Brown got what he wanted. No more tax revenue. We get a city not worth living in?
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Jacksonville City Councilman Reggie Brown calls plans to drastically cut back mowing of roadsides an embarrassment for a city this size.
Councilman Clay Yarborough says the city would be shirking a core responsibility.
Despite those strong objections, Jacksonville is poised to mow medians and sides of city roads just four times a year when the next fiscal year starts Oct. 1. That would be a fraction of the frequency that some other Northeast Florida cities send mowers down their streets.
The view of overgrown medians will give motorists constant reminders of the stark financial choices Jacksonville has faced in assembling a 2012-13 budget. The reduction in grass-cutting along streets and in vacant lots will save about $1.5 million.
Yarborough, a member of the council’s Finance Committee, tried to restore at least $750,000 for citywide mowing in road rights-of-way. But he couldn’t win over support from other Finance Committee members because it would have required equal cuts somewhere else in a drum-tight budget.
“This is a core service,†Yarborough argued at the Aug. 31 budget hearing.
Brown, comparing the city to a lazy homeowner who gets complaints from neighbors for not mowing regularly, even suggested it might be time to tap the city’s emergency reserve to soften the blow of spending cuts on the Public Works Department.
“Let’s not do it on the back of the beautification of Jacksonville,†Brown said. “It’s not right.â€
In the 2011 fiscal year, the city mowed medians and rights of way 12 times a year in urban areas, eight times in suburban locations, and four times in rural areas. That slipped to eight times annually in the current fiscal year for urban streets while the suburbs got mowing eight times and rural spots four times.
It will drop to four times annually in urban, suburban and rural areas starting Oct. 1, based on the budget proposed by Mayor Alvin Brown.
More story
http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2012-09-11/story/budget-cuts-will-mean-less-grass-cutting-jacksonvilles-medians-and
So we're basically trying to become Detroit South, excluding downtown Detroit, which that city is investing in. Great.....
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/Learning-From/Eastside-Detroit-2011/i-dndwZ6M/0/M/P1460035-M.jpg)
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/Learning-From/Eastside-Detroit-2011/i-KftwLjz/0/M/P1460209-M.jpg)
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/Learning-From/Eastside-Detroit-2011/i-RC6sRPh/0/M/P1460193-M.jpg)
With that said, is code enforcement going away for property owners who only mow their land 4 times a year?
(http://images2.static-bluray.com/reviews/324_1.jpg)
You get what you pay for. I think I would be very upset if I got cited for a "lawn violation" and the city right of way was in worse shape. Ratty looking roadsides will be a great inducement for visiting company executives looking to relocate.
I'm all in favor of letting the roadsides look like crap - they will be the perfect symbol of the city.
One good sign. Atleast the mayor knows thats a bullshit idea and actually spoke up about something for a change. The way it rains here during the summer, this city would look like a jungle very quickly.
(http://valdodge.com/files/2010/07/dangerous-unmaintained-road-12575S1.jpg)
"...Well, until a year ago, we called it I-10!"
This should be fun to watch, kikuyugrass grows rapidly through summer and early fall. Kikuyugrass is capable of sustained shoot growth rates exceeding 1 inch per day, and a patch can expand an average of 4 square feet per month when growing without competition. Several types bamboo grow at the astonishing rate of 2 inches an hour or around 24 inches a day. Milk weed 1 inch per day. Good old Kudzu, the vine that ate South Carolina grows at the rate of 1 foot per day! Many water plants and marsh plants which grow in our ditches have staggering growth rates.
Once the ditch plants spread, they tend to hold moisture in those same low areas which make ideal breeding grounds for mosquito's. The mosquito's that bite us typically don't fly more then a few hundred yards from where they are bred, and they typically don't breed in swamp water, rather they breed in large wet fallen leaves, old containers, tires, cups, plastic and any plant material that will hold a thimble of water. These are the vicious little pests that attack, and unmaintained right-of-ways should provide perfect habitat for their trade in West Nile Virus, Encephalitis, Dengue Fever, Malaria and Yellow Fever. So you see we'll all have something to look forward to!
Hey at least the dandelions are edible and their iron and calcium content is phenomenal, greater than spinach. You also get vitamins B-1, B-2, B-5, B-6, B-12, C, E, P, and D, biotin, inositol, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and zinc. So while the city is going to look like absolute shit, at least we all have the opportunity to eat healthy... remember boys and girls pick the broadest young leaves BEFORE the dandelion flowers, and again after the first frost (which kills the plants protective bitterness). Dandelions go with most any meat and potatoes type American meal, so eat em up because we'll all probably die of some exotic tropical disease.
(http://inlinethumb50.webshots.com/51569/2401727390104969885S600x600Q85.jpg)
Quote from: Charles Hunter on September 11, 2012, 10:08:48 PM
You get what you pay for. I think I would be very upset if I got cited for a "lawn violation" and the city right of way was in worse shape. Ratty looking roadsides will be a great inducement for visiting company executives looking to relocate.
I'm all in favor of letting the roadsides look like crap - they will be the perfect symbol of the city.
So am I. This is just one of the byproducts of sprawling unsustainable growth (while letting your town center & urban infrastructure go to shit) that eventually is going to bite the city (and lots of other people) in the ass. I'm all for it, maybe they'll finally learn their lesson & begin the painful process of the reversal to smart growth. And being one of the biggest footprints in the country (if not the biggest), they're in for one hell of a rude awaking.
If you follow other cities who have been down this road, I'd start to watch as other things begin getting cut back. Police forces, transportation, schools, roads being neglected, etc. Wait until gas prices eventually cross the threshold for the real fun to start.
Jacksonville (and places like it) are all cities of the damned.
Quote from: duvaldude08 on September 11, 2012, 10:15:49 PM
One good sign. Atleast the mayor knows thats a bullshit idea and actually spoke up about something for a change. The way it rains here during the summer, this city would look like a jungle very quickly.
Nope, it appears this was actually the mayor's idea, it came out of his budget. The council seems to know it's not good.
Does the city have to follow code? If so citizens can put in C.A.R.E. complaints against the city for mowing. I've done it before and it generally happens within a week or two of the complaint.
I get the whole, "Great, now the city can see how horrible this idea is" sentiment, but it will make our city unsafe. Imagine Southside blvd with medians and shoulders that are 3 feet tall. Small cars won't be able to see over them and bikes will get mowed down more often than the grass. Also, think about all the snakes that will be within a foot or two of sidewalks all over the southside. I see them often enough now with the grass still short. The southside is just a patchwork of development woven into a swampland, the animals in many cases are still there. Lunican's picture is not funny, it's prophetic.
Great opportunity to get rid of the grass and plant some low-growing native plants that don't need to mowed, or only mowed at the end of the growing season.
Unfortunately I have been dealing with the City not maintaining its ROW in Springfield for years. I have to maintain my alley, if I didn't the weeds would be as tall as me! It is really sad our city can't do better. I sort of agree with Finehoe, plant palmetto and thaxahatchee grass in the medians and ROWs instead of grass that needs mowed.
Why do we not have the prisoners mow everything and landscape everything for us? I feel like they are an untapped labor force that could be utilized to do a lot of the landscaping and maintenance projects throughout the core and the city. Is this more expensive than I am imagining or is there a legality issue?
jacksonville--bring your own goats!!
Finally!
The tea party wins.
Their no tax increases at any cost worked.
Good for us.
And good for everyone.
We have become a society that can shrink the government and save money. Maybe soon we can fix our own roads and cut our own grass and clean up the parks on weekends.
YEA!!!!!
Brown won because he promised he wouldn't raise taxes. That is the only way ANY candidate will win office in this city. And it worked.
And he stuck to his word.
You can't blame him.
Quote from: mbwright on September 12, 2012, 10:18:17 AM
jacksonville--bring your own goats!!
I wish. Too bad goats are illegal
Brown, comparing the city to a lazy homeowner who gets complaints from neighbors for not mowing regularly, even suggested it might be time to tap the city’s emergency reserve to soften the blow of spending cuts on the Public Works Department.
“Let’s not do it on the back of the beautification of Jacksonville,†Brown said. “It’s not right."
Since when is mowing the grass something that we should consider using emergency funds on?
Perhaps the mayor should do his frikkin job and propose a realistic budget instead of engaging in pissing contests with the sheriff and chief judge.
Jacksonville is: PROJECT TEAPARTY!
Lets see where we end up in 10 years. People will be fleeing to Detroit
This is the kind of thing I wouldn't mind a slight tax increase to maintain. This is reason enough to let the mobility fee moratorium expire. Sprawl is killing us.
Am I the only person who really doesn't see this as a big deal?
Granted the city will look embarrassing to outsiders, but in all fairness the City seems broke and I could care less that the grass in medians looks exceedingly overgrown during the summer months. I think it is more environmentally friendly to not burn off hundred/ maybe thousands of gallons of gas mowing medians and surrounding vegetation each year trying to keep Jacksonville "Green".
I am totally with fineshoe in saying we should replant areas surrounding the roads with native, low growing vegetation.
Also, there is no way I can take a grass code violation seriously ever again.
Hopefully, the City will have a little more money next year. However considering the financial mess other municipalities across the country are facing, less landscaping seems like we are not doing too bad. Seeing that property values have begun to stabilize, I hope the City budget begins to look a little brighter within the next year or two.
Quote from: avonjax on September 12, 2012, 10:18:39 AM
Finally!
The tea party wins.
Their no tax increases at any cost worked.
Good for us.
And good for everyone.
We have become a society that can shrink the government and save money. Maybe soon we can fix our own roads and cut our own grass and clean up the parks on weekends.
YEA!!!!!
Brown won because he promised he wouldn't raise taxes. That is the only way ANY candidate will win office in this city. And it worked.
And he stuck to his word.
You can't blame him.
And soon there will be Fortune 500 companies moving in by the truckload, all to take advantage of the low taxes ! Unemployment will plummet, and income will soar! Jax will be a Teatopian wonderland.
Tall grass is a small price to pay for all that.
I remember when I was living in Scranton PA, a similar situation happened. The city brought in a CEO and his wife looking to bring a company to the region. The wife took one look at the big coal piles all around the region and said she could never live in a place with these big ugly black mountains. The company never ended up coming to the region. For politicians that are so 'keen' on big business- you would think they would have some clue as to how all of this works.
If Jacksonville continues to starve the city of proper infrastructure and the 'appearance' of the city as we are doing today, the city's business climate will suffer in the end.
Yeah sprawl is bringing this city to it's knees. I am just curious how long this kind of un nurtured growth will go on before we have to face the music. We are already so broke we can't cut the grass. I know it sounds like a small thing, but I believe it makes such larger problems surface.
I guess the way of the moratorium will answer this question.
Wait, can't they just use all the profits from these roads to cut the grass?
I'd like to rewrite the headline as if this were about transit:
Money-losing Roadways Grass Cutting Subsidy to End
Quote from: vicupstate on September 12, 2012, 12:30:56 PM
Quote from: avonjax on September 12, 2012, 10:18:39 AM
Finally!
The tea party wins.
Their no tax increases at any cost worked.
Good for us.
And good for everyone.
We have become a society that can shrink the government and save money. Maybe soon we can fix our own roads and cut our own grass and clean up the parks on weekends.
YEA!!!!!
Brown won because he promised he wouldn't raise taxes. That is the only way ANY candidate will win office in this city. And it worked.
And he stuck to his word.
You can't blame him.
And soon there will be Fortune 500 companies moving in by the truckload, all to take advantage of the low taxes ! Unemployment will plummet, and income will soar! Jax will be a Teatopian wonderland.
Tall grass is a small price to pay for all that.
Yeah.
Let me know when that happens.
If that is true than Jacksonville and the entire state should be swarming with corporations begging to come here.
We should have thousands and thousands of jobs being made.
Where are they?
Our Business Tax Climate Index for 2012 is the 5th best in the country.
So where are the businesses clamoring to be here?
Just curious.
Quote from: avonjax on September 12, 2012, 01:33:00 PM
Quote from: vicupstate on September 12, 2012, 12:30:56 PM
Quote from: avonjax on September 12, 2012, 10:18:39 AM
Finally!
The tea party wins.
Their no tax increases at any cost worked.
Good for us.
And good for everyone.
We have become a society that can shrink the government and save money. Maybe soon we can fix our own roads and cut our own grass and clean up the parks on weekends.
YEA!!!!!
Brown won because he promised he wouldn't raise taxes. That is the only way ANY candidate will win office in this city. And it worked.
And he stuck to his word.
You can't blame him.
And soon there will be Fortune 500 companies moving in by the truckload, all to take advantage of the low taxes ! Unemployment will plummet, and income will soar! Jax will be a Teatopian wonderland.
Tall grass is a small price to pay for all that.
Yeah.
Let me know when that happens.
If that is true than Jacksonville and the entire state should be swarming with corporations begging to come here.
We should have thousands and thousands of jobs being made.
Where are they?
Our Business Tax Climate Index for 2012 is the 5th best in the country.
So where are the businesses clamoring to be here?
Just curious.
I think someone's been missing their daily dose of Tea-flavored Kool-aid. We need Rick Scott, ASAP ! Phyllis Schafly will do in a pinch, though.
Quote from: mbwright on September 12, 2012, 10:18:17 AM
jacksonville--bring your own goats!!
Funny you say that. The City of Atlanta uses goats very effectively - cuts way down on costs, provides "entertainment", eliminates the use of fossil fuels, etc etc.
Trees Atlanta Employs Goats to Clean Up Kudzu (http://clatl.com/freshloaf/archives/2010/10/01/trees-atlanta-employs-goats-yes-goats-to-clean-up-kudzu-at-future-beltline-park)
Sheep Brought in to Cut Grass at Hartsfield Jackson (http://www.wsbradio.com/news/news/sheep-brought-cut-grass-hartsfield-jackson-airport/nR8dj/)
Curbed Atlanta: Animals Increasingly Finding Work in Cities (http://atlanta.curbed.com/archives/2012/06/13/animals.php)
No Kidding: Google Hires Goats to Mow Lawn (http://www.tomsguide.com/us/Google-Goat-Lawn-Mower-fertilizer,news-3871.html)
And Atlanta's own small business "Ewe-Niversally Green (http://eweniversallygreen.com/about_us)"
Before and Afters from the sight (note that these are tough jobs, but herds have been used to mow the lawns at Chastain Park and other parks)
(http://eweniversallygreen.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/eve01.285175951_sq_thumb_m.JPG)(http://eweniversallygreen.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/eve02.285180143_sq_thumb_m.JPG)
(http://eweniversallygreen.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/pthp05.285180714_sq_thumb_m.JPG)(http://eweniversallygreen.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/pthp06.285180853_sq_thumb_m.JPG)
(http://eweniversallygreen.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/telaria03.285181341_sq_thumb_m.JPG)(http://eweniversallygreen.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/telaria04.285181543_sq_thumb_m.JPG)
(http://eweniversallygreen.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/vogt01.285181940_sq_thumb_m.JPG)(http://eweniversallygreen.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/vogt02.285182113_sq_thumb_m.JPG)
^^^Some of those 'after' pics the landscape looks more denuded than trimmed back.
I think the point of the pictures is really to advertise the "Kudzu Cutting" capabilities of the herds, but a herd is not going to reduce a lawn to an area of dirt. Again, just something other cities and organizations and corporations such as Google are using to cut down on costs and greenhouse emissions.
I wouldn't expect Jacksonville to think outside the box like that, but others are.
Quote from: chipwich on September 12, 2012, 12:24:41 PM
Am I the only person who really doesn't see this as a big deal?
Granted the city will look embarrassing to outsiders, but in all fairness the City seems broke and I could care less that the grass in medians looks exceedingly overgrown during the summer months. I think it is more environmentally friendly to not burn off hundred/ maybe thousands of gallons of gas mowing medians and surrounding vegetation each year trying to keep Jacksonville "Green".
I am totally with fineshoe in saying we should replant areas surrounding the roads with native, low growing vegetation.
Also, there is no way I can take a grass code violation seriously ever again.
Hopefully, the City will have a little more money next year. However considering the financial mess other municipalities across the country are facing, less landscaping seems like we are not doing too bad. Seeing that property values have begun to stabilize, I hope the City budget begins to look a little brighter within the next year or two.
The problem is that they already do a poor job now. To imagine it any worse is hard to stomach. As much as it rains here in the summer, and Jacksonville is full of woods, trees and vegetation, the city will look like an overgrown mess.
^^^Agreed. The "general appearance" of the city has always been a hot mess. As everyone knows I like to bitch and moan a lot on this forum, and one of my most frequent gripes is regarding the overall appearance of the city, whether it be downtown, the drive in from the airport, Riverside-Avondale even just on the other side of the Shoppes in some cases, Roosevelt Blvd can easily take the cake as the most ugly corridor around, Southside Blvd as featured in the article, etc etc.
Other more urban or "smaller land mass" cities do not have the same problem, or at least to the degree Jacksonville has. Most of Jacksonville's roads are divided highways with plain grass medians. Usually there is grass between the sidewalk and the road, if there is a sidewalk. Generally there are ROWs along the sides of roads everywhere because there is no densityor regulation to pull anything up to the sidewalks/curbs.
Combine the overgrown grass and weeds everywhere with the complete lack of landscaping, the inexcusable condition of the roads for a region that experiences little fluctuation in temperature as compared to other regions (and no ice), the many decrepit buildings, the spotty "attractiveness" mixed in with the tattoo parlors and strip malls, the cracked concrete benches as bus stops, the ill-maintained and often trashy/littered parks and public space, and the obvious lack of design regulation and you have a nasty combination. It's painful to return to Jacksonville, my hometown, from most anywhere else.
Can't we just rename the roads and streets state, or federal highways, and pass the buck (or goat)?
The reason the kudzu areas cleared by the goats look dead, is because the kudzu blocked all of the light from anything that was there before.
Hell! I can deal with grass not being cut in order to not pay more taxes! Surprised the City didn't do this sooner.
I've been thinking about this problem quite a bit lately.
The negative effect from poor maintenance on property values will be much greater than the additional expense of providing adequate maintenance. It can also lead to increased crime (the broken window theory).
A successful business budgets for maintenance of assets and technology upgrades. The most significant assets of any local government (which are incorporated businesses) are the public right-of-ways, buildings and parks. These are the investments we have made that provide a majority of our income (in property taxes). For us to expect a return on these investments, they require maintenance and regular upgrades.
One of the ideas we are trying to promote is getting each of our neighbors to claim ownership of the property directly in front of their own homes -right out to the center of the street. Guess what. It's not working. There are a few who care enough but not enough to make a difference. So far, we haven't come across a motivating factor that would work across the board.
Granted, the folks in Springfield seem to have it together, as far as it goes. There are more in that area who have a caring attitude about the entire neighborhood, not just the space in front of their own home. However, as I go through Springfield and other areas, pride in neighborhoods appears to be in short supply. That translates to a few oasis of good looking areas overwhelmed by the surrounding apathy.
Trying to look a the big picture shows that all too many of our citizens act as if the city is responsible for cleaning up after them as they trash our city day after day. Just how much of our maintenance budget could be redirected if the slobs stop emptying ashtrays or tossing food wrappers and drink containers out at stop signs and along all the right of ways? Tall grass and weeds are only a small part of our problem.
Quote from: Ralph W on September 12, 2012, 09:34:22 PM
One of the ideas we are trying to promote is getting each of our neighbors to claim ownership of the property directly in front of their own homes -right out to the center of the street. Guess what. It's not working. There are a few who care enough but not enough to make a difference. So far, we haven't come across a motivating factor that would work across the board.
Granted, the folks in Springfield seem to have it together, as far as it goes. There are more in that area who have a caring attitude about the entire neighborhood, not just the space in front of their own home. However, as I go through Springfield and other areas, pride in neighborhoods appears to be in short supply. That translates to a few oasis of good looking areas overwhelmed by the surrounding apathy.
Trying to look a the big picture shows that all too many of our citizens act as if the city is responsible for cleaning up after them as they trash our city day after day. Just how much of our maintenance budget could be redirected if the slobs stop emptying ashtrays or tossing food wrappers and drink containers out at stop signs and along all the right of ways? Tall grass and weeds are only a small part of our problem.
You could take photos of the license plates and post them on a number of websites. Of the jerks who dump ashtrays, food wrappers and drink containers at the stop signs and right aways. They will not stop but it feels good showing these people that they are not helping the problem with trash on our roads. :)
Quote from: Ralph W on September 12, 2012, 09:34:22 PM
One of the ideas we are trying to promote is getting each of our neighbors to claim ownership of the property directly in front of their own homes -right out to the center of the street. Guess what. It's not working. There are a few who care enough but not enough to make a difference. So far, we haven't come across a motivating factor that would work across the board.
Granted, the folks in Springfield seem to have it together, as far as it goes. There are more in that area who have a caring attitude about the entire neighborhood, not just the space in front of their own home. However, as I go through Springfield and other areas, pride in neighborhoods appears to be in short supply. That translates to a few oasis of good looking areas overwhelmed by the surrounding apathy.
Trying to look a the big picture shows that all too many of our citizens act as if the city is responsible for cleaning up after them as they trash our city day after day. Just how much of our maintenance budget could be redirected if the slobs stop emptying ashtrays or tossing food wrappers and drink containers out at stop signs and along all the right of ways? Tall grass and weeds are only a small part of our problem.
It isn't going to work. You have entire neighborhoods where people can't even be bothered to attend an association meeting, expecting them to care about taking care of a median is an even bigger stretch.
Quote from: Barnaby808 on September 12, 2012, 08:31:40 PM
Hell! I can deal with grass not being cut in order to not pay more taxes! Surprised the City didn't do this sooner.
So if the CEO of a major corporation that is considering investing in the area, is turned off by the city's appearance, and therefore strikes Jacksonville off it's short list, is it still worth it?
Considering one significant headquarters or plant could cover that $1.5mm savings in taxes per year, I would say that is penny wise and dollar foolish. Not to mention the loss of jobs and the drag on property values city-wide.
It's all about 'looking' like Alvin's doing something, besides for taking plane trips funded by special interests, and not returning phone calls, that is. If you look at it from a political standpoint, I can't think of a more visible public way to throw a bone to the teabaggers, everybody and their grandmother will know we saved a couple bucks after looking at 4' high grass everywhere.
I think a big part of the backlash on taxes is that people see their incomes stagnant or decreasing at the same time their taxes are going up but they don't see the benefits they receive from them. If the city stops mowing right of ways all it is going to do is increase the resistance to paying higher taxes.
Quote from: If_I_Loved_you on September 12, 2012, 10:24:55 PM
You could take photos of the license plates and post them on a number of websites. Of the jerks who dump ashtrays, food wrappers and drink containers at the stop signs and right aways. They will not stop but it feels good showing these people that they are not helping the problem with trash on our roads. :)
You might have just skipped across a solution. LICENSES PLATES. Lets petition the state to issue a new tag, it could have a picture of the Wells Fargo Building being eaten by kudzu and weeds and a slogan like 'MOW JACKSONVILLE'.
Oh and those goats, can you imagine the increase in road kill around here if we allowed goats to do the mowing? Perhaps NIKE could come out with a new JAXGREEN shoe, complete with hedge cutters on the toes? At least we could get from the car to the office with those cool new shoes.
QuoteThe tea party wins.
Their no tax increases at any cost worked.
Alvin was a teapartier? LOL!!!!
I'm with Alvin? Teaparty members uniting behind Uncle Alvin?
Another great move from our city leader! Ugh!
Quote from: carpnter on September 13, 2012, 08:28:32 AM
I think a big part of the backlash on taxes is that people see their incomes stagnant or decreasing at the same time their taxes are going up but they don't see the benefits they receive from them. If the city stops mowing right of ways all it is going to do is increase the resistance to paying higher taxes.
My property taxes have gone down 4 straight years. And that included the year Peyton increased the millage rate.
Quote from: finehoe on September 12, 2012, 09:37:17 AM
Great opportunity to get rid of the grass and plant some low-growing native plants that don't need to mowed, or only mowed at the end of the growing season.
I think this is something the city should be looking into anyway. In fact, the Native Plant Society (I forget the acronym) recently did a project along Riverside Avenue and Forrest Streets.
I am in the process of converting my backyard into mostly a perennial peanut groundcover.
Round-Up - Is Your Friend...
Back in the 90's when I was a city councilman in a suburban Oklahoma community, we had a major fortune 500 company come to town flirting with building a plant there. It might have been something to do with automobiles but I don't remember exactly. What stands out is after all the nice-nice, hand shakes and power points were completed, the CEO took a rental car and went 'exploring.' A day passed then the headlines blared out the truth of the matter with something like 'XXX CEO SAYS FIRM WILL NOT BUILD IN A CITY WITHOUT PRIDE!
Bingo, the main culprit was litter and weeds. Granted that a daily wind of 20-30 mph does wonder for litter, in fact you quickly learn NOT to open two car doors at the same time, if you do, SWOSH... everything is on it's way to Kansas. But weeds, much of it grain that drops from trucks, quickly sprouts to 24" inches or so.
Had I dropped in on OKC of 2012 back in the 90's I honestly wouldn't have known where the heck I was at. OKC today glimmers and shines, everywhere one turns are new condos, high rises, apartments, recreations, parks, landscaping, transit, art, etc... OKC is rapidly becoming the north edge of the DFW metroplex, and they are leaving us in their dust.
So good move JAX, keep it coming and you'll get what you asked for... NADA, NOTHING, СОВСЕМ НЕТ, NICHTS, ZERO, ZILCH.