You've hit it right on the head. I can say this as a 20 year resident of the Metro area having lived in Indiana and then Kentucky for 3 years. Kentucky is the laughing stock of American and I've been to about 35 of the 50 states including everything East of the Mississippi and pretty much all of the large cities east of Denver including KC, Omaha, St. Louis, Chicago, Memphis, Little Rock, Atlanta, Nashville, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Columbus, OH, Richmond, DC, etc.
Louisville is hands down from what I see one of the worst of the cities in the US. Worst among employers and job creation. Ask Forbes about that and all of their writings about it? One of the worst run states in the whole Union being Kentucky. 47th in education of which the Jefferson County Schools are 118th out of 154 Kentucky school districts. 47th in personal income which is severely lacking. 47th in percentage of students going on to college.
As far as the quality of life issues, you are quite correct. The police are lazy and have attitude issues when someone brings up legitimate problems that are caused by others in the neighborhood. Regularly you hear of children being mauled by a pit bull or other dog all because people are afraid to leave their homes without a dog in them for security purposes. Racism is a big problem here but its that way in many areas. As far as the political system it is corruption style on par with Chicago. They just know how to hide it better in Kentucky.
Here holding a door for someone gets no reply or the basic you owe me look these people have. Rude should be the real substitute for Louisville. Should be called Rudeville instead.
Up until the past few years, there wasn't much information regarding those who wanted to relocate here except for the glossy pamphlets put out by the Greater Louisville Inc and local realtors to boost sales. Kentucky has also been mentioned as the worst run of all 50 states and that was done by a group that works in that domain. That in itself should speak volumes. Another thing here is the lack of education and mental apathy the local population has. Its a big turn off to people that want to prosper and work on improve their lives and those around them. It has something to do with the culture here and the mentality of people that they don't value education and would rather have others do the hard thinking and resolving the hard issues. Which all ties back to why the good old boys run the political system here. It has less to do with power and more to do with people being too chronically apathetic to make changes AND take an interest in their city and communities. Too many people sit on the sidelines while going to their so called churches and thinking someone is going to deliver them from all their ills instead of getting up and doing something about the problems.
The attitude thing here is such that if you give the state or local city any sort of criticism then you're always told that if you don't like then leave. Well, thats for thin skinned people that can't take criticism and need to grow up and realize that everything isn't how they think. Closed minded should be another major topic here from the people to the employers to the whole system.
What's really amazing is to talk to the locals who seem to think that 10 dollars an hour is a fair wage for labor when it costs at least 30 to 40k just to get by here. Its really stupid for people have that low of mentality that they can't do the math and add up what it really takes to live. Of course, half of them probably are living on government housing or end up living with their parents or in a two income household. Try living on 10 dollars an hour in a one income home and see how far that gets you. Another thing that should be added, the people in Louisville and surrounding areas are still from Kentucky and they still have that sort of prejudice that is prevalent in the rest of the state. For example, Kentuckians voted in people like McConnell and Paul for Senators decrying too much government and too much involvement from government. Yet as a state for every dollar it sends to Washington, Kentucky receives 1.51 dollars back for each dollar it sends to DC. That's a welfare state by any means yet they have senators who cry about socialism and big government but yet they are on the take.
Regarding Louisville, the city needs a major overhaul in thinking for it to be a 21st century city and that won't happen because of the local population which is dead set against any sort of progress on the economic scale or educating the youth. It's sad when I see people from age 18 to 35 that cannot spell words properly on a regular basis and when you look at their resume, postings, and writing that it is so poor that it would receive an F from a teacher. Its really quite pathetic the mentality that exists in Louisville. Its dooming their children and grandchildren to a Third World future.
Kim |
Indianapolis, IN |
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