Regionalism - is it a dream? (Pittsburgh, Reading: crime, home, prices)

[Charley Barker]

Originally Posted by gg

I always get a kick out of people bringing up San Francisco or NYC when we should be comparing our pricing to Cleveland, Detroit and Buffalo. Stop comparing Pittsburgh to the most expensive coastal booming areas in the US. We aren't all that. We are a rust belt city that has home prices going up at a very fast rate for OUR type of city. Come on, San Francisco? Really? That place is a tech hub with big players on a global level. Too funny though.

Not comparing Pgh to SF or Seattle, etc. You need sustained job and population growth of at least 5%, I'm guessing, for that to happen. Not to mention a global presence. Simply pointing out the worst case scenarios of disparity in cities that used to be eminently livible not so long ago.

The real challenge for this region will be comprehensive planning in a place with too many municipal governments. You have Allegheny Co. Talking about carbon offsets and Beaver Co. Doubling down on facilities (Shell cracker) that are permitted by the state regulators to emit CO2 equivalent to 444,000 vehicles annually (this is from a recent report from WTAE where they interviewed people on the streets of Monaca and almost everyone was blissfully unaware of the environmental impacts.....how can that be? …… the report went on to say that the facility is PERMITTED to release more VOC's than Clairton coke works and Edgar Thompson combined, which is going to further pollute the air as VOC's react with sunlight to form ozone, an irritant to everyone but a real problem for anyone with COPD).

On top of that, political power within the state is shifting to the SE based on population growth so don't expect a lot of support for things like narrowing the public transit funding gap between SEPTA and PAT. We need a growing, informed, and politically engaged population to deal with these issues, or Pgh could devolve into a have and have not toxic mess.

Sorry for the Debbie-downer viewpoint, but that is one possible path forward if people aren't making an effort to inform and engage themselves in governing beyond the borders of their municipality, including Pittsburgh.

[Goinback2011]

I find it amusing that Pittsburghers believe that anyone with political power in the eastern part of the state or in contiguous states on the eastern side of the Appalachians has any interest in what happens here. If that part of the country suddenly seceded from the US, Pittsburgh would be completely forgotten. We're an aging infrastructure sink, and produce nothing of value anymore. If you think medical advances and some tech expertise are exceptions, I would wager that moving 1000 people with exceptional skills to NYC would remove that distinction. At the present time, natural gas resources are our most valuable assets.

[Craziaskowboi]

Originally Posted by Goinback2011

I find it amusing that Pittsburghers believe that anyone with political power in the eastern part of the state or in contiguous states on the eastern side of the Appalachians has any interest in what happens here. If that part of the country suddenly seceded from the US, Pittsburgh would be completely forgotten. We're an aging infrastructure sink, and produce nothing of value anymore. If you think medical advances and some tech expertise are exceptions, I would wager that moving 1000 people with exceptional skills to NYC would remove that distinction. At the present time, natural gas resources are our most valuable assets.

Damn, it's like Pittsburgh has no reason to exist at all.

[gg]

Originally Posted by Craziaskowboi

Damn, it's like Pittsburgh has no reason to exist at all.

Pittsburgh holds its own against smaller cities of its type. Good little all around city. Weather isn't the greatest, but a lot of places have crappy weather. If you don't like it here, move. Simple enough. I like Pittsburgh pretty well, but as I get older, I want more summer.

[szug-bot]

Originally Posted by Goinback2011

I find it amusing that Pittsburghers believe that anyone with political power in the eastern part of the state or in contiguous states on the eastern side of the Appalachians has any interest in what happens here. If that part of the country suddenly seceded from the US, Pittsburgh would be completely forgotten. We're an aging infrastructure sink, and produce nothing of value anymore. If you think medical advances and some tech expertise are exceptions, I would wager that moving 1000 people with exceptional skills to NYC would remove that distinction. At the present time, natural gas resources are our most valuable assets.

but not every place can be EVERYTHING to all people.

realistically, against similar, fair comparisons, we do well, yes or no?

isn't there some kind of equilibrium going on? You have the NYCs, Atlantas, and Chicagos. Great in their own right, they can't be megacities of 20 million people. I don't want to say "scraps", but you then have smaller, significant population centers that are smaller versions of their larger brethren.

the equilibrium? Pgh. isn't NYC, in terms of stress, cost, and all that. OK, so it isn't a cultural or economic hub, but then go back to the beginning - stress, cost....

[gg]

Originally Posted by szug-bot

the equilibrium? Pgh. isn't NYC, in terms of stress, cost, and all that. OK, so it isn't a cultural or economic hub, but then go back to the beginning - stress, cost....

I would choose Pittsburgh over NYC, all of New England and DC for sure. I also would choose it way above Atlanta, Cleveland and Buffalo. I do like Buffalo, but they have too much winter up there.

Not sure if I would choose Pittsburgh over Charolette or Tampa, but I am enjoying our Spring this year. It is going to get hotter, but at least we had a real Spring for a change.

People are going to complain about Pittsburgh. I do my fair share, but it is a nice city for its size with a rich history. Not a fan of some of the influx of Eastern people we are getting as it is adding aggressive behavior that we have to get used to, but they are coming here because they got priced out or are tired of trying to pay all those bills. We are even getting people from CA.

[PGH423]

Originally Posted by Goinback2011

I find it amusing that Pittsburghers believe that anyone with political power in the eastern part of the state or in contiguous states on the eastern side of the Appalachians has any interest in what happens here. If that part of the country suddenly seceded from the US, Pittsburgh would be completely forgotten. We're an aging infrastructure sink, and produce nothing of value anymore. If you think medical advances and some tech expertise are exceptions, I would wager that moving 1000 people with exceptional skills to NYC would remove that distinction. At the present time, natural gas resources are our most valuable assets.

Hmmm. Medical advances are one of the main reasons most people don't die at age 30 anymore. Sounds important to me.

You mentioned aging. Is the average age higher now than it used to be? This site says the average person in Pittsburgh is 33 years old: Moderator cut: link removed, competitor site

[szug-bot]

Originally Posted by gg

...
. Not a fan of some of the influx of Eastern people we are getting as it is adding aggressive behavior that we have to get used to, but they are coming here because they got priced out or are tired of trying to pay all those bills. We are even getting people from CA.

funny you should say that. at one time a generation ago, Lebanon, Reading, York, and arguably Lancaster cities had drug and crime problems. As a percentage, their crime in some categories may have rivaled Pittsburgh's. Their police departments were not equipped/staffed for the influx of east coasters and the crime culture they brought with them.