How Do You Fix a Broken City

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

And here I thought it was becasue there wasn't a mass exodus from Toronto.

Chief reasons being a need to huddle together for warmth and safety in numbers from marauding polar bears.

[Dis]

Originally posted by Boddington's


In most developed societies I think it is fairer to say that the violent and criminal poor prey on the rich.

that is not true though.

You'd be suprised how lazy criminals can be. You would think they would all drive to the good sections of town to rob houses. But often they just rob each other.

Most of the crime in good neighborhoods where I live is perpetrated by people living in those same neighborhoods. Although one problem we have is the criminals seem to have a lot of money to live in good neighborhoods. So there is no neighborhood free of crime in my city.

[Lord Merciless]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger


Most people can't stay away from cities - they need to go work. For the few that don't, you can't attract them back anyway.

What if businesses move along with the people to the suburbs. (which is happening here all over the place)

[Dis]

many businesses are moving to the suburbs.

Back in the day, most businesses had to be in the center of town. Many depended on deliveries from the railcars. And it was just easier for everything to be centrally located.


In my city many smaller office buildings are on the west side of the town. And I belive Westwood Studios (PC game developer) is on the west side of town as well.

If it weren't for gambling - out downtown would be worse than it already is.

[The Templar]

Originally posted by Oerdin
85% of all goods in the country are carried by truck. If you raise fuel prices then you're raising the price of everything carried by that fuel.

I said send taxes through the roof on non-commerical fuel users. Trucks transporting foods and goods could be exempted.

[Dis]

what about people who use personal vehicles for their business?

[Al B. Sure!]

White flight? What about gentrification?

in philly, for example, Center City is quite wealthy and though most of the residential homes are no bigger (many are in fact smaller!) than the houses in North Philly, they are worth several times as much. it's ironic how in the past twenty years, the (inner) inner city has become quite affluent while everything around it has decayed

anyway, here's another solution... bring in industry. I used to live in the near Northeast which includes a neighbourhood named Kensington which has the worst standard of living in all of philly (imagine that) as well as the shortest expected life-span of people in philly. the entire neighbourhood is littered with massive empty factories and warehouses. between a half century and a century ago, Kensington was not particularily wealthy but was undoubtedly doing better than it is today as the drug infested white (yep! it's mostly white) and puerto rican neighbourhood it is today.

so bring the jobs back!


thanks

[GePap]

Immigration. Works for NY, one of the two (the other being Chicago) older American cities that saw significant growth within their city limits.

NY NY NY NY!

(not really a solution, just somehting to make Bodd's happy...)

[Al B. Sure!]

GePap:

there has not been too much positive about immigrants coming to philly. i think i posted on apolyton before about west indian and east africa immigrants sticking animals in the tiny graveled lot behind their rowhomes... and korean and indian immigrants do little else but work at corner stores, gas stations, or 7-11's... how does immigration help?

[The Templar]

Originally posted by Dissident
what about people who use personal vehicles for their business?

Depends what you mean. Taxis on duty, trucks moving goods, buses, garbage trucks etc. are commercial operations. If you're just using your car to get to meetings, then take the subway/bus/taxi or pay the tax.

[Evil Knevil]

You know what we do to parasites don't you?

Send them to Law school/the stock exchange?

[rmsharpe]

Easy, don't vote for the Democrats.

Take a look at New York during the last year of Dinkins and the last year of Guiliani, or if you're in the Midwest, go take a look at St. Paul before Norm Coleman and after.

[MrFun]

Re: How Do You Fix a Broken City

Originally posted by Seeker
This is a problem for all North America.

Problem:

so-called 'white flight' to suburbs. The relatively wealthy cluster to distant suburbs, driving up property values and funding quality schools and other institutions. Also, they keep 'high quality' spending in this areas and tend to be culturally active and community involved.

creating a donut city with a downward spiral...neglect, closing businesses, and a run down look, crime or the appearance of crime. A vicious circle where there is less and less reason to invest and more and more risk. A rent controlled appartment building with crack smoking tenants (or appearance thereof)? No thanks says mr committed non-slimeball investor/landlord.

Attempted Solutions:

Gay People: Seems to have worked in most places. Gay people bring boutiques and small businesses downtown. And restaurants etc.
Pros: works
Cons: not enough gays. some people don't like to raise kids in areas with known bathhouses/bars.

positive and negative stereotypes thrown in one post

[Imran Siddiqui]

I said send taxes through the roof on non-commerical fuel users.

Easy way out... I'm driving to work... that's a commerical use .

[The Templar]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

I said send taxes through the roof on non-commerical fuel users.

Easy way out... I'm driving to work... that's a commerical use .

Nope. And you have no excuse, Jersey has trains.