Growth is bad?!

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Tue Sep 28, 2004 4:03 pm

Here's a copy of an editorial from the Lincoln paper. IMO, this individual is the poster child as to why Lincoln will never become more than a wanna-be small town, and eventually a big bedroom community. I can only shake my head. I'm also certain that his interpretation of "what the voters said" is not accurate. This thinking burns me in my assless chaps.

Growing weary of growth

Recently our mayor shared her perspective on the overwhelming defeat of the street and trail bond issue. She expressed her concern about the defeat and the message it sends to businesses and people outside of Lincoln.

As a long-time resident of Lincoln, I would remind the mayor and the City Council that the heart of Lincoln is its residents, not its businesses or people who live outside Lincoln.

It appears that our city government has as one of its basic principles that growth is good. I, as a citizen, have grown weary of shouldering the burden of growth through tax increases. If growth truly was in everyone's best interest, new industry and city growth would increase the tax base to such an extent that increases would, for the most part, be unnecessary. Clearly that is not what we have managed in Lincoln.

I hope our city and county government listens to what the voters have said.

Ted Schultz, Lincoln

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Tue Sep 28, 2004 5:07 pm

You got that right, Tuna.

"the heart of Lincoln is its residents, not its businesses or people who live outside Lincoln."

No, the heart of Lincoln is UNL and the Capitol. Without those two things it would just be a bunch of confused rural people wondering why their small town takes up so much space.

projectman · Post by **projectman** » Tue Sep 28, 2004 5:17 pm

Exactly. Small town mentality = small town forever.

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Tue Sep 28, 2004 8:43 pm

I wouldn't say the heart of Omaha is it's people entirly. But when you don't have things like a DT or a big city rep you would have to rely on a bunch of Husker fans as your heart. Poor Lincoln.

edsas · Post by **edsas** » Wed Sep 29, 2004 3:04 am

Lincoln voters made a bad choice, but you can't marginalize a 1/4 million people based on that or the opinion of one nimby. While Omaha has seen phenominal progress in the last ten years, Lincoln has taken some lumps (not the least of which was losing Gallup). Yet it continues to grow at a faster percentage rate than Omaha and it continues to foster smart growth and progressiveness that is rare among its size peers.

Don't count Lincoln out just because it's had a spate of development problems. Everything is cyclical. Lincoln will regain the kind of vim that commissioned the first world-class skyscraper in Nebraska. Maybe not on that scale, but who knows. Only time will tell.

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Fri Oct 01, 2004 12:47 am

To me, Lincoln seems to be going nowhere fast. Maybe something miraculous will happen in the future....who knows?

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Fri Oct 01, 2004 10:39 am

It will sure be interesting to see the uproar when something finally does pass down there. A lot of people are waiting for the city to address south 48, 56, and 27th streets along with north 70th. If some sort of plan passes to widen those to actual thoroughfares I think the backlash will be huge. Each of those streets are lined with HUGE trees, right up to the curb. To make the roads into 4lanes they will all have to remove all of the trees and people will go beserk. Not that I blame them, I think the trees are gorgeous and cutting them down will have a huge impact on the neighborhoods. They will fight it to the bitter end and considerably delay the widenings, not to mention waste millions in the process. Lincoln's really backed into a corner and it will take a lot to work out of it. The current leadership is unable to provide that sort of command and determination to wade through it. Shortly, 84th street will be the first street to connect Hwy6 and Hwy2 while providing 4lanes throughout.

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Fri Oct 01, 2004 2:06 pm

Why don't they just increase the city's property taxes and build an extenseive underground freeway. Actually, why don't they just build a subway system while they're at it.

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Fri Oct 01, 2004 3:37 pm

..and we can charge them one milllllllion dollars!...

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Fri Oct 01, 2004 7:38 pm

The Big Dig didn't really work for Boston so why would it work for Lincoln? Licolon doesn't want to be a city like Omaha so they will always have problems with growth. If and when they ever do decide to act like the city of 240,000 people they are they will have to address their roads and progressive city leadrship. It's not likely soon but it could happen.

projectman · Post by **projectman** » Fri Oct 01, 2004 8:41 pm

This is exactly the reason I hope Omaha can grow into a bigger city by attracting internationals and new residents from the coasts. Lincoln seems to be full of midwesterners and small town folks that want to stay in a small town. I can see the "us versus them" mentality growing as Omaha emerges into a more cosmopolitan urban area and the rest of Nebraska lags farther behind and competes with Wyoming and North Dakota for ranchers.

DMRyan · Post by **DMRyan** » Fri Oct 01, 2004 9:37 pm

Hasn't that already happened projectman?

projectman · Post by **projectman** » Fri Oct 01, 2004 10:14 pm

I don't want to admit it but maybe it has. Each time I think areas of the state are taking a step forward something comes out that seems like two steps back.

Comments like " Omaha ain't part of Nebraski" definitely tells me the "us versus them" is definitely out there, however I think it will intensify over the next 10- 20 years.

edsas · Post by **edsas** » Sat Oct 02, 2004 1:31 am

I think you guys are underestimating the enthusiasm a lot of "outstaters" have for your city. But then, what do I know? I only grew up there.

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Sat Oct 02, 2004 5:25 pm

Well why don't those people ever say anything. I totally 100% agree with you projectman about Omaha atracting more big city people ( or else rural transplants that can think big). I know lots of people in Omaha from Chicago or other midwest cities who like Omaha but miss pro sports, high end shopping, and things like that. If we can get more people who are concerned about the city and not the Husker game than we can increase our appeal expotentially.

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Sat Oct 02, 2004 7:51 pm

projectman wrote:This is exactly the reason I hope Omaha can grow into a bigger city by attracting internationals and new residents from the coasts. Lincoln seems to be full of midwesterners and small town folks that want to stay in a small town. I can see the "us versus them" mentality growing as Omaha emerges into a more cosmopolitan urban area and the rest of Nebraska lags farther behind and competes with Wyoming and North Dakota for ranchers.

I totally agree!! I think it's been happening for a LONG time now anyway, but as Omaha continues to grow and become a greater and greater city, further separating itself from the rest of rural Nebraska, including Lincoln, the gap is only going to grow exponentially.

edsas · Post by **edsas** » Sun Oct 03, 2004 2:56 am

DTO Luv wrote:Well why don't those people ever say anything.

They do. It's called spending money in your city.

I'm just tired of some of you guys blaming rural Nebraskans for a bevy of Omaha woes. If Omahans act anti-progressive it's because of rural transplants. If Omaha loses to Lincoln in hosting a state event it's because the "bumpkins" out west hate Omaha. Come on you guys. This kind of thinking solves nothing and, in fact, only prolongs the problem by putting the blame on the wrong people.

I live in the 2nd largest metro in the country and if you think urbanites are exempt from being anti-progressive, I've got news for you. Turn the mirror inward, guys, and stop blaming others. Omaha problems are Omaha's problems. Not Grand Island's or Norfolk's or Scotts Bluff's. Give me a break.

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Sun Oct 03, 2004 2:30 pm

edsas wrote:If Omahans act anti-progressive it's because of rural transplants. If Omaha loses to Lincoln in hosting a state event it's because the "bumpkins" out west hate Omaha.

Now you're getting it

.

projectman · Post by **projectman** » Sun Oct 03, 2004 5:39 pm

The reason Omaha has been held back because of Nebraska's conservative make-up and rural image. We have to get new people in here with new ideas.

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Sat Oct 09, 2004 8:32 pm

I was in Lincoln today so I took some time to look around Lincoln and see what the people there thought about big bad Omaha.

Driving in Lincoln is a pain in the |expletive|. Thay have no interstate that gets any where in the city. Alot of the "main" streets were 2 lanes, one each way, everywhere. The whole place was bumper to bumper. It took me more time to get from Highway 2 to the Cornhusker Freeway than it would to get from DT to Westroads. Even the 3 and 4 lane streets were slow because of people stopping on yellow lights

and the slow acceleration of people. I'll take the Streets of Omaha

anyday. Everyone I talked to thought LIncoln traffic was terrible.

My trip wasn't all bad though. The hair dresser lady I talked to thought Omaha was fine. She even said she wishes Lincoln were more like Omaha. The local politcians feet dragging when it came to growth was one thing that bugged her. She would like to see more attention put into having a road system like Omaha's that goes across town and to where people are.

My cousins that live there liked Omaha but wouldn't want to live here. One lady I talked with said Omaha wasn't any better than Lincoln. She called us a bunch of wannabe city slickers and thought we were arrogant to think we were a big city. Needless to say I had to slap that |expletive|.

I think people in Lincoln aren't as severe in their contempt for Omaha as the rest of the state. They have their bumpkins, but they also have their civic minded progessive people. Omaha is fine but LIncoln is for them.

projectman · Post by **projectman** » Sun Oct 10, 2004 1:52 pm

Ouch! Hope you didn't leave a red mark.

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Mon Oct 11, 2004 4:05 pm

"She called us a bunch of wannabe city slickers and thought we were arrogant to think we were a big city. Needless to say I had to slap that |expletive|."

That's HILARIOUS! Hahaha.

Is Lincoln a "wannabe" small town, then? LOL!

Will · Post by **Will** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 5:53 pm

Maybe now that the huskers (I am still a fan and will admit it publicly) are not the power house that they were in the last decade, maybe we might see some sort of pro sports here.

Let's face it, the biggest reason people go to lincoln from Omaha is for the huskers. [/img]