In Search of a City: The Toll of Economic Isolation
Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010
My grandfather, Cleve Wilson Ricksecker, was a conservative Republican and mathematics professor who minced no words when discussing his views. But he was an old fashioned conservative who believed that wealth and education created a duty to help people less fortunate than he. Cleve lived in the city of Youngstown until his death in 1966, paid his city taxes, and shared his life with families of blue collar workers and the unemployed.
Times seem to have changed. Business First published on January 29 a disturbing map showing the wealthiest zip codes in central Ohio. Seventeen of the 20 wealthiest zip codes are outside I-270 and 10 are outside of Franklin County. None appear to be located in the City of Columbus.
Economic segregation takes a terrible toll on a community. Middle and upper-middle class children cannot appreciate their fortune. Poor kids have few successful role models. Concentrated poverty can make neighborhoods and schools dysfunctional. Lack of familiarity breeds stereotypes among everyone.
One of the big losses from economic isolation may be compassionate conservatism.