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Since when does starting a thread complaining about your town constitute civic participation?
BTW, people have been singing the same old song about towns like Maplewood, South Orange and Montclair forever. Plenty of people move out for these reasons, plenty of people stay and are happy, and plenty of people move in. No biggie.
Yes, I'm complaining/venting and I do have have suggestions for civic participation which I noted in my letter.
I really don't think it is right to just throw away my concerns as no biggie. Most recently, if you haven't heard, there was a flash mob in downtown SO and other increases in crime. This isn't JUST a crime trend issue, its a quality of life issue. Who wants to even roam around downtown SO when police presence is EVERYWHERE? It does instill confidence in keeping the town safe but it makes people feel inharmonious that living in such an expensive town has to bring such tension.
I don't plan on moving anytime soon but I've listened to some advice from trusted officials who predict that demographics in this town are headed AGAIN for a different trend.
I don't really see South Orange going rapidly down hill. Considering it borders right on Newark and East Orange, it is holding up quite well. I don't think SO is meant to be a mayberry type town. People moving to SO want a suburban feel with city type diversity and energy. Anyway, Orange, East Orange, Irvington and Newark are all loosing population. A migration from these areas to SO are alot less probable now than in the past. South Orange has actually invested alot recently in it's downtown with SOPAC and what not. As the economy slowly builds back you will see the empty store fronts start to fill up again.
I don't really see South Orange going rapidly down hill. Considering it borders right on Newark and East Orange, it is holding up quite well. I don't think SO is meant to be a mayberry type town. People moving to SO want a suburban feel with city type diversity and energy. Anyway, Orange, East Orange, Irvington and Newark are all loosing population. A migration from these areas to SO are alot less probable now than in the past. South Orange has actually invested alot recently in it's downtown with SOPAC and what not. As the economy slowly builds back you will see the empty store fronts start to fill up again.
huh , Newark , East Orange , & Orange are all gaining population. Irvington is losing population and for obvious reasons.
Only Newark is gaining the other 3 are all loosing. South Orange like many inner suburbs as done a good job preventing it from a downward spring. It is tough with its borders but it is holding up. As for the empty stores, thats everywhere given the economy.
Only Newark is gaining the other 3 are all loosing. South Orange like many inner suburbs as done a good job preventing it from a downward spring. It is tough with its borders but it is holding up. As for the empty stores, thats everywhere given the economy.
lol, i think part of the newark increase is just doing a better job keeping track, immigration, birth rate.
I much bigger city like Newark with higher numbers of immigrants is tracking it's population better? Might want to rethink that one. BTW, all of Newarks population gains are because of Brazilians and Mexicans. Many blacks from these areas are heading down south or out to Piscataway, Somerset and Edison. The black fertility rate is also pretty much on par with whites and asians. So if you have a stagnant black population and many leaving for said greener pastures, it is only the black immigrants that are causing any sort of growth. This phenomenon is happening in New York City as well.
I've lived here for 10 years and this spring low morale, complaining, incidents and just a mediocre quality of life is what seems to be becoming the norm of people. I think that people are in denial of the following things because South Orange is suppose to be this desirable place where diversity, tolerance, beautiful homes and a midtown direct train can connect quiet suburban living with the energy of Nyc; personally I think thats on the surface and here are REAL problems that i cant ignore.
1.) Aesthetics of downtown- too many empty storefronts with 'for rent' signs. On weekend nights the only things that go on are mobs of youth and police doing what they can, with the limited resources they have, to keep them safe. What person who is looking for a lifestyle as described above wants to relax in downtown SO where rowdy inner city youth loiter the streets, curse and show disrespect to anybody in authority or opposition of their behavior? Misbehaved youths in a well to do suburb shouldn't be chasing off good people who are looking to have a good & safe time. The youth have way too much power in this community, anything goes..
2.) Public schools- Not ideal for a good education- Buildings in disrepair, too crowded, chaotic, unenforced code of conduct, nonselective in hiring of teachers. Effect: Unmotivated, disrespectful & Rebellious students that bring down the quality of learning. Teachers then give up and become lazy..
lets not even begin to talk about the taxes. No bang for your buck here.
Anybody have other opinions on SO nowadays or anything to add...
Since ancient Sumeria, people have written that this (the contemporary one of the writer's time) young generation lacks manners, is worse than any that has come before and that society was basically "going to hell".
I'd bet that the youth that are ruining your mood when you're downtown are mostly harmless even if they appear intimidating and are loud. Please realize that when children are together alone, they tend use profane language, sexually explicit language. Further, when you have a group larger than four people, more than one conversation will be going on at once, so they'll seem loud. Also, please realize that youth have been part of society since forever and you shouldn't be looking for way to crack down on them being free to hang out in public places.
If the young people's behavior is actually threatening to you personally, then separate yourself from the situation and call the police. If anyone has put you in reasonable fear for your personal bodily safety, then he has committed an assault. If anyone has touched you, even with one finger or an object, in an unwanted way, then he has committed a battery upon you.
If the policeman does not want to let you press charges, then take his badge number and name and file a complaint against him at the police department. Contact your elected officials. If you're just being oversensitive, then nothing will happen, if you're beef is legitimate, then something probably will.
The system exists for the benefit of people like you, use it. Or, I guess move out to Morris County or something.
Since ancient Sumeria, people have written that this (the contemporary one of the writer's time) young generation lacks manners, is worse than any that has come before and that society was basically "going to hell".
I'd bet that the youth that are ruining your mood when you're downtown are mostly harmless even if they appear intimidating and are loud. Please realize that when children are together alone, they tend use profane language, sexually explicit language. Further, when you have a group larger than four people, more than one conversation will be going on at once, so they'll seem loud. Also, please realize that youth have been part of society since forever and you shouldn't be looking for way to crack down on them being free to hang out in public places.
If the young people's behavior is actually threatening to you personally, then separate yourself from the situation and call the police. If anyone has put you in reasonable fear for your personal bodily safety, then he has committed an assault. If anyone has touched you, even with one finger or an object, in an unwanted way, then he has committed a battery upon you.
If the policeman does not want to let you press charges, then take his badge number and name and file a complaint against him at the police department. Contact your elected officials. If you're just being oversensitive, then nothing will happen, if you're beef is legitimate, then something probably will.
The system exists for the benefit of people like you, use it. Or, I guess move out to Morris County or something.
Thanks for the suggestion, I will be moving out to a quieter more auto mobile friendly area where the demographics are fully conservative and there is respect for individualism and independent thinking OR a larger urban area where there is some emphasizes on independence. Seton hall kids and high school kids rule these towns and thats not the way things should be....
Gradstudent, are you @ Seton hall? Jw.
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