Topics GeographyHeadlinesInfrastructureKatrinaNeighborhoodsPeopleRecreation
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1,000,000 little green people
Who were the one and a quarter million people living in the New Orleans
metropolitan area before the storm? Who are the one million who live here now?
The 2000 census listed 485,000 residents in
Orleans Parish and 750,000 more living in the neighboring parishes that make up the metropolitan area.
Orleans was shrinking at the rate of 500 people per month. By
2005 the population was estimated to be 455,000. Many of the departures
were the middle class leaving the city for the suburbs. The Northshore was
the fastest growing suburb. The metro area was growing.
Orleans was 67% black, the surrounding area 70% white. That
makes a total of 550,000 (44%) African Americans and 685,000 (56%) European
Americans. As you can imagine, with these demographics, race was and is the major
sociological issue. Crime, poverty, and education are also major
issues and are strongly correlated to race. Economic development has
been adversely affected by failure to effectively address the primary
issue.
The population of
Orleans has been shrinking since 1980 when it peaked at 660,000.
Collapse of the oil economy, high crime rates, high taxes, poor schools
and political corruption have been cited as the reasons for the
decline. They certainly fueled white flight to the suburbs. Poverty, a
multi-generation entitlement system, destruction of the family, the
lure of the drug underground and a failed criminal justice system have
all made their contribution to misery in the inner city.
The 2010 census listed the official population of Orleans as 343,829 of which 60% were black and 5.2% Hispanic of any race. Jefferson reported 432.552 in this case 60% white and 12% Hispanic. St Tamany reached 233,740. St. Bernard was down to 35,897. Plaquemines reported only 23,042. St Charles reached 52,780 while just up river St John the Baptist parish had 45,924. Grand total between 1.1 and 1.2 million or only slightly fewer than in 2000 after a tumultuous decade. Demographically identical except for the uptick in the Hispanic population from 3% to nearly 10%.
The parishes in Louisiana are each governed independently as dictated by the State
Constitution. Education and the court systems in each parish are
controlled by independent elected officials. Within the
parishes, the most heavily populated areas are incorporated. They provide
services and collect revenue according to their own charters. New
Orleans elects a mayor and city council. It has its own
police, water works, road construction, building codes, zoning,
permits, and public transit. Other incorporated areas employ other
forms of government. Although
Jefferson Parish contains several incorporated cities like Kenner,
Westwego and Gretna, it also has a Parish President and Council.
Orleans is unique in that the parish and the chartered municipality,
New Orleans, are coterminous.
There is no metropolitan area government. The Louisiana Constitution does not anticipate the possibility of a municipal government spanning several parishes. Regional cooperation over
the years has been non-existent for a number of factors. Race is not
the least of these factors.
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Civic Activism
: After the storm civic activism reached an all time high. Whether it was enough to make a real difference is the question.
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Corruption
: From its earliest days, New Orleans has had a reputation for shady
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Crime
: Orleans murder rate is (was) out of control. But it is not random violence. Superimposed on top of the 5-10 murders per 100,000 population you see across America are the drug crimes. They are overwhelmingly black on black killings fueled by the ruinous illegal, underground drug trade. If you come to New Orleans to visit you will be safe, but you will be entering a city on edge.
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Education
: Primary education in the public schools is a problem for New Orleans.
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Elderly
: Before the storm, Orleans age profile showed the city was 1% younger than the rest of the nation. 11.7% of Orleans was over 65 vs 12.4% nationwide. 1.5% are lucky enough to still be in Orleans past age 85.
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Leadership
: The storm gave our leaders a chance to step up and show their mettle. The storm also put our bureaucracy under stress
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Pets
: Pets have played an important role in New Orleans since its founding. Pets were a major reason people stayed behind during Katrina.
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Population
: Its odd that there should be a debate about the population of Orleans Parish.
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Race
: Race is the single most divisive issue facing the city and is at the heart of most of its problems.
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Religion
: Founded in French/Spanish Catholicism reinforced by the Irish, Italians, Greeks and more, steeped in the Baptist church, flavored with Judaism, Voodoo and a wide variety of Christian Protestant denominations from the American Methodists and Episcopalians to the German Evangelicals, New Orleans is defined by its churches. Neighborhoods, traditions, festivals and lifestyles all find their roots in religious practices of the various faiths.
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Vive la difference
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