You are right, Redding has a bad attitude. I am a native, born and raised here, so have lots of history (family is "Pioneer" Family: Shasta Historical Society).
This is why we are down:
1. The county swung right about 1970. We elected a conservative Congressman after years of Democrats. Mr. Herger has done nothing to help the economy of the region for thirty years. He has pandered to big drug companies, and has blithely become a multi-millionaire while his district became one of the poorest in the state. The amount of federal money he has courted is a pathetic fraction of what we used to get in the 50s and 60s. Have you seen any "Herger Dams" lately? So, strike one: lousy Congressional representation.
Strike two: A suffocating economic policy based on discredited conservative principles. The city of Redding has spread out all over the county; of late the city has made the horrible mistake of allowing Costco to re-locate (in trade for a police station of all things) which will decimate what is left of downtown. Big box mega stores will sit on Hwy 44 and Interstate 5, drawing people out of the city.
Urban sprawl while gas prices skyrocket! What are these people thinking?
The same lunacy almost built a auto mall in Churn Creek bottom, which would have been an economic disaster.
Where does this wing nut behavior come from? From the host of southern California transplants who have moved here who worship automobiles and urban sprawl.
Redding lost its charm thanks to them. Redding is poor because of them.
Strike three: An unbelievable string of horrible decisions surrounding economic development. We have courted retail and service (restaurants on every block), while ignoring educational institutions and government projects that could have brought technology industry to the region.
Shasta County is hostile to progressive ideas, so progressive industries stay away. If you are a M.I.T graduate, and want to do a start-up Internet business, you don't come to Redding, where right wing fanatics run the town.
Finally, imagine if Mr. Herger would have pushed for a highway improvement on 299 west to Eureka; and while he was at it pushed a railroad extension as well? We would have become the gateway to the west for all of Northern California and Southern Oregon.
Oh, I forgot these would have been big governmental projects, and the vast majority of Redding citizens believe Big Government is the devil.
So, we will sit up here, with 40% of our peers easing their pain with dope, alcoholism at record levels, groveling in the conservative heaven we have allowed to exist.
It's the politics stupid. Shasta Dam, and the Central Valley project revitalized northern California. When those ended, and we turned to the right, we bankrupted our economy and sold our future to Wally Herger and his special interests.
Right now, the wing nuts are pushing hard for a "Charter City", throwing away the consistent and successful city organization that has provided a well run city for sixty years, so two of them can have a shot at a well paying job (mayor). Pathetic!
If you want to check this, read our history; oh, that's right, now we deal with Palin History, so rewrite history and it will be all better.
Simply rewrite history about this and prosperity will somehow return.
Wing nuts unite, you have solved our problems and ruined our town!
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