So what's so wrong with allowing developers and investors-- many of them from out of town-- to seize control of the shopping centers, grocery stores, convenience stores and community markets in our neighborhoods? I mean, they still provide all the same services the locals provided, right? Right?
Well it just so happens it comes at a huge cost. And for Greensboro that cost is the fact that the Greensboro-High Point Metropolitan Statistical Area ranks the 3rd worst in the nation in food hardship. That's right, more people are going hungry here than anywhere else in the nation with the exception of Bakersfield and New Orleans.
All Greensboro got washed away by was an inept and corrupt City Council. At least New Orleans has a hurricane, flood and one of the world's largest oil spills to blame their woes on.
And what about Mayor Perkins' efforts to provide economic development to East Greensboro by building more shopping centers to house more out of town retailers-- how is that any different than what we already have? The answer: they still take our money out of town, they just run a different direction with our assets.
Look folks, I happen to know a little bit about Carrots on Sticks. It's out of print now but I wrote the book.
