Cities across America are on life support and many are blaming the liberal rulers for the slow death of urban America. High taxes, high crime, low office occupancy, and underperforming schools have become the trademark of the modern urban habitat. Politicians are resorting to pat condemnation phrases like 'racial equity' and 'reimagined policing', but the tides of despair and disappointment can't be held back with just vague rhetoric. Numerous reports are showing the mass exodus of businesses and ordinary citizens fleeing these erstwhile flourishing places.
Chicago, once lovingly nicknamed 'The Windy City', is now a swirl of crime. Rampant bandits have sunk to using cars as weapons to gain access to malls and shopfronts. Repeated break-ins have beggared the shop owners, with many commenting how even insurance providers are unwilling to shoulder their risks.
Even the comfortable zones around popular sports franchises in the major cities are not immune to this crime spree. The proximity to NFL team stadiums used to be considered prime real estate due to the significant footfall they attracted. But recent surveys indicate a sharp rise in the incidents of crime committed in these areas.
Entrepreneurs and businesses once thrived in the cosmopolitan climate of these cities, banking on the copious foot traffic and the high disposable income of the residents. But spiraling crime rates and a dwindling customer base have wreaked havoc on their income streams. Many business owners are resorting to hiring private security, leading to an unsustainable rise in operational costs.
Despite the glaring numbers, many politicians in these areas are turning a blind eye. In DC alone, there has been recorded increases in the rates of various crimes. Homicides are up by 34%, robberies by 69%, motor vehicle thefts have increased by a staggering 89%, and overall violent crime has risen by 40%.
In an eroding tax base, with businesses retreating and citizens out-migrating, the spotlight is on these cities to shape up. Unless there is a strict crackdown on the crime rates and a robust plan in place to rebuild these cities, the direction seems bleak. Advocators have been warning about the repercussions of maintaining the same policies, but the pleas seem to have fallen on deaf ears.
