RedScare

That story is also considered to be an urban myth.

Sure they are. http://www.nbcnews.com/business/detroit-becomes-largest-us-city-file-bankruptcy-6C10678946

Just what I thought. Made it up, just like all of your claims.

Oh, the old too much or no government choice. I also like that one! Now, my question in post #3712, please?

Uhh...don't forget the question posed in post #3712.

Proof?

Being a native of North Carolina, having grown up a mere 80 miles from Charlotte, I can safely say that North Carolina is not a bragging sort of state, so you would likely not hear too much horn tooting to begin with. However, it is worth noting that Portland IS the crown jewel of the Smart Growth approach to city planning. They started sooner and took it further than other cities. As such, anytime Smart Growth advocates wish to tout the successes of Smart Growth initiatives, Portland is where they begin...and often end. Of course, you do not hear nearly as much about the failures of Portland's Smart Growth initiatives. It is easy to see why. Smart Growth proponents, like anyone else, are not fond of pointing out the flaws in their thinking. And, many of these proponents do not even live in Portland, so they do not see the flaws on a daily basis. They are tourists, and only see what they like. Just as Colorado never feels cold when I am there skiing in my warm ski gear, Portland seems perfect when you are on vacation there and do not have to fight the rush hour to work. You also do not have to fight the density requirements when you are staying in a B&B. The gripe on Charlotte from a Smart Groeth proponent would be the same as Houston. It is too spread out. It needs more density. And, because the natural tendency of humans with means is to live in less crowded conditions (even Portland fans s3mh and mako live in the Heights and fight its densification), it takes government regs to make them live closer together. North Carolinians are not fond of government regs, either.

Abortion tangents aside, it should be noted that most of our ire is not directed at Portland at all. It is directed at those who wish to impose Portland's rules on us here in Houston. There is a huge difference. I would likely love Portland (aside from the weather). Likewise, I do love Houston. I have no interest, however, in attempting to turn Houston into Portland, and will be happy to oppose those who wish to do so. Oh, and I'm pro-choice, too. So sue me.

And, as if to underscore how stereotypical and stupid Texas "culture" is perceived, here is the Chronicle with a "Texas Citizenship Test". Predictably, it is more a test to guage your level of White Trashiness than Texan citizenry.

This! ^^^

I do. I was here. Were you?

Me too. The only traffic jams I hit today was right in front of the new ExxonMobil site near the Woodlands.

I am sure that you are an expert on this industry. However, most of these dealers sell on a weekly payment plan with high interest rates. It is nearly impossible for them to "get upside down on a couple of car deals", as they will have the car repo'd before it is a month overdue. Many even put ignition locks on them. If a borrower gets behind, the car locks up. I suspect that you just made this up.

I ignored it because it is not true. Freeways are virtually never expanded until they are severely overcrowded by the people who bought those suburban homes. They pay for the expansion.

The roads and sidewalks are paid for with the taxes paid by those who purchase the homes in the subdivisions. The roads and sidewalks are then donated to the county. Highways are paid for with taxes on the gasoline bought to drive on them. If you take the rail, you will need no gas, and therefore do not pay for them. Those who drive the most pay the most. I am surprised that you do not know this, since you claim there are "hidden costs" involved. You should know how those costs are paid.

But, it is a much shorter drive to the Methodist hospital at Willowbrook.

What is the difference between 1 million people living in a Houston suburb and 1 million people living in Dallas?

Those costs are not subsidized. Some of the costs are built into the price of the house. Other costs are carried by the MUD districts that are created to build the water and sewer systems. These costs are very clear in the MUD tax rate that is paid by the homeowner. So, your claim that the costs are "hidden" and that they are subsidized is not correct. They are paid by the people buying the homes. And, these costs are lower than the cost to put all of these new residents inside the loop, as you appear to be suggesting. The only difference is that the higher cost to the homeowner is paid to the builder of the midrise/highrise apartment, as opposed to a MUD district that built new sewer lines. The homeowner still pays these costs. If they are going to pay anyway, they should get to live where they want to, not where you want them to. That's the way we do it in this country.

I would also like to see a ballpark estimate of the cost of this transit system that 2 million people would use. That way, we could compare it to the "hidden costs" of sprawl that is getting thrown out there that no one has put a number on.

There is one other poster on this site that overuses the term "gridlock", too. I suggest that you get together with him and start an advocacy group. Maybe you could call it "Houstonia"...unless that name is taken. In that case, maybe "Gridlocker" will do. You can advocate for density while advocating against gridlock. You can call for ground floor retail while also railing against the traffic congestion it causes. You can advocate for density killing historic districts while also demand mass transit that requires density to be effective. Change the world! I'd help, but I don't find the traffic that bad at all, so it would be a waste of my time. And, with 4 shopping centers within a mile and a half of my house, I simply do not understand why I should be demanding even more dry cleaners and nail salons under people's apartments. But, you two can handle it.

I love those guys! Because I know who they are taking that money from. And it ain't historic district opponents.

Neither can Portland. If you want density, you get traffic congestion. Deal with it.

Since you believe that historic preservation must include supporting government intrusion, without regard to the viability or value of the government involvement, I will proudly wear your accusation of "anti-preservationist". Your statement is poison to the preservation movement. You explicitly claim that those of us who purchase old homes are idiots who must be forbidden from preserving our homes without government regulation. It should be obvious to you why there are so many opponents to your views (as opposed to preservation), but you appear too narcissistic to listen. This is why few of us waste any time attempting to explain it to you. You've made it clear that only repeal of the ordinance will get you out of our homes. And that is exactly my intention. By the way, there are no turtles in my yard.

No reasonable people complain about inner loop street traffic...until they do not like a proposed project. Then, they whine and cry and use words like "grid Lock" to describe the extra couple hundred cars per day travelling down a four land road. The people that count, city engineers, never listen to them.

The courthouse tunnels were open trench built.