Earlier, (OK, a few minutes ago, I schedule these things so there's some distance) I wrote about how The ruling class is dining on peacock and quaffing Champagne while the under class in Houston is reliving a scene from Oliver! (Please sir, may I have some more?)
Of course there are problems with this, problems that will only be exacerbated as Statist thought continues to plague our politics and mask itself under the guise of "Progressive" political theory, but it doesn't really get to the heart of the issue.
Let's be clear: Houston having a "nice front door" on a house that's a shambles won't matter one iota.
"That view of Discovery Green"? Bunk. Because almost every city in America can find a place where there's a nice view on offer.
"Gleaming offices with stills of Houston?" Crap. Because you can find picturesque spots almost everywhere.
(The exception to the above rules is Midland, where there is nothing pretty.)
The nicest view of Houston, when entering, is coming up State Highway 288, right about the time you hit the exit to the Zoo. If you've watched a Texans game on CBS then you've seen it, because that's where they originate the wide shot of downtown.
That Houston has some nice places, and there are people who think we need MORE of them (for "quality of life" or some such) is not the issue. Because any CEO, or President, or Princess, or low-level royalty coming to Houston who thinks they want to upend their company because of some pictures and a view is one step below the intelligence level of the two functional idiots we currently have facing-off for the Presidency.
Roads, accessibility, education, cost-of-living, plentiful, cheap, conveniently located housing, access to services and yes, public transit (designed properly, of which Houston has none) are things that companies consider right behind profit and loss. Here's what a good CEO would consider (In no particular order):
1. Is Houston an appreciably cheaper place to conduct business than where we currently reside?
2. Is Houston accessible to my workers and clients?
3. Can I hire and retain a quality workforce?
4. Is the long-term political system sustainable?
5. Is the regulatory framework stable, fair and consistent?
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1002. Do they have nice parks?
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1,000,008. Is their Chamber of Commerce housed in nice offices with pretty pictures?
The point being that trinkets, while nice to have and they make the people working inside them feel better about themselves, do not draw business. It's telling that the two business highlighted in the Chronicle story were newly located in Katy and Pearland respectively, and NOT in Houston proper.
The reasons for this are pretty simple: First, Houston's roads are shit. And not just "could use some work" shit but "falling apart at the seams" shit. "You struggle to get around town" levels of shit is what we're talking about. Second, (and this is really not Houston's fault to a point) the education system in Texas is starting to crumble. Yes, we have ourselves some bitchin' football stadiums, and our underwater basket-weaving program is second to none, and boy does HISD have the administration staff cooking. But when it comes to actually, I don't know, educating, the whole kit-and-kaboodle is just as much shit as the roads.
Then there's the regulatory and tax structure in Houston, which is even more shit. City Council and the recent run of Mayors have chosen to take an "ordinance for all" approach to solving problems. Got an issue? Pass and ordinance to solve it. Then, once everything falls to shit, react in horror as the law of unintended consequences rears its ugly head.
Oh, and raise taxes. Or, more specifically, go to the citizens and tell them that they can have more than the dreams of Avarice for just a little bit more than the cost of a pizza per year in increased taxes. Don't worry, the evil, greedy businesses will pa.....ah shit.
In summary: The shiny new, gleaming, GHP offices area gilded front door on what is becoming an increasingly large pile of shit. The answer? Right now it's limited to "raise taxes" and " bike exchanges", which only mean that the poor will have a diminished ability to get out of the shit they find themselves in and the rest of us are just going to have to pedal harder to not fall further behind.
Meanwhile businesses, being in possession of shovels, will dig themselves out of the shit and continue to move to locations, outside of the city, preferably upwind of the stench.
