"I hate to see such a nasty tumble in price on an "expensive" property, but while I was in G'ville, I never understood how the tax collectors could justify valuing properties upward in price when it was obvious that over 400 hundred people (not including deaths which took people way) were leaving the area."
"There's no "new" money coming into the Delta, so expecting to turn properties might be difficult. I used to write about the shrinking middle class and how outward migration trends with this demographic aren't getting attention."
"Nice work on the blog, Fortright. I hope Delta Scoop catches back on with a couple hundred readers and a dozen regular contributors. "
Thanks, LR. I share your lament of the "down-sizing" of Greenville. The early 1980's gave us a population just under 50,000. Today, it is closer to 37,000, and shrinking. In the Delta a loss of 13,000 taxpayers should be triggering the panic button for our newly established economic development council. Instead, they ask us to focus on the "positives" of our city.
- Is it positive that my children had to attend a private school in order to achieve a basic education?
- Is it positive that my 2 year old car just had its suspension realigned due to the bottomless potholes on our streets?
- Is is positive that my home has been on the market over three years without a bid even close to the appraisal?
- Is it positive that I took my child to DRMC's emergency room and waited 5 hours before being seen?
- Is it positive that we can't keep any type of revenue generating shows or festivals in Greenville? We have tried horse shows, dog shows, balloon fests, literary fests, and car shows. None have been sustained.
- Is it positive that approximately 32% of Greenville residents drive over 30 miles a day in order to maintain employment? (Gas at $3.00 per gallon, you do the math.)
At the risk of sounding like Andy Rooney, "I just don't get it." I suppose we should be thankful for the handful of runners who jogged through our streets last weekend, bringing with them some revenue. However, I am more thankful that one of them didn't disappear into a pothole on Washington Avenue and that Mike Wallace won't be hosting"60 Minutes" next Sunday from our "entertainment district."
Perhaps we need to focus less on the "positives" of Greenville and more on its "opportunities for improvement." We are like beggars who are thankful for every crumb that is tossed our way. Until we get actively involved in promoting Greenville, in new and innovative ways, we will continue to wither on the vine.
Forthright
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3 comments:
There should be a public outrage for the the mayor and 3 council members voting to hire an engineering firm from JACKSON!
It appears that a fee of $513,000 will be leaving Greenville!!!!!!!
We have 2 very competent Engineering Firms with deep family roots in Greenville. The Burles & Hookers both have contributed to the local community in many ways. Both have properties here and pay a huge tax bill every year! What a slap in the face!! I am totally digusted that my tax money is leaving Greenville!!!!
I lived in G-Ville for over five years; thank God I was able to get out! I was even lucky enough to find a sucker to buy my house and I actually made a little money on the sale. That was three years ago, I guess I would even have a hard time selling it for a lot loss now.
I must say, as I pulled out of town on my last day I sighed breath of relief. I was so sick of the hatred and bigotry I experienced there, and I'm talking about the reverse discrimination of the Black leaders to anyone white. The likes of the Rankins, Hudsons, Giffiths, etc will not be happy till every position with any kind of authority is filled by a Black. Just look at what those idiots did to Bill Serate! Now they can put one of their "own" in that position, that’s what that was all about anyway. And Bill, he has a much better job in a much better city, and you can bet he’ll take some of the business he could have secured for G-ville to Vicksburg. (Good for him)
But the really sad part of the demise of G-ville is the fact that all the blacks that think or thought things will be better now that “our people” are in charge are in worse shape than ever, and the only blacks that are better off are the “Black Good Old Boys Network”.
The poor blacks just don’t seem to get it, so I don’t feel sorry for them, let them cheer on their leaders and continue to live in a crime infested dilapidated dying city. It really will be Mound Greenville in a shorter time than the folks think. White flight is happening and will continue. Game over.
Look at Natchez for a means to improve Greenville. If not, move to Natchez but be willing to lose 25% on your Greenville house sale and pay 25% more for a house in Natchez.
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