Capitals of states

[Figueira]

Dover, I have no f[inks]ing clue.

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[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Albany is actually not a terrible compromise between the population and geographic centers of New York State.

Tallahassee and Juneau on the other hand, are just fail.

There's not much else good to say about Oklahoma, but they chose a pretty logical state capital.

Here's the result of a 1908 state proposition to move the California capital to Berkeley. Reagan owed his political career to demonizing Berkeley, imagine how it would be if it was also the state capital.

[Joe Republic]

This is an interesting read about the conflict over the capital of Texas:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Archive_War

[jimrtex]

Alaska has had 10 referendums on moving the capital from Juneau. The first two failed, but the third, in  1974, succeeded. It would require the new capital to be in  Western Alaska, at least 30 miles from Fairbanks and Anchorage. A plebiscite in 1976 chose the site as Willow, which is about 50 miles north of Wasilla.

In 1978, a referendum was passed that required the cost of a move be determined, and that the cost be fully funded by a bond issue. This passed, and at the same election a bond issue of $966M failed, by almost a 1:3 margin.

In 1982, a proposition that would require funding for an estimated cost of $2.8B, before the capital could be moved. If the measure failed (which it did 91K to 102K) the move would be cancelled.

1994 a proposition to move failed 96K-116K, while at the same time a referendum requiring full costs to be estimated was overwhelmingly approve.

The cost to move also included indemnification to land owners in Juneau whose property values would plummet if the capital moved.

The last effort was in 2002, which would have moved legislative sessions. It failed 74K-153K.

Juneau is aggressive in acting to keep the capital. The city subsidizes statewide television coverage of the legislature. Legislators from Juneau seek committees that would consider any new legislation. One session there was a bill filed, and a news article noted that it was sent to a committee chaired by a legislator from Juneau. She said that if the sponsor wanted a hearing she would hold one, but the bill was not coming out of the committee.

[jimrtex]

Only two state capitals are the same as 1776; and only 6 are the same as in 1789.

[heatcharger]

Only two state capitals are the same as 1776; and only 6 are the same as in 1789.

Um there were only 13 states back then.

[jimrtex]

Only two state capitals are the same as 1776; and only 6 are the same as in 1789.

Um there were only 13 states back then.

11 of 13 (85% have switched since 1776)

7 of 13 (54% have switched since 1776)

[angus]

Only two state capitals are the same as 1776; and only 6 are the same as in 1789.

But only one is the same as it was in 1609.  Count 'em, one.

Oddly, it's one that many posters here are disrespecting in the "least favorite state names" thread.

Santa Fe, bitches.  It was La Villa Real de la Santa Fe de San Francisco de Asís, designated the provincial capital of Nuevo México eleven long years before even the first confused WASP stepped off his sorry skiff onto the wobbly Plymouth Rock. 


"While the ancestors of Mr. Bush and his little lapdog, Mr. Blair, were crawling around on their stomachs in caves, we were writing the law!  We were writing the book!"
                                        --former Iraqi information minister Mohammed Sa'eed El-Sahaf

[cinyc]

Alaska has had 10 referendums on moving the capital from Juneau. The first two failed, but the third, in  1974, succeeded. It would require the new capital to be in  Western Alaska, at least 30 miles from Fairbanks and Anchorage. A plebiscite in 1976 chose the site as Willow, which is about 50 miles north of Wasilla.

In 1978, a referendum was passed that required the cost of a move be determined, and that the cost be fully funded by a bond issue. This passed, and at the same election a bond issue of $966M failed, by almost a 1:3 margin.

In 1982, a proposition that would require funding for an estimated cost of $2.8B, before the capital could be moved. If the measure failed (which it did 91K to 102K) the move would be cancelled.

1994 a proposition to move failed 96K-116K, while at the same time a referendum requiring full costs to be estimated was overwhelmingly approve.

The cost to move also included indemnification to land owners in Juneau whose property values would plummet if the capital moved.

The last effort was in 2002, which would have moved legislative sessions. It failed 74K-153K.

Juneau is aggressive in acting to keep the capital. The city subsidizes statewide television coverage of the legislature. Legislators from Juneau seek committees that would consider any new legislation. One session there was a bill filed, and a news article noted that it was sent to a committee chaired by a legislator from Juneau. She said that if the sponsor wanted a hearing she would hold one, but the bill was not coming out of the committee.

The Alaska Legislature still tries to do everything in its power to move special sessions to Anchorage.  They even rented a new legislative office building there - but the lease was recently deemed invalid.

[jimrtex]

The Alaska Legislature still tries to do everything in its power to move special sessions to Anchorage.  They even rented a new legislative office building there - but the lease was recently deemed invalid.

At one time, Rhode Island rotated its legislative sessions among the five county seats.

Maybe Alaska could rotate among the House districts, spending a month of the regular sessions, or a special session in each.

[Bojack Horseman]

Originally the capital of Michigan was Detroit, but due to fears of attack from British troops stationed in Windsor, Ontario, the legislature voted to move it to Lansing. One of the considered cities was the town my dad grew up in: Grand Blanc. In the age of the social justice warrior/Tumblrina outrage, can you imagine the never-ending cries how Michigan has the most racist state capital in the nation? It's French for "Great White!"

[Oswald Acted Alone, You Kook]

Only two state capitals are the same as 1776; and only 6 are the same as in 1789.

And which two are they?

[jimrtex]

Only two state capitals are the same as 1776; and only 6 are the same as in 1789.

And which two are they?

Annapolis and Boston.

[jimrtex]

Alaska has had 10 referendums on moving the capital from Juneau. The first two failed, but the third, in  1974, succeeded. It would require the new capital to be in  Western Alaska, at least 30 miles from Fairbanks and Anchorage. A plebiscite in 1976 chose the site as Willow, which is about 50 miles north of Wasilla.

In 1978, a referendum was passed that required the cost of a move be determined, and that the cost be fully funded by a bond issue. This passed, and at the same election a bond issue of $966M failed, by almost a 1:3 margin.

In 1982, a proposition that would require funding for an estimated cost of $2.8B, before the capital could be moved. If the measure failed (which it did 91K to 102K) the move would be cancelled.

1994 a proposition to move failed 96K-116K, while at the same time a referendum requiring full costs to be estimated was overwhelmingly approve.

The cost to move also included indemnification to land owners in Juneau whose property values would plummet if the capital moved.

The last effort was in 2002, which would have moved legislative sessions. It failed 74K-153K.

Juneau is aggressive in acting to keep the capital. The city subsidizes statewide television coverage of the legislature. Legislators from Juneau seek committees that would consider any new legislation. One session there was a bill filed, and a news article noted that it was sent to a committee chaired by a legislator from Juneau. She said that if the sponsor wanted a hearing she would hold one, but the bill was not coming out of the committee.

The Alaska Legislature still tries to do everything in its power to move special sessions to Anchorage.  They even rented a new legislative office building there - but the lease was recently deemed invalid.

I was looking through the legislative archives. In the subject index, there was an item "Capital, State" distinct from "Capital, Beaucoup Bucks", but clicking on it gave a list heading, but no bills. I figured the staff in Juneau had sabotaged the link because they don't want to move. But I asked, and they have fixed the links.

The past two sessions there doesn't appear to be any formal effort to move anything. Before that there was an annual bill that would provide for standards for a new legislative hall, and permit any city or borough with more than 30,000 person (Anchorage, Fairbanks, Mat-Su, or Juneau) provide the building and lease it to the state for not more than $1 per year.

Usually, it didn't get past a referral. It if did get a hearing it would get a Do No Pass majority, and then be referred to the Finance committee where it would die.

Kind of interesting in the article about the special session is that the per diem in Anchorage is around $450 vs. $250 in Juneau. The article also suggests that legislators would be more prone to do business so as to get out of Dodge Juneau.

[cinyc]

I was looking through the legislative archives. In the subject index, there was an item "Capital, State" distinct from "Capital, Beaucoup Bucks", but clicking on it gave a list heading, but no bills. I figured the staff in Juneau had sabotaged the link because they don't want to move. But I asked, and they have fixed the links.

The past two sessions there doesn't appear to be any formal effort to move anything. Before that there was an annual bill that would provide for standards for a new legislative hall, and permit any city or borough with more than 30,000 person (Anchorage, Fairbanks, Mat-Su, or Juneau) provide the building and lease it to the state for not more than $1 per year.

Usually, it didn't get past a referral. It if did get a hearing it would get a Do No Pass majority, and then be referred to the Finance committee where it would die.

Kind of interesting in the article about the special session is that the per diem in Anchorage is around $450 vs. $250 in Juneau. The article also suggests that legislators would be more prone to do business so as to get out of Dodge Juneau.

Kenai Peninsula Borough also has a population over 30,000 - though I don't think there has ever been any serious effort to relocate the capital there recently.  It seems to always have been somewhere in Mat-Su Borough.

I think the state would ultimately save even though the per diem is higher in Anchorage because about half the legislature is from within 50 miles or so of there.  Those legislators could stay at home and commute, lessening the need to take a per diem. 

One reason why they might have to move the session is because all Juneau hotels are booked the weeks of the proposed special session.  In prior years, they've used the excuse that the capitol was being renovated as a fig leaf to move special sessions to Anchorage.  It's always something.

[AGA]

The Alaska Legislature still tries to do everything in its power to move special sessions to Anchorage.  They even rented a new legislative office building there - but the lease was recently deemed invalid.

At one time, Rhode Island rotated its legislative sessions among the five county seats.

Maybe Alaska could rotate among the House districts, spending a month of the regular sessions, or a special session in each.

Speaking of county seats, Lansing, Michigan, is the only state capital that is not a county seat out of the capitals that are located in counties.

[Gunnar Larsson]

I always wondered why several states have capitals, that are little known outside America or even outside the state itself. Very often, it’s not the largest city of the state. That’s really paradox.

The phenomenon seems to be quite common in English speaking countries (in particular those settled as colonies). Ottawa and Canberra are were both chosen as a compromise candidates, as were indeed Washington.

[The Mikado]

Texas' capital was originally Houston, but that was before statehood and it was nowhere close to being the largest city at that time.

And Houston was a malarial hellhole then and people kept dying from disease.

Houston is still a hellhole, but it has the malaria under control now.