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No. I've accepted that I'm overpaying in rent and being underpaid relative to peers in other cities for what I do for a living. It's fine. Once you accept reality instead of always resisting it you'll be so much happier.
Great for you. Reality is a wonderful thing to be able to accept. More should certainly embrace it.
I've already accepted that I can't buy my first home in any of the "trendy" or "desirable" city neighborhoods that our techie overlords are flooding into, and I'm okay with that. If I have to buy in Elliott or Sheraden or Carrick and then start to demand change and take action to improve those neighborhoods via calling 311 and 911 all the time so they're places I'd actually want to live then I'm fine with that. I mean I'd buy in Etna or Wilkinsburg or McKees Rocks, too, if I was able to do so.
The entire city isn't gentrifying. About 1/3 of the city is becoming techie overlord land (most neighborhoods that touch Downtown, Oakland, and East Liberty), about 1/3 of the city is solid/stable/middle-class like Brookline or Beechview (a rarity for a major U.S. city), and about 1/3 of the city is overrun with either violent crime (i.e. Homewood) or addict-induced crime (i.e. Carrick). If I can't find a home I can afford in the middle-third for my first home I'll buy one in the lower-third and then become such a PITA that I'll force upward change to happen.
Sooo... take your job skills and experience, get a job with County 911, and free yourself from the residency requirement of needing to live within City limits.
And I hate to disappoint you, but the squeaky wheel doesn't get the grease. The wealthy wheel gets the grease.
Squirrel Hill will get what they want when they request it with a whisper.
Sheraden won't get what they want, no matter how loudly they scream.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Charley Barker
An engaged, informed populous is the only accountability mechanism we need.
The media. You also need the media to be able to inform the populous. Its nice to see the Post-Gazette stepping up to fill this role by FINALLY beginning to call out Bill Peduto instead of simply being the PR service for the local Democratic party.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gladhands
I don’t begrudge long-time resident’s resentment at the changes the city is undergoing. The problem lies in the fact that they don’t support modern, realistic solutions to the problems that “old Pittsburgh” is facing. Job training for the information economy and living wages for service workers are the only long-term viable options. We’re two full generations removed from the mills, but yinzers are still pining for their grandfather’s economy, instead of looking forward. It’s a loser’s mentality.
But the "modern, realistic" solutions have been to gentrify huge areas of the city and to cater to transplants. Peduto's answer to the working class has been one of "good riddance", so that he can increase his tax base. The people who have roots here and who have suffered through economic devastation are not seeing any payoff in the 'new Pittsburgh' - theyre simply being gentrified out.
How are you going to feel when the gentrification hits the Hill District in full force?
It's already beginning. Look at 88 Roberts St. A home in the Hill is selling for $1.7 million... https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/8...84lMVgJbMk9o8g
Because like I said earlier .... What you call "slow job growth", is more a New Economy offsetting an Old dying economy, you can't convince me this isn't the case with Pittsburgh..... its the fundamentals of CHANGE! Looking at net numbers is not telling the story.
I didn’t call it that. The numbers prove it.
The net numbers always tell the story. If there was more job growth people would be coming here. People most always follow the money, and until there’s job growth, people aren’t going to show up. People will leave for better options before showing up for lesser ones. “CHANGE” happens when change in job $$$ happens.
Sooo... take your job skills and experience, get a job with County 911, and free yourself from the residency requirement of needing to live within City limits.
And I hate to disappoint you, but the squeaky wheel doesn't get the grease. The wealthy wheel gets the grease.
Squirrel Hill will get what they want when they request it with a whisper.
Sheraden won't get what they want, no matter how loudly they scream.
The media. You also need the media to be able to inform the populous. Its nice to see the Post-Gazette stepping up to fill this role by FINALLY beginning to call out Bill Peduto instead of simply being the PR service for the local Democratic party.
But the "modern, realistic" solutions have been to gentrify huge areas of the city and to cater to transplants. Peduto's answer to the working class has been one of "good riddance", so that he can increase his tax base. The people who have roots here and who have suffered through economic devastation are not seeing any payoff in the 'new Pittsburgh' - theyre simply being gentrified out.
How are you going to feel when the gentrification hits the Hill District in full force?
It's already beginning. Look at 88 Roberts St. A home in the Hill is selling for $1.7 million... https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/8...84lMVgJbMk9o8g
Political engagement is not for the unwilling or uninterested. You have to seek out information (there are good local media outlets like Public Source and WESA, and others I am likely not familiar with) and avoid the all too prevalent confirmation bias. First things first: the school systems need to start with teaching real history and critical thinking so that people know how to assess and evaluate for themselves, based on what they see around them and what they know from the past.
Yes wealthy/squeaky wheels get noticed, but VOTES are still the currency of political advancement and success. An elected official (particularly at the local level) can favor wealthy constituents all he/she wants, but if they don't have votes, they don't have a job. It really is Civics 101.
I don’t know who doesn’t see any of this. There are those that don’t like it but these things are all obvious.
What does this have to do with the fact that the region is 84/90 in job growth?
It has nothing to do with the job growth. It is complaining as you said. Small areas of this city is where people are being priced out. And change isn’t happening locally as quick as some people dream. Nothing more than a rant to try to soothe the true reality that this city won’t ever be a growth machine, won’t be as progressive as they will like and the same arguments and stories will repeat over and over again for years to come.
The coping mechanism is broken with a lot of folks or just doesn’t exist at all. Pittsburgh is what it is. A lower paying city that is 84 out of 90 in job growth and still losing population. You either accept it or you don’t. If you don’t accept it you should probably move on. You aren’t doing yourself of the general population any good by staying. This is similar to the life isn’t fair argument and there are a million things you can have and a million things you can’t have. You need to weigh what is important.
Solving the problem isn’t free giveaways. It’s almost like Pittsburgh would need blown up and started over to make it what some really want it to be on this board.
And the poster you responded to as well as a few others are a vocal minority in the region. The culture hasn’t changed much over my life. Technology has evolved, less people living here and less money to go around. That’s the difference. The majority of the people are the same in thought and process
It has nothing to do with the job growth. It is complaining as you said. Small areas of this city is where people are being priced out. And change isn’t happening locally as quick as some people dream. Nothing more than a rant to try to soothe the true reality that this city won’t ever be a growth machine, won’t be as progressive as they will like and the same arguments and stories will repeat over and over again for years to come.
The coping mechanism is broken with a lot of folks or just doesn’t exist at all. Pittsburgh is what it is. A lower paying city that is 84 out of 90 in job growth and still losing population. You either accept it or you don’t. If you don’t accept it you should probably move on. You aren’t doing yourself of the general population any good by staying. This is similar to the life isn’t fair argument and there are a million things you can have and a million things you can’t have. You need to weigh what is important.
Solving the problem isn’t free giveaways. It’s almost like Pittsburgh would need blown up and started over to make it what some really want it to be on this board.
And the poster you responded to as well as a few others are a vocal minority in the region. The culture hasn’t changed much over my life. Technology has evolved, less people living here and less money to go around. That’s the difference. The majority of the people are the same in thought and process
Bingo...but Homers gonna homer no matter what the numbers, stats, and facts are. It really is about being able to “change”, and embracing and accepting reality.
It has nothing to do with the job growth. It is complaining as you said. Small areas of this city is where people are being priced out. And change isn’t happening locally as quick as some people dream. Nothing more than a rant to try to soothe the true reality that this city won’t ever be a growth machine, won’t be as progressive as they will like and the same arguments and stories will repeat over and over again for years to come.
The coping mechanism is broken with a lot of folks or just doesn’t exist at all. Pittsburgh is what it is. A lower paying city that is 84 out of 90 in job growth and still losing population. You either accept it or you don’t. If you don’t accept it you should probably move on. You aren’t doing yourself of the general population any good by staying. This is similar to the life isn’t fair argument and there are a million things you can have and a million things you can’t have. You need to weigh what is important.
Solving the problem isn’t free giveaways. It’s almost like Pittsburgh would need blown up and started over to make it what some really want it to be on this board.
And the poster you responded to as well as a few others are a vocal minority in the region. The culture hasn’t changed much over my life. Technology has evolved, less people living here and less money to go around. That’s the difference. The majority of the people are the same in thought and process
Why accept it?!? Why not hold elected officials accountable to these numbers and demand change? I know politicians don't create jobs, but they do work to build environments that are conducive to economic growth. Put up the numbers on the old Sprint billboard and see how fast they start to change their tune. Yes, they are happiest when the media covers all the happy, feel good stories about the "New Pittsburgh".
There are narratives and there are objective, relative (such as these) numbers. We need to look at results and hold people accountable. No one (not me, not you, not Peduto/Fitzgerald/Wolfe . . . .etc.) does anything they aren't under some pressure to do. Again, I love Pittsburgh, not just the city, and its people. It's worth fighting for.
Last edited by Charley Barker; 09-18-2019 at 12:01 PM..
Why accept it?!? Why not hold elected officials accountable to these numbers and demand change? I know politicians don't create jobs, but they do work to build environments that are conducive to economic growth. Put up the numbers on the old Sprint billboard and see how fast they start to change their tune. Yes, they are happiest when the media covers all the happy, feel good stories about the "New Pittsburgh".
There are narratives and there are objective, relative (such as these) numbers. We need to look at results and hold people accountable. No one (not me, not you, not Peduto/Fitzgerald/Wolfe . . . .etc.) does anything they aren't under some pressure to do. Again, I love Pittsburgh, not just the city, and its people. It's worth fighting for.
Where/how are you going to find enough people with enough will to storm/fight “city hall”, especially when there are those that refuse to accept the numbers, facts, stats, etc...?
Where/how are you going to find enough people with enough will to storm/fight “city hall”?
There are ~70,000 people at a Steeler's game every other week or so, no? Get 'em hopped up on IC Light and over one of those bridges, and, as you like to say . . . . BINGO!
What I am talking about is getting people to think about their self-interests in a REGIONAL context and vote accordingly. Not just in Pgh city. What is the typical percentage of eligible voters who vote in a municipal election for the executive office? 25%? 30%? Maybe, if you are very lucky 40%? So that leaves a lot of people on the sidelines, who if motivated, could easily tip the scales in an election. But we need the right people - leaders - to stand for election and identify the problems without a sugar coating then do the grassroots work of getting that vote to the polls.
There are ~70,000 people at a Steeler's game every other week or so, no? Get 'em hopped up on IC Light and over one of those bridges, and, as you like to say . . . . BINGO!
What I am talking about is getting people to think about their self-interests in a REGIONAL context and vote accordingly. Not just in Pgh city. What is the typical percentage of eligible voters who vote in a municipal election for the executive office? 25%? 30%? Maybe, if you are very lucky 40%? So that leaves a lot of people on the sidelines, who if motivated, could easily tip the scales in an election. But we need the right people - leaders - to stand for election and identify the problems without a sugar coating then do the grassroots work of getting that vote to the polls.
Population numbers aren’t a problem.
It’s easy to say to do it. How are you going to actually get ~70,000 people hopped up on IC Light or anything else for that matter to storm/fight city hall?
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