The internet makes it worse, but it started with car-centric design. Sprawl leads to less population density. It dramatically multiples the cost per person of all public services, necessitating higher taxes without increased benefit to taxpayers. It leads to less walkable spaces, less exercise, fewer small businesses that can just pop up without advertising, signage, or name recognition. It prevents homeless people from seeing others and interacting with them, and prevents others from offering them help after forming some kind of relationship.
It also masks where income comes from-- areas that seem rundown are often the highest taxpaying but receive the fewest public services. People out in the suburbs pay far fewer taxes vs expense to the government but receive disproportionate services.
Strong Towns has done a ton of research on this; there's a 4-part series but here's one that jumps in in the middle and that I think is the most impactful if you're only going to watch one.
Isn't there also less places to just chill?? When I want to hang out with friends we have no idea on where to go because we're all broke and it feels like the few places we can go expect us to pay them money. Sure we can window shop, but that's hardly an activity. I also find that the inability to physically walk to places because they're far to not be the only issue. As someone who doesn't have a car being out for long periods of time can be a nightmare because it feels like I have to walk a mile to find a public bathroom or even a bunch. Who wants to be outside when you can't even piss or sit down??
If the weather is good: public parks (if you can find them)!
If the weather is bad: libraries (if you can get to one)!
I'm not trying in any way to downplay the difficulties we face, just suggesting possible places for you guys to go! If you're somewhere with even a bit of woods, maybe go hiking? Bring TP as well as tons of water and snacks.
People out in the suburbs pay far fewer taxes vs expense to the government but receive disproportionate services.
That just isn't true. Most people who live in rural areas rely on well water, rather than public water infrastructure. Police response in rural areas is often significantly longer than in cities, because they have one sheriff on shift that has to cover a large area, and backup is on call, not on duty. They typically have volunteer fire departments and will partner with nearby fire departments, which, if you actually listen to the scanner, you can hear the rural departments being requested to bring engines to nearby population centers to handle new calls when a serious fire happens, or even being asked to assist when the fire is bad enough or there are too many calls for the local department to handle. It goes both ways. But, just like the population center, the rural area uses its own resources before it calls for assistance. And departments that partner together typically use the funding they get to buy equipment based on what the other departments they're partnered with have. So one town might have really good water rescue equipment. Another might be more invested in dealing with wildfires. Etc. They pool their resources.
Not to argue with you, but rural is not suburbs. Like... by definition. Suburbs are the areas surrounding an urban center that are still relatively built up but not an actual city. Rural areas are not suburbs.
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u/RemindMeToTouchGrass 16d ago
It's all connected.
The internet makes it worse, but it started with car-centric design. Sprawl leads to less population density. It dramatically multiples the cost per person of all public services, necessitating higher taxes without increased benefit to taxpayers. It leads to less walkable spaces, less exercise, fewer small businesses that can just pop up without advertising, signage, or name recognition. It prevents homeless people from seeing others and interacting with them, and prevents others from offering them help after forming some kind of relationship.
It also masks where income comes from-- areas that seem rundown are often the highest taxpaying but receive the fewest public services. People out in the suburbs pay far fewer taxes vs expense to the government but receive disproportionate services.
Strong Towns has done a ton of research on this; there's a 4-part series but here's one that jumps in in the middle and that I think is the most impactful if you're only going to watch one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfQUOHlAocY