Yeah....going down is what Birmingham and Jackson did for 30 years. You couldn't get any worse than those 2 downtowns about 10 years ago. However, Birmingham has started making the upswing. It's still not great, just better than it was. Jackson has some decent areas too like Fondren but I think it could be better.
US News Rankings
- Thread starter 615dawg
- Start date
It got that way because all the decent people left. Many millenials aren't scared of that element like all the baby boomers were.
Cannot agree with you more. JUCOs are attractive locales too, or should be. That's one thing I agreed with Malcolm Portera on.
It's not the people who recognize reality that are the problem. It's not like it's good for anybody in Mississippi that Jackson sucks (except maybe landowners in Madison). It sucks for the entire state that we don't have a decent city. But it's the situation we're facing. Jackson offers big city problems paired with small city amenities. That's why other cities facing similar problems (corrupt politicians, poor race relations, flight to suburbs, etc.) still manage to do well; they offer benefits to counteract the negatives that Jackson can't offer.
For Jackson to change you're going to have to have (1) a big portion of its population decide race isn't important (or at least stop caring enough to vote in city elections), (2) a transformational business leader that locates a large and growing business in Jackson proper, and/or (3) school choice that allows middle class families with school age kids to be able to stay in Jackson. I think just having school choice would be enough to let Jackson transform over a 10 to 20 year period. Even if race relations don't get better, enough people would prefer to live in or close to a downtown that Jackson would get steadily better if people had options for their kids school that didn't involve $14k+ a year per kid.
A growing metropolitan at the center is not a good thing if it is driven by taking money from the rest of the state. Maybe it could result in it being a more desirable site for productive businesses, but I wouldn't want to bet on that.
So you are OK just letting what is left to rot away (just like it is now)? Middle class jobs are the best thing to generate economy, education, standards, etc.... period. Quality People go where the jobs are. I've seen too many jobs leave small communities (especially in central MS) and leave what is left to rot away. Less money, fewer resources, fewer jobs, lower standards, and increased crime is the result.
I don't know how you got that out of my statement. My only point is that everybody can't be a lobbyist, a government employee, or a government contractor. Somebody has to actually be involved in primary industry that pays for government. Growth in Jackson driven by the state government being located there represents a drag on the rest of the state, not a way to make the state better.
I follow you now, and agree. In drt7891's defense, I got a little confused too, originally.
Hoover I have to ask the question when you say decent people you mean white people right? I had a feeling you were a racist. Your real problem with inner city Jackson is your racist and most likely get nervous around black people. All you folks talking about Jackson it's simple just don't come back we will not miss you.
Oh yeah I forgot. Downtown Birmingham is a **** hole I am not saying Jackson isn't but quit trying to act like Birmingham is some kind up and coming city. It isn't. I am sure where you live in the Hoover and mountain brook area is very nice in fact I know it is. Quit with the smoke and mirrors ********.
You should read more.
Check your census data. Urban cores are growing faster than suburbs now, and rural areas are losing population. American cities are making a comeback.
https://www.zagat.com/americas-next-hot-food-cities/birmingham
Check your census data. Urban cores are growing faster than suburbs now, and rural areas are losing population. American cities are making a comeback.
Last edited:
That's means what? A few decent restaurants means what? So they brought in some restaurants for the rich white folks from
Hoover and mountain brook to come to. I am talking about the mostly black parts of downtown Birmingham where it's not so great. Hey but I would be willing to bet you and Hoover have never been to those parts anyway. Aren't you and Hoover late for your klan meeting. I don't want to keep ya.
Hoover and mountain brook to come to. I am talking about the mostly black parts of downtown Birmingham where it's not so great. Hey but I would be willing to bet you and Hoover have never been to those parts anyway. Aren't you and Hoover late for your klan meeting. I don't want to keep ya.
You gotta think of it as a metro area, and not just "the city of Jackson." I would think that metro Jackson is the state's biggest economic engine; if the municipality of Jackson is somewhat subsidized by the suburbs, that is what it is, but Iuka isn't subsidizing the Jackson metro area by any stretch.
And you don't want to give up on Jackson itself; having a strong urban core (which, right now it's not particularly strong) allows for cultural amenities like Thalia Mara hall and services like Jackson Airport. "Agglomeration" is part of what makes cities successful. I'll try to find a better article, but this mentions it - http://www.citylab.com/work/2013/08/public-transit-worth-way-more-city-you-think/6532/
Madison will never want a dense downtown area, but Jackson could pull that off. I'm glad to see places like Fondren doing well, and I hope the city in general gets back on a good footing sooner than later.
If you want to be so focused on rich white people, yes, some decent restaurants are at least something to be attractive to rich white people. The easiest rich white people to bring back into a struggling downtown are young professionals, and they very much care whether they can live close to work and also have amenities like restaurants and nice bars. A lot of them will still move out when they have to make the decision on whether to pony up for private school for kids, but young professionals are I think just about always going to be on the leading edge of any gentrification of a downtown area.
People can see that. However, we go to the immediate competitors for shopping, dining, and entertainment, because Jackson offers very little of the 3. I live less than 2 hours from Jackson, and I can't tell you the last time I was there. I have no reason or desire to go.
I am saying while you are expending all those resources new roads, new infrastructure, ect the mostly black parts of these southern inner cities are falling apart. It's great to bring back young white professionals but at what cost. I know I will hear the arguement young professionals coming back with raise local taxes but let's be honest that money won't find its way into the black communities. Look I live and work in south Jackson. Everyday I go to work and see terrible roads and terrible schools. I see no good jobs in the black communities. You drive 20 minutes north to Madison (pretty much Hoover and mountain brook) everything is nice and new. I am saying all the zagats ratings in the world doesnt change the fact that while one community is getting the best of the best the other is suffering. From what I have seen in brimingham it's the same story. I am not saying bringing these young professionals back is a bad idea by any means. I am saying there are other parts of the communities that are suffering and nothing is done about that.
I think that's a totally valid point; economic growth is really only enjoyed by a small portion of Americans right now.
NYC now may be way more expensive these days, but you'd be hard pressed to argue that it's a worse place for poor African Americans to live now than it was in the 80's. The crime rate is a fraction of what it used to be, and govt services like trash, education, and transportation are incredibly improved. That doesn't happen without repopulation/gentrification.
As gentrification happens and the tax base expands, that added revenue is always slow to get spent on worse off parts of towns (if ever), but nobody knows how to improve those parts of towns in the absence of that gentrification either. Better to bring people back in and try to grow the population to improve police/fire/etc than do nothing.
You don't seem to understand why the Madison and Hoover communities are nicer than their inner-city counterparts. It's not because the state legislature favors Madison, Ridgeland, Brandon, etc. It's because those areas have an actual tax base. When crime rises to an unacceptable level, "white flight" occurs. When white flight happens, the local tax base decreases, infrastructure suffers, businesses move. It's a vicious cycle. And businesses don't want to locate in high-crime areas where there's a lack of trained employees. Simply put, if Jackson wants to get better, it's up to the residents of Jackson to make it better. But stop stomping your feet like a petulant child because people have chosen to take their families elsewhere.
Nobody's doing that and I completely understand how local taxes work. i am saying there has to be a way to balance what is happening in places like Madison and Hoover with what is happening in the inner cities. It would mean that the white flight folks might actually have to give some money to help other people and it would mean that the black and white communities would have to work together. I understand in the south that rarely happens but I am just saying instead of just giving up on the black communities there has to be a way for the two communities to work together for the betterment of everybody.
You have totally missed everything I have said in this thread. I am DEFENDING the cities you damned dunce.
You're stupid race tirade cements you as the clueless simpleton I figured you were when you first replied.
You have to have some pride and take ownership in any community for it to thrive. Hoover, Madison, Prattville, Mtn. Brooke, Germantown, etc., are thriving because the people that moved there have gotten involved in the community. Especially the schools. I have lived in Madison since 1979 and when we moved here, I would have never sent my kids to public schools here. But things changed and you saw a public school system that is one of the best in the State. Same as Brandon, Clinton and NW Rankin. No ownership in the inner cities about anything.
Jackson hasn't even managed to properly maintain its water and sewer infrastructure. Wayyyyyyyy before it worries about where money flows in its city, it needs to make sure it can offer the basic services that are required in order to maintain any tax base. If Jackson's city government were ever to do a good enough job that Jackson could prosper, then it would have a lot more resources with which to try to help people in less advantaged areas, and also there would be more opportunities nearby for people from disadvantaged areas to take advantage of.
You're exactly right 86-1. Their whole infrastructure is falling apart and when you have businesses closing for days because of water or sewer issues it's because you have no one who knows what the 17 is going on to correct it. It is a sad situation for Jackson and someone needs to step in and try to correct these issues.
Latest
-
01
Maroon and White
Mississippi State Week 9 Preview: Lebby Offense vs. Texas Defense
-
02
Maroon and White Football
Steve Sarkisian, Texas prepping for "Jeff Lebby offense" regardless of QB situation
-
03
Maroon and White
Mississippi State Depth Chart lists Puckett OR Swann at QB1
-
04
Maroon and White Football
Everything Steve Sarkisian said about facing Mississippi State
-
05
Maroon and White
Mississippi State Week 9 Preview: Texas Players to Know