cut off the African Americans from bringing it into their neighborhoods. Whites feel drugs is a clean business. Wrong.... It is an illegal business. You are destroying your people daily with this drug trade. Alot of white families allow their children to drink, use drugs, and have sex at a young age. Alot even come from dysfunctional families where this is the norm. Some come from homes of wealth, that have gained their wealth, thru this ill gotten gain. African Americans are not the problem. White Americans are. You donot want to work. The end story will be African Americans will be the highest wage earners and whites will be the lowest. I forgot this is already the case. Look around your neighborhoods. You are the problem. Clean up your own backyards. Before you can talk about someone else. Kentuckians, think before you speak. Everything that comes out of your mouths is ignorant. That is why people in foreign countries treat you like crap and try to steal you blind. They see how bad you treat your own. Ignorance, bigotry, and lies still rules in Kentucky.

Well, that was enlightening as well as intelligent. I tried not to respond but your post but it got the better of me. That is the largest amount of BS I've seen on the internet in a long, long time!
By the way, your grammar & punctuation need some improvement. I guess that's whitey's fault as well.
Now, go back to teaching your children the same ideals you subscribe to. That will make the world a much lot better place.

Digger~