I hear you both. It's very tough to hold your head high when you tell out-of-towners you're from STL. We're losing all our sources of pride (sports are unreliable) and if you're young, you want to be proud of where you reside.
I have a job that is highly reliant on a vibrant business community so believe me, my contingencies are in place because I don't see it happening here.
I really didn't want to sound as though I was overreacting, but I am passionate about this issue. I am extremely frustrated because St. Louis has so many of the fundamental components to really step out as a strong, smart, growing city in the next 30 years. Yet, we blow it more often than not.
In the coming years, if one is not somehow working in or around the Healthcare Sector or one of our top-notch Universities, they could be in a world of hurt.
ttricamo wrote:First, I greatly admire the insight of Mike Jones. Second, I'm really starting to enjoy the St. Louis American. Lastly, I have a tremendous amount of respect for Mike Jones' comments as they pertain to the China Hub. It is very refreshing to hear a member of the political structure openly admit the ugly situation in St. Louis.
As per usual, people (both in power and in general) will defend St. Louis by making comments in line with Slay's response. "Hey check out this old building that was rehabbed; we are making the tough decisions in this City." Meanwhile, we've all conveniently stepped around the "structural obsolescence" of our political structure, our endemic "financial bankruptcy", and our slow, apparently palatable trajectory of decline.
So sad and so frustrating.
Truthfully, this situation is part of the reason why we had to leave the City. It is completely illogical to continue to support failure. As I much as I love this place, my family would honestly have to consider leaving if St. Louis boffs the China Hub. If we can't hit this slow pitch out of the park, what can we do right? And, I'm sorry to say, that no level of "grass-roots" "organic" initiative at the "ground-level" would ever compare to a calculated, coordinated approach by a healthy political structure on any of this issues that plague this place. It makes me want to scream.
Now, I'm sure this post will elicit the usual "stop bagging on this place" or "if you hate is so much why don't you leave" responses. But seriously, how will we ever facilitate the broad-sweeping change we need here? How will we reverse the decline that one day will greatly affect everyone that decided to "hold fast" and sink with the ship?
Stop bagging on this place! If you hate is so much why don't you leave!
Joking aside, my stance is becoming very similar to yours. However, I will always call STL home and will continue to positively contribute to the city anyway I can...even if that is from a distance. Short of moving to some of the first suburbs that feel more city than suburb, moving to the county or beyond in this region is not even under consideration. I am an urban guy with an urban family, so its pretty much either the city or some other city.
Colby, ttricamo and sirshankalot, I hear what you are saying in regard to career prospects. I am in the Urban Planning and Design fields. While there are a few companies and firms there that do some good work, many of them are building greenfield subdivisions and I have no desire to be involved in that work. I am very interested in transit, TODs, infill and traditional/neo-traditional neighborhoods and business districts. There is not a lot of that going on at a large scale, nor are they enough companies that do that sort of work to easily justify staying.
The question is not whether we wish to remain in Saint Louis as our government rulers, and their allied consultants, decide the course of business in Saint Louis & MO, more often than not into simple maintenance of a no-change status quo...
Rather, it should be whether or not we choose to continue to accept this leadership as our own, or to choose new leaders.
Further, whether we choose to have others make our decisions for us, or whether we decide for ourselves what's in our own best intersts.
Are we going to say what we want, or just sit back and let them see what we'll take?
Instead of having this issue decide whether one remains passive to issues which may determine the course of their lives, could this failure in our leaders galvanize a new leadership core for Saint Louis? From this site & others, could we see the emergence of a group of "Young Turks" seeking pragmatic economic & regional growth, overthrowing the decision making status quo?
And we must ask ourselves, will we choose to be a part of it?
The question is not whether we wish to remain in Saint Louis as our government rulers, and their allied consultants, decide the course of business in Saint Louis & MO, more often than not into simple maintenance of a no-change status quo...
Rather, it should be whether or not we choose to continue to accept this leadership as our own, or to choose new leaders.
Further, whether we choose to have others make our decisions for us, or whether we decide for ourselves what's in our own best intersts.
Are we going to say what we want, or just sit back and let them see what we'll take?
Instead of having this issue decide whether one remains passive to issues which may determine the course of their lives, could this failure in our leaders galvanize a new leadership core for Saint Louis? From this site & others, could we see the emergence of a group of "Young Turks" seeking pragmatic economic & regional growth, overthrowing the decision making status quo?
And we must ask ourselves, will we choose to be a part of it?
(viva la revolucion)
Keep hope alive for this week.
I am not opposed to this in theory, but practically speaking is voting in new people going to change what we get from our government? Will the options available be the options to change good ole boy politics and poor decision making in this city/region/country? To me its more important to show that we do not support the system nor the leaders in place (while voting could be part of the solution, it is far from the most important part IMO). We need solid documentation that shows their decisions are not in the majority's best interest, nor are their decisions based on a rational/logical decision making framework. People need to be made aware of the flaws in the system, especially how they go about their business, how its inferior to what they should be doing and how the political party system needs a major overhaul. -And thats just the start-
ttricamo, thanks for the tips. I haven't spent too much time in DC, but I've heard of Ben's Chili Bowl, and Georgetown looks pretty awesome, though I don't know if I'll be able to afford hang out there too often. Also, I only started my last post with reference to your post to show that I think your frustration is, unfortunately, warranted. Good luck.
zun1026: My thoughts, actually, were that instances like this can inspire people to seek out leadership and a change in the status quo. Rather than focusing on leaving a situation, perhaps we'll see people emerge who choose to engage the political world, either by calling out failures, actively supporting causes in which they believe, or even seeking leadership themselves. If one wants change, one should demand it and seek it out themself. It's the only way to know that it'll get done.
I'm actually relocating to DC in the next couple of weeks though my decision had nothing to do with the current state of St. Louis. If I was completely uninterested in career growth then I would stay...but as a federal employee, it is very difficult to move up without moving to DC. But I do feel that we are going through a bit of a losing streak with this latest China Hub fiasco being just another bump in the road. It seems ever since we have reclaimed our #1 Most Dangerous title it has been a steady stream of mostly bad news.
I still remain very optimistic on the future of St. Louis though. I think the China Hub will happen and that the city will continue attracting young professionals - and I think more of them will stick around when they have kids versus fleeing to the burbs. The city is still a better place now than it was 10 and 20 years ago and parents have more options. I still am 100% committed to St. Louis and barring some sort of catostrophe will still raise my family here. St. Louis doesn't have to do anything to get me to come back other than still be around...and it wouldn't hurt if the craft brewery scene kept expanding too
moorlander wrote:Did someone forget to take their antidepressants? Keep it together people.
Keep what together?
I like what Keynes said regarding his opinions on the Great Depression:
"When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?"
The fact, right now, is that the state of MO missed another great opportunity to take a risk on something that could change this region positively forever. It's just another missed opportunity in the last 120 years that have relegated this region to 2nd, almost 3rd, tier status.
moorlander wrote:Did someone forget to take their antidepressants? Keep it together people.
I have to agree... In an attempt to try to get things back on track:
Bob Hedrick and his Brownsville-based companies World-Wide Consolidated Logistics Inc./Pan American Airways Inc. have won a rare Texas Enterprise Zone project designation from the governor’s office
^^But this isn't a missed opportunity yet? There is still time for the tax credit bill to go through. Its only been a week since the session ended. A special session wouldn't come about for some time regardless. Its only a small few that's holding up the legislation.
Supposedly there was a meeting yesterday with the Chinese that's been mentioned on the thread before. Anybody know anything about that?
Bob Hedrick and his Brownsville-based companies World-Wide Consolidated Logistics Inc./Pan American Airways Inc. have won a rare Texas Enterprise Zone project designation from the governor’s office
yeah, that's getting things back on track. interesting world we live in where Brownsville, TX and Lambert seek to partner on positioning themselves for global cargo.
moorlander wrote:Did someone forget to take their antidepressants? Keep it together people.
Keep what together?
I like what Keynes said regarding his opinions on the Great Depression:
"When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?"
The fact, right now, is that the state of MO missed another great opportunity to take a risk on something that could change this region positively forever. It's just another missed opportunity in the last 120 years that have relegated this region to 2nd, almost 3rd, tier status.
I'm tired of it and I'm changing my mind.
thanks
What fact state that the region has missed out the China hub? Did China cancel their trip? Picked another town? I'm with Moorlander, took my medicine and time to start talking positive or at least posting positive.
Yes, MO state house decided not to give out tax credits right away but reality is that support is growing and the status quo is not working well for Missouri. The bill never would have gotten as far as it did in such a short period of time. Politics on the state level might take some more time and I think Nixon is slowly but surely losing is support from the region. But the region also has a good idea of what asset it needs to leverage, and that is a new underutilized runway surrounded by developable free trade zone property ready to go in a state that is getting ever better business reviews.
The only other thing that strikes me in the recent discussion is the near absolute authority given to and dependence on Jeff City to make a St. Louis/China/S America deal fly...I am aware of the importance and vital role the state government will play in this process, but Jeff City doesn't own a single airline, run a single freight forwarder outfit, or operate any exporting business...These are the players who will provide jobs and growth, not the government...State gov't can create more attractive and less attractive environments for an aerotropolis to take root, yes, but the real issue here IMO is do the Chinese wanna come play in Missouri (yes) and do American companies wanna join the playground with the Chinese (clearly many voices say yes) and are there credible connections to S America (yes) and is this a clear growth industry that will provide profits thus making an aerotropolis effort realistic and worth it (yes)...
Will Jeff City need to get on board and help, YES...But it seems to me that this effort is not like advancing civil rights or fighting a war on drugs...The gov't is not going to run the show and call the shots...I could be wrong and have been so before...But it seems to me this will be about business making decisions, not legislatures or judges...
We have a big, fat runway...We have a historically strong economic base...We have water ports...We have a central geography...We have a clear regional hub status...
Would have some scathing conversations with the state legislature were I the mayor...You bet...Would I cash in my chips and move to the beach...Not on your life...
RobbyD wrote:Jeff City doesn't own a single airline, run a single freight forwarder outfit, or operate any exporting business...These are the players who will provide jobs and growth, not the government...
There are state and municipal airports involved. The airlines in question are essentially owned by the Chinese government. governments are certainly involved.
One of the stand-out ideas from the idea to recreate Incheon, South Korea as a major aerotropolis was the city government's investment in Singapore's Tiger Airlines (a successful budget carrier). The plan was to create something called 'Incheon Tiger Airways' and the airline would be half-owned by the city of Incheon. It was an ambitious plan that faced opposition domestically from other Korea airlines, but it certainly made the city appear to be considering all its options.
Not that Missouri should create a company called Show-Me Air or buy half of the new Pan Am, but there are certainly many ways the state can be involved.
@Daron...The focus of that comment was job creation...I would venture to say that the vast majority of new paychecks created by a St. Louis aerotropolis would be funded by the private sector...Taxpayers employing a vast new industry via Jeff City bureaucrats is not the way forward IMO...And not sure how you understood my comment to imply that gov't wouldn't be involved =D My point was/is that though aerotropolis tax credits have a good chance to stimulate business activity, a tax credit of itself doesn't give anyone a job...Hiring managers at growing companies do that...
gone corporate wrote:zun1026: My thoughts, actually, were that instances like this can inspire people to seek out leadership and a change in the status quo. Rather than focusing on leaving a situation, perhaps we'll see people emerge who choose to engage the political world, either by calling out failures, actively supporting causes in which they believe, or even seeking leadership themselves. If one wants change, one should demand it and seek it out themself. It's the only way to know that it'll get done.
Thats fair enough. I guess I have already been through that stage and have begun trying to figure out what to do and how to go about doing it. Unfortunately, given the political mess that consumes STL and the region as a whole, I continue to reach a state of frustration.
No real news, but an interesting occurrence. I was at Lambert just now picking up my in-laws from a flight from LAX. I saw Rhonda-Hamm Niebruegge and the Chinese at the airport. They apparently were on the same flight and waiting for the bags. I wished them well.
So I know this is a page late and has nothing to do with the topic...
@BoomBox - The federal gov actually has an enormous impact and operation in our city. In fact, our third largest building downtown happens to be a federal building. In comparison to other cities, the fed actually has a huge presence here with both the St. Louis Fed Bank and the 8th circuit judicial Headquarters.
Your individual point of emphasis may not have your desired opportunities here(In your estimation), but there are certainly an abundance of opportunities here. I find many people in the last two pages mistaking their personal situation for an absolute. This is fact in the same way that it is fact that because one person was assaulted in North City, everyone who lives in the city is assaulted.
I respect everyone's opinions from the past page regarding opportunity, but we (and those stating it)must remember that they are just that, opinions.
Hopefully we can change some in Jeff City in the next few weeks/months.
^Also, I should state, I hope that you all find the opportunities that you are looking for here in StL. But if you don't...I hope that you make them instead.
Building up the city has just as much to do with local business creation as it does with a China hub.
