Okay, I'm back...had to conduct a little business...
DGrant...your friends are quite right. The upwardly mobile middle class black population exerts great power in Atlanta city government. For years, that political power base has co-existed with the (largely) white business structure and that is what has propelled Atlanta into it's supposed role as the "capital of the New South". Sometimes the relationship has been tenuous...but it has worked for the most part. Traditionally white upper middle class suburbs are becoming more diverse. White singles, couples and families have moved back into the city and real estate has skyrocketed. Gay folks have gentrified the old hippie area of Midtown and the town of Decatur (amongst others) and real estate has boomed and now everyone wants to be in those areas (of course). My house in the Brookhaven/Buckhead area of Atlanta has appreciated about $150,000 in value since I bought it in 1997. (I just got my latest tax assessment for my home in the mail today - boo hiss!). Also, the Latino/Hispanic population in Atlanta is booming (as it is in many areas of the US).
The latest controversy is that Sandy Springs, a relatively wealthy unincorporated 'town' just north of Atlanta...wants to vote to emancipate itself from the rest of Atlanta...and be responsible for its own future. Another proposal wants to split Fulton County (where Atlanta is) into 2 separate counties as it used to be years ago. Aahhh...we shall see.
Atlanta has its problems like any other large city...traffic, crime, relatively poor public transportation...but I think that the advantages...relatively good weather year round, good economy, trees/parks/rolling terrain, active cultural scene, good restaurants/shopping/nightlife/theatre/concerts/professional sports, good services, accessibilty to airport/not too far from ocean/mountains, diverse population, active real estate market...outweigh the disadvantages. I love to travel but I love coming home and living here.
Updated On: 4/21/05 at 03:34 PM