Writer Defends Atlanta's Planning History and Blasts Backwards Georgia (Sandy Springs: school districts, sales tax)

[netdragon]

Originally Posted by Born 2 Roll

If Georgia flips back Democrat (remember, Conservative Republicans have only been in power for about 12 years...Conservative Democrats were in power for about 130 years before that), it won't mean that the state will be in decline, it'll just mean that different people will be in charge other than the coalition of conservative white suburban, exurban and rural interests that have been in charge of the state over the past 30 years or so.

Yep, everyone in GA is pretty much fiscally conservative - democrats or republicans - compared to up North. The difference will really be focus on city and social liberalism versus suburbs and social conservationism.

I'm independent, and socially more aligned with democrats. Fiscally, both republican and democratic parties seem about the same to me down here.

Up North, it's different.

Originally Posted by Born 2 Roll

The continuing transition of a state like Georgia from being overwhelmingly predominantly white, rural and agricultural to being increasingly minority and urban often makes the state look like it is going through some kind of extreme identity crisis politically, socially and culturally (..."Am I Alabama or am I Maryland?...WHO AM I?")

We gotta be careful. 30 years from now, white and urbanism will probably be synonymous whereas minorities (ignoring Asians) will likely be predominantly exurban if something isn't done to change this trend. Places like the East end, Smyrna and others give hope that we can have enough wealthy minorities to buck the trend, but I don't think enough is going to happen organically unless there's some form of intervention to get poor minorities better educated so they can afford to live in urban areas 30 years from now.

By then, Atlanta and its immediate suburbs may be as expensive as LA is now. Vinings and Buckhead may have some $100 million homes and the average home in even places like Smyrna may be over $1M. I'm talking about because of inflation. I'm talking about in today's dollars, inflation-adjusted to today's dollars 30 years from now.

If it seems preposterous, look at Smyrna's $296k average listing price right now, including older bungalows and the North end! Perhaps skewed a little by new development, but things are still getting expensive, fast, and the only thing that slowed anything down was the recession, which is now over and now it's back to business-as-usual price growth on housing in the metro area.

[Columbuskidd92]

Out with Deal,in with Carter.

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by netdragon

I grew up in the Northeast. Due to lack of investment, most of the rest of the South looks and feels like a cesspool. Deteriorating peanut stands, disgusting bungalow towns, trailer parks and what-not. There's a few small exceptions here or there, but that's the general appearance. Atlanta, Charlotte, Austin, Miami and some others are little oasis' in the South. Then there's some smaller progressive cities or ones that work hard to keep a progressive historic urban (and attractive) feel (e.g. Vicksburg, MS). I know lots of people say Athens is progressive, but it's really just the college students from what I've heard. The rest of the city is conservative.

The urban areas are more progressive generally (not necessarily ideologically) speaking, which isn't quite as true for most rural areas. That's just how it works in the South, and there are a LOT of rural areas in Georgia.

[masonbauknight]

Originally Posted by netdragon

I I know lots of people say Athens is progressive, but it's really just the college students from what I've heard. The rest of the city is conservative.

"From what I heard"? Please don't hold forth on Athens if you've never spent time there (or never set foot in it). Ditto other cities in the state. Athens townies were far more conservative than many UGA students 40 years ago, but not now. It's a progressive city. Savannah proper is also not conservative, though its suburbs can be. Parts of the Atlanta metro area are far more right-wing than Athens and Savannah. You need to get out more, then you can pontificate.

[erick295]

Originally Posted by masonbauknight

You need to get out more, then you can pontificate.

Nah... as he pointed out, he's a Yank. He already knows better than us

[JoeTarheel]

Originally Posted by netdragon

I grew up in the Northeast. Due to lack of investment, most of the rest of the South looks and feels like a cesspool. Deteriorating peanut stands, disgusting bungalow towns, trailer parks and what-not. There's a few small exceptions here or there, but that's the general appearance. Atlanta, Charlotte, Austin, Miami and some others are little oasis' in the South. Then there's some smaller progressive cities or ones that work hard to keep a progressive historic urban (and attractive) feel (e.g. Vicksburg, MS). I know lots of people say Athens is progressive, but it's really just the college students from what I've heard. The rest of the city is conservative.

Most of the rest of the South??? How offensive...and utterly incorrect.

I could list hundreds upon hundreds of southern cities and towns other than Atlanta and the ones you mentioned that are completely the opposite of cesspools. I'm not sure why anybody would make such a statement without a true awareness of reality. There are beautiful towns all over even just within Georgia (not to mention states like NC, SC, TN, VA, etc) that disprove your views...Rome, Brunswick, Statesboro, Milledgeville, Valdosta, Warm Springs, Thomaston, Toccoa - and that's just a few that I'm familiar. I wouldn't dare assume that the remainder of the state is a cesspool just because I haven't experienced it. I would recommend getting out and actually seeing the state/region a little more before trashing it...you're being from the Northeast doesn't increase your credibility here. We're all very familiar with the Northeast.

[JoeTarheel]

Originally Posted by masonbauknight

"From what I heard"? Please don't hold forth on Athens if you've never spent time there (or never set foot in it). Ditto other cities in the state. Athens townies were far more conservative than many UGA students 40 years ago, but not now. It's a progressive city. Savannah proper is also not conservative, though its suburbs can be. Parts of the Atlanta metro area are far more right-wing than Athens and Savannah. You need to get out more, then you can pontificate.

Almost any sizeable city anywhere votes Democrat and/or leans progressive:

2010 Governor's Race...most of the blue counties (with a few exceptions) are represented by Atlanta, Athens, Savannah, Albany, Columbus, Augusta, and Macon.

http://proseandthorn.files.wordpress...e-counties.jpg

[GeorgiaLakeSearch]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

If that means Georgia flips Blue, I think that will mark the decline of Georgia.

I agree. People don't realize(well on CD at least) Atlanta saw major growth because of Georgia's low taxes and low regulation. If Atlanta was in a high taxed state it would have never seen the amount of growth it has. And look at how many businesses open in Cumberland and Perimeter to avoid CoA.

If taxes were at NY or CA levels Atlanta would still be what it was in 1975.

[GeorgiaLakeSearch]

Originally Posted by netdragon

This is a backward state. After leaving Metro ATL, it's like I just drove into a third world country. We need to get the good 'ol boys that think it's still a farm state out of the gold dome. I figure after metro ATL adds another 2-3 million, the dome is ours.

Do you know how much money that farmland(and timber) brings into the city? Much of the land in rural GA is owned by people who live in Atlanta and the Sandy Springs area(other parts of the metro as well, but this is where more Southern families live).

I don't know if some people realize how important agriculture is to Atlanta. You can make fun of it all you want, but a lot of people involved in AG probably have a higher net worth than the people making fun of them.

[lem1985]

you havent experience backwards till you live in Mobile or the rest of alabama (hell im excluding birmingham area and huntsville and baldwin county to some extent)