Bridgeport "could be a nice place" if it was "in another state", writes Jacobs. Still, there's potential, if the state would give the city a little love:
"...what Bridgeport clearly needs is love, which-and I'm serious here-is exactly the sentiment America's many woebegone cities require. Our bleakest cities cry out not just for civic pride but civic passion. (Oh, yeah, and lots of investment dollars.)
So this is it, the moment for Bridgeport and other struggling cities (like Detroit, Buffalo, Cleveland ) to blossom. It's time for a revival of those cities that were abandoned by the industries that once sustained them and have thus far been untouched by the waves of prosperity that have buoyed our showcase cities."