frankb10

When I think about Pittsburg, the first thing that comes to mind is great potential. This city is definitely on the rise. The schools continue to improve. I also appreciate how Pittsburg has its own community college.

The city is very diverse. The city has a great mix of old and young people. The city is also racially diverse. When I say diverse, I'm not just referring to statistics. When you go into neighborhoods in Pittsburg, people of different ages and hues live among one another on the same street.

I read a lot of articles about how the middle-class is becoming obsolete, but Pittsburg has a strong middle-class. Pittsburg is also a large city (>65,000 people) but has a small town feel.

Regarding city government, overall, city government officials do a good job of managing the city. They are very receptive to requests/recommendations/proposals. With that said, I wish the city would do more to attract business to the city. For example, the downtown area needs a strong anchor business to attract people to the area - like maybe a family fun center type of place. Also, given its size, Pittsburg should have its own hospital. This would also bring tons of jobs to the city, improve access to health care, and, ultimately, improve health outcomes. While there are hospitals in surrounding Antioch, Concord, and Martinez, it would be nice to have our own in Pittsburg.

There's a misconception about Pittsburg being crime-ridden. The crime has dropped, and continues to drop. I have friends and co-workers who live in Concord and I hear a lot of stories about their cars and homes getting broken into. I don't hear the same stories from my friends and neighbors in Pittsburg. That's not to say it doesn't happen, it just may not be at the same rate.

If you're a fan of the outdoors, Pittsburg has a ton of parks. Also, the marina gives you access to fishing and boating activities. We also have trails like Stoneman, Black Diamond Mines, and quick access to Mt. Diablo via Kirker Pass.

The commute via 4 is tough if you're driving. Personally, I take BART from Pittsburg-Bay Point so it's not a problem. Hopefully, the eBart extension eases traffic. Only time will tell.