City of the Decade: 2010's

[boreatwork]

Originally Posted by Ivory Lee Spurlock

Why is DC metro growing so fast? Is it because the government continues to get bigger?

I could be doing uber one week in DC and by the next week theres a new condo.

[Joakim3]

Originally Posted by Ivory Lee Spurlock

Why is DC metro growing so fast? Is it because the government continues to get bigger?

To be frank, yes.

DC has monopolized the government sector in the same way NYC has monopolized finance/media and the Bay Area has monopolized the tech industry. It also helps that it arguably has the second best mass transit system in the country after NYC, has access to massive port (proxy Baltimore) 35 miles up the road and has the benefit of being sandwiched by two states that throw every last dollar to expand it's metro

[newgensandiego]

Originally Posted by Ivory Lee Spurlock

Why is DC metro growing so fast? Is it because the government continues to get bigger?

It's less likely a result of the government itself is getting bigger (more employees) and more likely that our spending is getting higher. We're approaching deficits of $1.1 trillion per year at peak economy, which is shameful.

Interesting because Trump claimed he would eliminate the deficit in 8 years, but he's only managed to increase the annual deficit by 68%. Republicans and "fiscal conservatism" do not belong in the same sentence. But hey, the DOD contractor fat cats need to buy their McMansion too.

Politics aside, DC metro has grown so fast because the region's economy continues to evolve beyond the federal government. For instance, Capital One is currently building a massive headquarters complex at the McLean Metro station that will feature the tallest building in the region and house something like 5,000 employees. The tech industry is growing rapidly as well.

The DC region has a well-educated workforce with good schools, high wages, and decent cost of living. Career opportunities are very promising as well.

[newgensandiego]

Originally Posted by Joakim3

To be frank, yes.

The federal workforce in the D.C. region has been in decline or stagnated for the last few years. The government itself isn't growing. Our spending is out of control. #MilitaryIndustrialComplex

https://wtop.com/business-finance/20...ues-to-shrink/

DC has monopolized the government sector in the same way NYC has monopolized finance/media and the Bay Area has monopolized the tech industry. It also helps that it arguably has the second best mass transit system in the country after NYC, has access to massive port (proxy Baltimore) 35 miles up the road and has the benefit of being sandwiched by two states that throw every last dollar to expand it's metro

This could not be more false.

Metro didn't have a dedicated funding source until very recently. Support from Virginia and Maryland is lukewarm at best, whereas the jurisdictions themselves are the ones that had to push for Metro funding.

Even to get the dedicated funding, Virginia refused to pony up the money and raided NVTA funding (revenue gained from NOVA's decision to increase taxes on themselves to build projects beyond what VA was able to fund). Virginia's support is a total sham. They are fine paying for the car-centric transportation system of the rest of the state, but don't feel the need to support Metro---the key transportation link for Virginia's most prosperous region. Honestly, do they think Amazon HQ2 would be in Virginia if it wasn't for Metro?

Maryland was also on the verge of withholding funding earlier this year. Now, that's not to say they aren't justified in being skeptical about Metro funding given WMATA's history, but it is completely untrue that the "two states throw every last dollar to expand metro".

Also, just to be clear, the current expansion of Metrorail (Silver Line Phase 2) was mostly funded by toll revenues and a tax-increment finance (TIF) district. So no, the state of Virginia did not "throw every last dollar to expand Metro". They provided minimal support.