Moving from Dallas to Providence

[yosser]

I moved from London to Providence via a few different places. I am a physician. THe East side is the place to be, in my opinion. It is the home of Brown and has beautiful tree lined streets with majestic old homes. This place is pricey due to proximity to Boston (1hr) and public schools are hopeless. The new Mayor, Cicilline is trying to clean up the dirty politics-Cianci was indicted for fraud.
If you are single live on the Eastside (not East Pvd). Downtown is pretty dead but Westminster st is on the up. Pvd reminds me of Portland Oregon 10yrs ago. If they can fix the public schools then it will be a dynamite place to be.
We are moving to Westchester county, NY so I can get something more for my taxes...Good luck.

[professorsenator]

Originally Posted by Rnrboy

I'd love for you to go on!

One of the more remarkable differences between RI and TX is people's attitude toward development and economic growth. There is skepticism and outright hostility toward building darn near anything in RI. It is an economically suicidal mindset held by Democrats and Republicans, liberals and conservatives alike. And it is one of the major, root causes of the stagnant economy in RI.

For example, there is currently a huge battle over a dilapidated, hideous old building in downtown Providence (an old produce market building built in the 1930's that was added to the National Register of Historic Places in the 1990's). The state is suing the city over the issuance of a permit to tear down the building The taxpayers lose anyway you slice it: they pay for the lawsuit, an ugly building remains in place, and the tax base remains stagnant. Yes, an old building may be preserved, but it will come at a huge cost in lost opportunity.

In TX that building would have been torn down in a heartbeat. A new one would have built with new shops and restaurants. There would have been construction jobs, jobs for the people in the new business, and sales tax revenue generated by the new business. Yes, an old building would have been lost, but the loss would provide much benefit and opportunity to people.

RI could solve most of its economic woes in three short years if it just repealed its zoning and anti-building laws and simply allowed people to build and improve. But people in RI could not imagine such a thing in a million years--the whole mindset is to resist any and all change. In TX, change is considered good. In RI, change is bad. RI's mindset is absolutely crippling to the future of the state, and the differences are why TX is attracting people and RI is repelling them.

[leighland]

Originally Posted by professorsenator

the whole mindset is to resist any and all change. In TX, change is considered good. In RI, change is bad. RI's mindset is absolutely crippling to the future of the state, and the differences are why TX is attracting people and RI is repelling them.

That is absolutely true. I'd say Philadelphia suffers from the same mentality which is why there is such a huge exurban explosion here. Too bad, soon there will only be elderly and college kids in RI

[POhdNcrzy]

*** Too bad, soon there will only be elderly and college kids in RI ***

You left out all the working poor, which is a lot of people. They are stuck in RI and can't really escape. Unless one wants to really make a last ditch desperate attempt to move by abandoning one's possessions and hopping on a bus to somewhere, you need a few thousand dollars saved up. These folks can hardly pay their rent and keep a car on the road, let alone save up money.

Also, there will always be the filthy rich here, seems to me. I know you were "speaking" off the cuff in somewhat glib fashion, but I felt I needed to reply.

[professorsenator]

Originally Posted by POhdNcrzy

Also, there will always be the filthy rich here, seems to me. I know you were "speaking" off the cuff in somewhat glib fashion, but I felt I needed to reply.

With Brown U., other higher ed, and the hospitals, there will always be a sizable contingent of highly educated higher income professionals in RI, too.