Does this sound familiar?
St. Louis is losing residents, according to U.S. Census figures released Thursday, and the population decline goes deeper than being another blow to the proud city’s image. The drop will mean a financial loss that could cost the already cash-strapped Gateway City millions of dollars.
Figures from the 2010 census were a bitter disappointment, as the city’s population dipped to 319,294.That’s down more than 29,000 – a staggering 8 percent – from 2000.
But wait, there’s more:
The mayor said the ongoing struggles of the city school district are a big part of the problem.
“A lot of families are leaving the city for better educational opportunities, especially public education opportunities,” Slay said.
Increasingly, they’re moving further and further out.
Why yes. Yes, that does sound familiar.
We have the change the way we do things as a city. Change the way we look at problems and potential solutions. We’re $27 billion in debt, have high taxes, bloated social programs, failing schools, corrupt politicians, and criminals running around loose in the streets.
These problems exist as all levels: local, county, state, and federal. We need comprehensive reform nationally in order to survive.