You know what else is a choice?

haven't you just validated what everyone is saying - that if a community doesn't want it then nothing can be done?

and yes, for the ones who do realize the benefit and want it, getting their support is easy...

You're in New Orleans, right? That's a whole different world of corruption down there, I'm told. Let's make an exception for you, Hap.

Your avatar, I believe.

why, Buggs, are you suggesting just throw out this viewpoint because it doesn't match what you are stating? I'd say that this is laughable, but I think you beat me to that already...

No, Happy. It was meant as a joke. Based on what I've read about N.O. from many different sources, you guys have issues to deal with politically than others of us don't, with the possible exception of Chicago.

That assumes there is no such thing as income/class mobility.

No hope = absolute that can be easily refuted.

I guess I don't understand your argument here. Because of poor city planning, poverty in suburbs is hopeless and cannot be stopped? Seems like there is a podcast for everything under the sun. I am going to make one on why Turkeys are really mammals and not birds.

NOLA has suburbs though right? According to the logic in the link you provided, all suburbs should subject to the same problems.

Believe it or not Buggs, while I just want to disagree with you because I think it can be fun, I sort of agree with you on this. But I have to ask you a few questions.

1) Why do you care?
2) Did you read this entire problem? The reason I ask this part is because in the link you provided, the problem was predicated on: "These suburbs would like to grow their tax base, but they haven’t much additional land to grow outwards. All new growth must go upwards. It is this dynamic that has longtime residents at odds with the future non-existent residents."

You and I have been on BOL for a long time and if you were actually having a problem with this, I would note that this goes against everything you have ever supported. This implies that the problem is really a desire to expand a local government via taxes and outlays. With the exception of privacy concerns, you have always supported such positions. So why the concern now?

Buggs, first I apologize for the misinterpretation.

I think the NO city leaders in NO have come a long way from the reputation they hold among the rest of the US...but still have a long way to go.

But cities such as L.A., San Fran, Jackson, MS, Miami, NYC, all make the news with divisive issues, often cut along party of racial lines. I'm sure many other small towns have issues of this nature as well - growth and change verus NIMBY. I live in a small town (8,500 people)about an hour north of NO, and a local private school wants to tear down and build a new gym...it has passed the planning and zoning board, but the "beautification" committee refuses to give the approval because 1 oak tree may need to have some branches trimmed...the tree remains, and the plans also call for planting additional trees on the property.

If leaders remain entrenched in their ways, there is not a lot an outsider can do to change this.

Funny you should mention that, because what is often referred to as "white flight" contributes much more to decay of inner cities as the tax base relocates to the suburbs, and leaders are left with how to fund and keep a city running with many of the high wage earners no longer paying taxes within the city, but driving in every day to work there.

In my area, the suburbs are much nicer than inner city living.