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I moved here because it was more conservative. But in 30 years it will be just like NY, high taxes and aging infrastructure with no investment and a blue state.
Light rail is the stupidest idea ever, in the end it will just waste more resources to build and maintain and no one will use it cause it doesn't go where they need it to. Just do buses and use existing roads. I know it's not the main topic of the thread but every time someone brings it up I have to shoot it down.
A major reason for the "urbanization" is that the traditional industries that ran this state are mostly agricultural. Tobacco being a BIG one, or course. As that wanes (and that is due to people waking up about health, not due to "urban transplants", for the most part), then other industries will need to take their place. The folks who conceived RTP in the 1950s were smart and foresaw this, bringing technology (and later biotechnology) into the area so that when tobacco's reign was over, we had already transitioned from a largely farming/rural state to one with many other options. Ditto for the manufacturing that used to exist here (textiles and furniture, largely) that moved overseas. When those jobs left, we had tech jobs to hold up the ecomony, unlike many places.
Now that the tech industry is suffering hits but the influx of population hasn't caught up ("caught down"?), suddenly we are seeing ourselves in the top 10 states of unemployment. But I digress...
The bottom line is, the shift in this state towards urbanization is in fact more the REASON for the myriads of transplants, NOT caused by it as your topic header suggests. But the shift towards more "cosmopolitan-ization", if you will, is undoubtedly due to those with more "big city" recreational desires being here and people capitalizing on that.
I was reading this interesting article (N.C. is a state in transition - CharlotteObserver.com (http://www.charlotteobserver.com/breaking/story/890624.html - broken link)) that was discussing how NC is turning more urban, high tech, etc. because of all the transplants. While it mentions Charlotte as well, it also refers to Raleigh (and the surrounding areas). I think it's an interesting time to live here. For people like me who are pro-smoking bans, pro-public transport (light rail, esp), pro-downtown, liberal, in a biotech job..... it seems like a good direction to be going in.
Let's see, I'm pro-smoking bans, pro-public transport (light rail, esp), pro-downtown, politically moderate, in a pharmaceutical job, and guess what...I'm also a NC native who has lived most of my life in this state. I've also never lived in a rural area, but rather always in one of the metro areas. I was educated at a Triangle-area school which prepared me for a job in the RTP market. I've also been involved in the community as an advocate for improvements in both mass transit & bike and pedestrian infrastructure.
Not all "locals" are gun-totin', Bible-thumpin' folks from the sticks, you know! There are many of us who crave urban & high-tech lifestyles just as much or more than transplants from the north.
Also, from growing up here, I have an appreciation for, and connections to this state's rural heritage and beauty, which is one reason I support increased urbanization. It will allow us to grow upward rather than outward, thus preserving at least some of what is left of the rolling hills, forests & farmland in the piedmont.
Let's see, I'm pro-smoking bans, pro-public transport (light rail, esp), pro-downtown, politically moderate, in a pharmaceutical job, and guess what...I'm also a NC native who has lived most of my life in this state. I've also never lived in a rural area, but rather always in one of the metro areas. I was educated at a Triangle-area school which prepared me for a job in the RTP market. I've also been involved in the community as an advocate for improvements in both mass transit & bike and pedestrian infrastructure.
Not all "locals" are gun-totin', Bible-thumpin' folks from the sticks, you know! There are many of us who crave urban & high-tech lifestyles just as much or more than transplants from the north.
Also, from growing up here, I have an appreciation for, and connections to this state's rural heritage and beauty, which is one reason I support increased urbanization. It will allow us to grow upward rather than outward, thus preserving at least some of what is left of the rolling hills, forests & farmland in the piedmont.
i never meant to imply that there weren't people with similar opinions, etc. as me down here already. i figured as much before i decided to move. now there's just an increasing number of people like that. i think.
I moved here because it was more conservative. But in 30 years it will be just like NY, high taxes and aging infrastructure with no investment and a blue state.
I don't think you have to worry about this becoming a permanent blue state. There were many reasons why this state went the way it did last time around. That doesn't mean this is the new norm. I find the Triangle to be a nice "blend", which is the way it should be. We are ALL represented here. I for one would never want to live somewhere that is far to any one side. You will see this area going back and forth in the coming years. We should maintain a good balance.
Unless you prefer a far far right type of environment, I don't think you need to worry much here.
Let's see, I'm pro-smoking bans, pro-public transport (light rail, esp), pro-downtown, politically moderate, in a pharmaceutical job, and guess what...I'm also a NC native who has lived most of my life in this state.
Yeah, funny how that works! I can add "gay" and "tree-hugger" to the mix...and *GASP* have never lived outside NC in my whole life! Oh NO! Hearing stereotypes shatter around me in every direction!!
Yeah, funny how that works! I can add "gay" and "tree-hugger" to the mix...and *GASP* have never lived outside NC in my whole life! Oh NO! Hearing stereotypes shatter around me in every direction!!
I may be able to top both of you. I am straight but support gay marriage, I am against abortion but am in favor of legalized prostitution & pot, I don't care for democrats but I also don't care for republicans (politicians on both counts), I am for public transportation but I love driving around in my truck instead. Oh my it is getting confusing. Point is that stereotypes are just plain stupid. The Triangle is what it is BECAUSE of all the different characters we have here. We all add something different and very few fall into the stereotypes that some people seem to have. I love the Triangle and its progression and it is because of so many different lines of thought.
I moved here because it was more conservative. But in 30 years it will be just like NY, high taxes and aging infrastructure with no investment and a blue state.
Light rail is the stupidest idea ever, in the end it will just waste more resources to build and maintain and no one will use it cause it doesn't go where they need it to. Just do buses and use existing roads. I know it's not the main topic of the thread but every time someone brings it up I have to shoot it down.
Nobody uses it? I use a Metrorail system everyday, as do hundreds of thousands of people in DC Metro. Likewise, ridership on Charlotte's Lynx rail has been way over the estimated ridership, and polls show that city's light rail has been widely popular and successful. In fact, Charlotteans are jumping at the bit to expand the line rapidly toward Cabarrus County.
Man this thread is a "train wreck"! I'm going to try and get back on topic according to the OP:
Quote:
Originally Posted by GucciLittlePiggie
I was reading this interesting article (N.C. is a state in transition - CharlotteObserver.com (http://www.charlotteobserver.com/breaking/story/890624.html - broken link)) that was discussing how NC is turning more urban, high tech, etc. because of all the transplants. While it mentions Charlotte as well, it also refers to Raleigh (and the surrounding areas). I think it's an interesting time to live here. For people like me who are pro-smoking bans, pro-public transport (light rail, esp), pro-downtown, liberal, in a biotech job..... it seems like a good direction to be going in. The part of the article that really caught my attention was this: The redistricting following the 2010 census is expected to give Charlotte and Raleigh a total of five additional House seats and two additional Senate seats [in the State House, obviously].
I'm curious what some of you folks think about this shift.
I see the growth in Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham stemming from two main things - banking in Charlotte, and Tech in R-D. Both industries draw the higher-educated folks that likely have been to college, regardless of where they originated from (in state or not), and ***generally speaking***, the better educated are the ones that think about living healthy, being pro-environment, etc. Again, generally speaking, so don't quip just because you may be the exception.
Charlotte and Raleigh have booming populations because they are generating jobs by attracting business (well, Charlotte just took a big hit with the financial crisis). Its interesting to look at, and the Triad (Winston-Salem, Greensboro, High Point) is a great example of how population was dwindling due to the loss of manufacturing but turned around with a mix of new tech and banking jobs. North Carolina's small towns are either becoming bedroom communities to the growing metropolises that are Charlotte, Raleigh, and Greensboro, or they are dying out. That's why we're seeing the political shift as well - more urban influence in government and less rural influence based on the numbers.
As for light rail, Charlotte metro area is now so large it can support mass transit via rail, but it needs a ring system that ties in the various popular spots in the region, and everything is so filled in, it will likely never happen. "Last mile" transportation is the big issue but could be met with municipal city cars, Zip Cars, etc. Heck, they could even be on an electric grid. The current light rail is a single line that runs into the city, so it is a good start, but it needs to be developed. The people that think of these things are generally those in the Tech industries, not NC's pig and tobacco farmers who are not from these big cities and could care less about government projects funding such. The shift in Congressional influence from rural to urban representatives will reflect in the NC politics.
It takes almost an hour to drive across the Charlotte metropolitan area via highway now, about twice as long as it takes to do the same with Raleigh unless you include Durham, if thatgives you an idea to the size of Charlotte
Last edited by Sayantsi; 09-10-2009 at 02:24 PM..
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