Heavy Hitters!

Forbes magazine's "fastest-dying" cities, in alphabetical order:

Buffalo, N.Y.
Canton, O.
Charleston, W.Va.
Cleveland, O.
Dayton, O.
Detroit, Mich.
Flint, Mich.
Scranton, Pa.
Springfield, Mass.
Youngstown, O.

http://tinyurl.com/5wjtod

Anyone surprised at this?

Forbes obviously doesn't realize that our Superhero's Danny and Kent will save us from this pattern of self-destruction with the formation of Metro Government. Oh, that's right.... The Mayor says,"just don't call it Metro"

Jerry wrote:Anyone surprised at this?

NO.

I'd be surprised if Charleston WASN'T on the list.

You don't think W.Va being ranked as the 50th worst state for business has anything to do with this do you?
NAH, me neither.

Also, while the Metro Gov't concept might save losing some federal funding, it's merely a shell game.

"Meet the new boss, same as the old boss."

By the way, I just received a comment from one of the largest businessmen in this state.

His comment:

"All in Union controlled states."

Jerry wrote:By the way, I just received a comment from one of the largest businessmen in this state.

His comment:

"All in Union controlled states."

Need we say more?

IIRC, I believe I addressed this subject when METRO first raised its ugly head. People are leaving Charleston because of high taxes and poor services. Neither of which are being addressed by METRO.

Remove state and federal government jobs, and Charleston is Podunk, WV.

Fastest dying Capitol in the fastest dying state....let's return to Virginia and give it up. We could be the first in something at least....the first to revoke a seperation from a parent state.

Has the local media covered this at all?? This makes the case against metro goverment. There is a reason people don't wish to live in Charleston's city limits.

I think they missed one - Nitro.

The following comment is from another messageboard:

Charleston being on the list doesn't surprise me at all. I was born there and lived in Charleston as a child. My, how far that once wonderful town has fallen. The west side (near what used to be Stonewall Jackson High School) where I grew up looks like a ghetto. Even the downtown mall is crime infested and is a dangerous place to be after dark. With the exception of the old money stone fortress of South Hills, I'm not sure exactly where you'd consider 'a nice place to live' in the greater Kanawha Valley. Snobbins and Nitro look like they haven't changed since 1968. Cross Lanes is over-commercialized, cramped, and the land use there has been overextended. Dunbar is a dump. South Charleston, sitting in the shadows of shuttered and rusting chemical plants, has nothing really nice or new. Ditto Institute. So where? Kanawha City? Elkview? Sissonville? Belle?

The handful of people I know that work in Charleston and want to live somewhere nice have moved to Putnam County.

It was on channel 8 this morning. Jones was asked about it and all he said is that he is trying to bring new businesses to Charleston....Between the way the state looks at business and the way Jones adds fees.....well, what a combo.........a combo from hell!

Folks, I caution you to remember that this is NOT the beginning. This is about the middle with no way to go but down. Who will pay those inflated pensions and the inflated salaries for the increasing number of employees in Charleston?

When the chickens come home to roost, will you be scratching for living in Charleston?

As a so-called life time geezer ,the city of Charleston has been dying for many years now ,as I another others like me see's it.. This all happened starting in the 50's.. Where at one time a person had no thoughts being harmed about going downtown Charleston at night . Now its not even safe at high noon !

The once proud city has succummed to the powers of of what you see today....The power of the corrupt politicians, the power of criminals and the elements of god only knows where they come from dishonest people.

With the changing of the times and bad attitudes has hasten the deteroration of this once proud city !!

But heres the "real" deal bill, its not going to get any better. Turning back the clock of better days is not going to happen. Its every man for himself ! It has come to the point where (its been said)...Keep your friends close,and your enemies closer !

Many Kanawha county honest citizens today, entertain the thoughts of "if" the immediate family becomes a victim of any particular crime with bodily injury or death.. The Laws of the land will take a back seat for the criminal elements that now exsists, not only in the city of Charleston ! But any city in this land !

Viva La....38-PS...

UPDATE http://www.dailymail.com/News/200808070581
Thursday August 7, 2008


Mayor Danny Jones challenges Forbes' magazine claim that Charleston is 'dying'

Jones said the city is not dying. But he said residents should read the article because it notes a few of the positive aspects of Charleston.The article is hurtful, but I urge people to read it," Jones said.

He said the article says nothing negative about the city's quality of life.The article really has nothing to do with anything except population," Jones said. "It's got one of the prettiest pictures of the city, and there's really nothing too negative about it."

Jones said he plans to do everything to improve the city's standing. It's more heartbreaking for me to see people leave, because I've lived here since I was born in 1950," Jones said. "I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure the economy can be as good as it can be."
--------------------------
More than likely Forbes magazine did'nt publish anymore in their article about Charleston being a dying city, because they know the truth hurts . And as mayor Jones said, its hurtful. What would have mayor Jones said if Forbes had printed all the truth (as we know it ) ?

But like all West Va. politicians he wants to spin the deal, to make him look good

I'm sure all the businessmen in Charleston subscribe to Forbes magazine.Maybe mayor Jones should send Forbes magazine a registered letter and put Forbes magazine on notice, that he plans to have all his business and political friends and himself to boycott their mazagine, unless they make a retraction on their story !

Viva La. Suicide Watch For Mayor Jones - Maybe ?????

Sister Mary wrote:I think they missed one - Nitro.

... and Wheeling.