- Manufacturing -- After a generation of decline, there seems to be some green shoots. GE's return to Beuchel with the assembly of the hybrid water heater and energy efficient front-load laundry products combined with Ford's recent announcement of $900 million investment in its two Louisville plants to build, among other things, the new Ford Escape in hybrid and plug-in hybrid varieties means that Louisville could re-brand itself as a magnet for green collar jobs, and it should.
- Bridges -- Louisville won't reach its full potential as a full size city until it fully incorporates its Indiana suburbs. Why isn't passenger rail a part of the bridges discussion?
- Pro ball team -- Other cities will never take Louisville seriously until Louisville beats that city's pro team at home. Until Louisville invests in professional sports, the nationwide subconscious opinion of Louisville will be that of a second-class city that is important for two minutes a year.
- Public transit -- Louisville can't take full advantage of its greatest attribute -- its restaurant, bar and drinking culture -- without reliable mass transit that is popular to use. A light rail train bridge over the Ohio River that drops Indiana pedestrians into downtown Louisville would do wonders to invigorate downtown street life while making our roads safer.
- School busing -- People who move to Louisville with families either pay for private schools or settle in Oldham County, where there is no forced busing. The Louisville busing plan was a solution to the problems of 1970, but it has become the problem of today. Also, charter schools.
Am I missing anything?
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Actually, one of Mandy's main points was her dismay at moving here and finding that it's the only place she has ever been where it's a foregone conclusion you'll be paying private school tuition if you are a middle class family. She clearly has a huge interest in the public school situation in Jefferson County. You are also echoing her take on the 1970's busing plan.
ReplyDeleteThe pro sports idea is terrible. When you see all of those lists of 'best places to live' in the US most of the top cities don't have pro teams. And honestly, who cares what the rest of the country thinks of us? We know we have something special here and if having a bottom-tier NBA team is the criteria for their acceptance....yuck.
ReplyDeletePassenger ail would also require a huge public investment as it is not cost-effective. It sounds sexy but it doesn't pay for itself.
I was echoing Mandy Connell's points on the busing issue because I agree with her on that issue 100% -- I don't always agree with her, but on this issue, I'm with her.
ReplyDeleteAs for the sports team, I'm standing by it. Louisville will always be a second class city without a pro sports team. An argument can be made that Louisville should just be as good a 2nd-class city as it can be -- but it can never be considered equal to Cincy, Nashville, Indy or St. Louis without a pro sports team.
I understand passenger rail requires public investment, but it pays for itself in ways beyond simple fares... economic benefit of a pedestrian-rich city would be worth it, and it would further the downtown revitalization.