Elaine Harris Spearman Commentary: Gadsden has more than its share of complainers

Let’s spread the good news! Alabama is ranked the best state to live in for affordability. California ranked the worst for this metric. This is according to Wallet Hub’s 2023 list of the best states to live in.

So much for California dreaming, unless you are well heeled.

According to the list, Southern states including Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas rounded out the bottom of the list as the worst states to live in overall. The top five states to live in, that scored the best overall, were Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New York and Wyoming, in that order.

Wallet Hub states that its rankings reflect the states scores on “livability” factors. Those factors are affordability, economy, quality of life, education and health and safety.

Each state ranked differently depending upon the livability metric being used. New York had the best ranking for quality of life, while Alaska had the worst ranking for this category. So much for off the grid living, unless that is truly what you want to do.

What does affordability actually say? This metric takes into account the cost of living, housing prices, median household income, home ownership and median annual property taxes.

Cities and towns, large and small, are grappling with many of the same issues that states are measured by. Livability in towns makes up the way many states are seen in total.

Gadsden is certainly doing its share to improve Alabama's image. For the first time since I have been reading USA Today, the Nov. 10 edition of the 50 States page that contains news from across the U.S. stated the following:

“Alabama Gadsden: The city is one of four cities or counties in the state to receive a Safe Streets and Roads for All grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The money will be used for a comprehensive safety assessment of the city’s roads.”

Montgomery on the other hand, in the week following, received notice in this section for a dock brawl that occurred when stubborn “I will do as I will” people docked their contraption in the space reserved for a riverboat tourist boat and refused to move. Say what you will, but this kind of arrogant, stubborn behavior has become all too common.

Gadsden has seen a now one-year mayor hit the ground running — in the right direction, most people believe. However, Gadsden per capita has more complaining people than I have seen in any large or small city. So many people here think they can do every job better than the person who occupies that position, including mayor.

When a closer look is given to the complainers, you find that they are in a time warp. Most are living in the 1950s and '60s. Most have never lived any length of time elsewhere. You will find that their resumes are lacking in governmental or public service work. Their lifetime work appears to be criticizing and running their mouths to friends and foes, with no thoughtful suggestions.

None of this is to say there is no right to seek redress from the government. Most people believe this is exactly what they are doing as they complain about the city and its people and what they think Gadsden needs.

A city operates on a budget. Money is a critical factor. Remember that the economy is one of the categories that define “livability.” A city cannot be viewed as garbage strewn and filthy. What company wants to build in, relocate to or bring its employees to a junk-ridden town.

Garbage pick-up and trash removal are costly. Please save your argument for someone else about what neighborhoods get better pickup service. Tell the council member for the area, and undertake personal responsibility for junk-filled yards, broken wrecks of cars and household junk of all kinds strewn on your own property.

There is a need for more trucks and drivers, all of which cost money. The city generates no products. Service delivery to its residents forms the basis of government. The city runs on taxpayer dollars, whether federal, state or local.

I laud the administration for taking note of absentee landlords who held onto property in Gadsden for rental purposes as they moved out.

There is a snide desire to attempt to make Gadsden their dumping ground, while they continue to collect rent. It must be stopped. It all costs money. Of course, you have the complainers at work finding whatever wrong that they can about debris removal.

They must continue to crow. Those that fit into this category will never stop, no matter how hard the administration works. The only solution? Hire every one of them or their friends or family members, and all will go silent.

The best remedy that I see is relocation. Every city loses population. It would not hurt Gadsden if we lost a few chronic complainers.

Elaine Harris Spearman, Esq., a Gadsden native, is an attorney and is the retired legal advisor to the comptroller of the City of St. Louis. The opinions expressed are her own. 

This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Elaine Harris Spearman looks at Gadsden's naysayers