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To all Baton Rouge "leadership"

Posted on 9/3/25 at 6:01 am
Posted by RunninReb
Member since Feb 2023
393 posts
Posted on 9/3/25 at 6:01 am
This goes out to everyone from the Mayor on down to the local "thought leaders" featured weekly in the Business Report:

Stop comparing Baton Rouge to cities that aren't actual comps. Austin, Nashville, Charlotte, Greenville, Charleston, Raleigh and even Birmingham are not cities anywhere near our stratosphere when it comes to economic growth, educated workforce, quality of life, airport, large employers and so much else.

Realize that BR is more similar to places like Jackson MS, Columbia SC and Mobile AL. Those are our comps.

Strive to be WAY better than these places. That's the goal.

When these city leaders act like BR is something that it's not, they lose credibility instantly.

-end of rant.
Posted by ThermoDynamicTiger
Baton Rouge
Member since Jul 2008
1438 posts
Posted on 9/3/25 at 6:53 am to
Maybe just Jackson MS
Posted by NIH
Member since Aug 2008
119707 posts
Posted on 9/3/25 at 7:03 am to
At least there’s tailgating, gumbo, and football
Posted by Upperdecker
St. George, LA
Member since Nov 2014
32704 posts
Posted on 9/3/25 at 7:24 am to
You don’t get better by comparing to your equals. You get better by comparing to those on a higher level than you and learning from them. BR aspires to be like the first group of cities you mention, so we try to learn from them and apply it to BR, even though it’s a very lofty goal
Posted by BayouBandit24
Member since Aug 2010
17070 posts
Posted on 9/3/25 at 7:27 am to
I don’t think these folks are smart enough for any comparisons. They’re only concerned with the next way that they can skim a few thousand bucks off of someone. Disgraceful.
Posted by Tigerbait357
Member since Jun 2011
70768 posts
Posted on 9/3/25 at 7:30 am to
Posted by SUB
Silver Tier TD Premium
Member since Jan 2009
24706 posts
Posted on 9/3/25 at 9:13 am to
quote:

ou don’t get better by comparing to your equals. You get better by comparing to those on a higher level than you and learning from them. BR aspires to be like the first group of cities you mention, so we try to learn from them and apply it to BR, even though it’s a very lofty goal


It's not about comparing to "equals." It's about comparing to cities that have similar characteristics to BR. For instance, BR's demographics are not very similar to Austin and it is foolish to think that taking things that have bettered Austin and applying them to BR will just work. The only thing these two cities have in common is that they are capitals and have the flagship university of the state.

BR demographics:

Total Population: Approximately 223,699.

White (Non-Hispanic): 55.4%
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic): 34.8%
Two or More Races (Non-Hispanic): 2.95%
Asian (Non-Hispanic): 1.96%

Austin demographics

Population: 993,588

White: Approximately 47% (Census Dots) to 51% (City of Austin survey).
Hispanic or Latino: Approximately 32.5% (Census Dots).
Asian: Approximately 8.9% (Census Dots).
Black or African American: Approximately 6.9% (Census Dots).
Posted by LemmyLives
Texas
Member since Mar 2019
13273 posts
Posted on 9/3/25 at 9:25 am to
quote:

You get better by comparing to those on a higher level than you and learning from them

So, 30 years after I first moved to that "up and coming" metropolis, how's it going? BTR just gets worse, in every measurable way. And I'm loving that new bridge/loop we were promised in the 90s.
Posted by Tree_Fall
Member since Mar 2021
1082 posts
Posted on 9/3/25 at 10:14 am to
quote:

promised in the 90s


Baton Rouges' elected and behind the curtain leaders continue a long tradition of being unable to accomplish things by making all the pieces line up. The perpetually-planned river bridge is a great example. For other examples just count things that started and fizzled, all the failed or minimal research parks like GSRI Road, CAMD, Water Campus, etc. It's also pretty obvious that the Congressional Delegation has been unable to "deliver the bacon". Do any federal agencies have major facilities here?
Posted by LemmyLives
Texas
Member since Mar 2019
13273 posts
Posted on 9/3/25 at 10:26 am to
quote:

It's also pretty obvious that the Congressional Delegation has been unable to "deliver the bacon"


Waiting on federal bacon may actually be a great defining characteristic of the entire state.
Posted by lsusteve1
Member since Dec 2004
46284 posts
Posted on 9/3/25 at 10:34 am to
BR has a nugget that can be used in its favor - LSU

Landry should ask DJT for help and clean up areas of BR - it’s past time.

Do whatever it takes to secure the areas around LSU, as well. Protect the “nugget”.
Posted by Carolhdg
St George, LA
Member since Nov 2022
292 posts
Posted on 9/3/25 at 10:58 am to
quote:

White (Non-Hispanic): 55.4%
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic): 34.8%

Where are you getting your demographics? Every source I've seen says the black & white percentages are the opposite of what you've posted.
Posted by Flightnclouds
Member since Sep 2018
1382 posts
Posted on 9/3/25 at 11:20 am to
LSU stopped being a nugget a long time ago.
Posted by LSUBoo
Knoxville, TN
Member since Mar 2006
103478 posts
Posted on 9/3/25 at 11:23 am to
quote:

Mobile AL


Maybe after Baton Rouge gets their own leprechaun.
Posted by SUB
Silver Tier TD Premium
Member since Jan 2009
24706 posts
Posted on 9/3/25 at 11:55 am to
quote:

Where are you getting your demographics? Every source I've seen says the black & white percentages are the opposite of what you've posted.


LINK

This includes BR Metro and not just the city limits. So yeah, I'm sure if it's just BR, then the numbers are flipped like you say.
This post was edited on 9/3/25 at 11:56 am
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