Baltimore City employees abandon the city that feeds them!

[kreep]

The problems are more financial then anything else. There are some very nice and "cool" places to live in Baltimore. It really is a progressive and friendly town. The crime is mainly limited to pockets and you can live your entire life here and not be a victim of violent crime. At the same time, you can live in another jurisdiction and be a victim of a home invasion or street robbery. The things that drove me from the area were the Public Works and the schools. More time, money, and manpower is spent in some of the more desolote areas while the neighborhoods that are filled with tax paying homeowners are neglected by public works. The schools are deplorable at best. If you intend on raising children in Baltimore, you have to factor private school into your budget...and that ain't cheap. Housing in the decent neighborhoods is sky high and home owners there pay the highest property taxes in the state - and yet they get the worst services, or completly ignored, by the city government.

And not to mention the hair brained ideas implemented by the local government...for example (and this is just one): The city and HUD replaces the public housing projects with new and modern townhomes. The majority of these homes were for sale to people that wanted to make the "new" neighborhoods their HOMES in an effort at gentrification. Then the city takes almost half of the homes in that neighborhood and gives them to Public Housing for rentals via section 8.

[yuca]

And not to mention the hair brained ideas implemented by the local government...for example (and this is just one): The city and HUD replaces the public housing projects with new and modern townhomes. The majority of these homes were for sale to people that wanted to make the "new" neighborhoods their HOMES in an effort at gentrification. Then the city takes almost half of the homes in that neighborhood and gives them to Public Housing for rentals via section 8.

And how have the rentals worked out for those neighborhoods?

[pepper]

Baltimore has a drug problem.

I'd argue that it's an insanely high illegitmate birthrate problem, one that is the root of so much multi-generational dysfunction. That army of children born to people that can't properly raise them (who, with no better examples do the same) floods the neighborhoods, then the schools, with people ill-equipped to function in a positive way, which in turn causes despair, strips Humanity, and fuels the circus of the addicted and those more than willing to prey on them because they have few other options, not knowing any better.

A "drug problem" is a very simple way of looking at it. You're right of course, but you have to focus on what causes it. Thats much more difficult, because the change has to come from the people-it can't be legislated away. Even legalizing drugs does not address the root. Thats more of a desparation move. It wouldn't work, because it still ignores the cause of the cycle of poverty.

[Jim F]

And how have the rentals worked out for those neighborhoods?

A government bureaucratically planned egalitarian utopian success story (?)

[kreep]

And how have the rentals worked out for those neighborhoods?

I wouldn't say not well, but not as bad as I thought it would be. Definently keeps the homeowners options at a minimum. Those that took the risk and purchased the homes in the first place would find it hard to sell them when they're ready to move on to larger homes. Don't know the numbers but I'm sure that many of the resident owned homes have become rentals. I would be furous to know that, while I'm paying a mortgage and being hounded when it's late, my neighbor is paying $200 a month for their rent, for the same home. IMHO!!

[bmore_ken]

And not to mention the hair brained ideas implemented by the local government...for example (and this is just one): The city and HUD replaces the public housing projects with new and modern townhomes. The majority of these homes were for sale to people that wanted to make the "new" neighborhoods their HOMES in an effort at gentrification. Then the city takes almost half of the homes in that neighborhood and gives them to Public Housing for rentals via section 8.

I'm still mystified by that whole thing

[sigmalady]

I wouldn't say not well, but not as bad as I thought it would be. Definently keeps the homeowners options at a minimum. Those that took the risk and purchased the homes in the first place would find it hard to sell them when they're ready to move on to larger homes. Don't know the numbers but I'm sure that many of the resident owned homes have become rentals. I would be furous to know that, while I'm paying a mortgage and being hounded when it's late, my neighbor is paying $200 a month for their rent, for the same home. IMHO!!

I, on the other hand, wouldn't care what they paid as long as they kept up the property and didn't bring my value down.

[Marshan Man]

The problems are more financial then anything else. There are some very nice and "cool" places to live in Baltimore. It really is a progressive and friendly town. The crime is mainly limited to pockets and you can live your entire life here and not be a victim of violent crime. At the same time, you can live in another jurisdiction and be a victim of a home invasion or street robbery. The things that drove me from the area were the Public Works and the schools. More time, money, and manpower is spent in some of the more desolote areas while the neighborhoods that are filled with tax paying homeowners are neglected by public works.

Can I get an amen on this one??? They actually come to some neighborhoods looking for infractions like high weeds or a dirty alley so they can take the fines and dole them out somewhere else it seems. SMH...

[jessup270]

Taxation without representation

Isn't that one of the founding principles of our country?

There will be plenty of people around here to defend the idea though, I assure you.

In many counties and cities around the nation, the sales tax rate is different than nearby jurisdictions.

I am sure this practice is NOT an example of taxation without representation.

If people in Delaware venture into OC for a meal, they certainly pay a sales and receive NOTHING in return for their community.

When I worked for the City of Baltimore in the 70s, I was very concerned that the city would impose a residency requirement. So much so that after five years, I quit and started over again in Anne Arundel County where my house was located and my kids attended school.