I realize I cited a John Hood column just yesterday, but today’s column on emerging suburban politics in light of just-released census data makes an important point:
Environmental activists, subsidy-seeking developers, transit schemers, central planners, and other assorted Smart Growth enthusiasts would dearly love for the new census data to add up to a new political constituency for their agenda of new taxes, subsidies, and regulations. It would take some really New Math to yield such a total.
In reality, North Carolina’s emerging suburban politics will reward state and local officials who keep taxes low, tackle traffic congestion primarily with new highway capacity, and prioritize spending on public safety and education. Suburban voters tend to view most other government plans and programs with skepticism, if not disdain.
Disdain is what many urban elites have felt for suburbs. Their sentiments are duly noted, and irrelevant.
People are going to live where they want to live in spite of government’s efforts to herd them into its vision of utopia. And they’re going to drive, despite government’s justification that high gas prices warrant mass transit.
