is Lawrence becoming an "exurb" of Kansas City

[pstokely]

many Lawrence residents commute to Kansas City and Johnson County for their jobs, the "exurban" vote went to the Chimp

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-fast22nov22,0,4272509.story?coll=la-home-headlines

[Mabus]

1. Well if it is

it isn't showing up at the ballot box. Douglas County went about 57% for Kerry and the Democratic Party won several key county offices (District Attorney, Treasurer and County Clerk) each with sizable margin. We also took over a local Senate seat (marci francisco) from a Republican incumbent, as well as several other seats.

I think one of the reasons that people commute from here is because they don't want to live in JoCo.

On a short note, a few years ago the City Commission here was pushing for an American Eagle facility to be built east of Lawrence on K-10 as an addition in the East Hills Business park. There was quite an uproar because of the 80% tax abatement that was being offered. AEO was going to pay minimum wage and no benefits. The developer heavy commission brought in a (retired?) city planner from JoCo whose soliloquy included something to the effect that we could turn Douglas County into another JoCo. He about got laughed out of the meeting room. AEO ended up going to Ottawa (Franklin County) and we, working together, voted in the first progressive supermajority for our city commission. So, I think Lawrence is proving the exception to the rule.

[Fitz_G]

2. "is Lawrence becoming an "exurb" of Kansas City"

I think so. The west side of town is being developed more and more as an "exurb" paradise. Matchbox housing projects and golfing communities are a relatively new phenomenon here. Lawrence has become the latest, coolest town to commute from. Johnson County commuters are relocating here in droves and driving housing costs through the roof--and voting Republican. We have the highest housing costs in the state now. In the last decade, the music scene has dropped dramatically. Traffic congestion has become a real problem here too. We are seeing an increasing amount of chain businesses take over the economy, and with the saturation of student-labor, wages continue to be depressed. I suppose they can't live without their TGI-Friday's. They just recently passed a smoking ban for every business. I don't go out that much anymore. Alamo Lawrence may soon fall.

For now though, we remain strongly Democratic with 67% of the Douglas County vote going for Kerry. There is still a high rate of volunteering that happens and still a good mix of people. The local paper is good about covering the issues and we still have alternative student radio.

[Fitz_G]

3. Original Message

I might be wrong. It may have been a 57% vote.