well the buggy part is not my opinion, Logic has been buggy for a while.
As far as dumbed down, Logic has pretty much been set up for users who don't have large multi I/O rigs, before 8, in the sample edit window you could set the output that you were monitoring from, in 8 you had to go to the environment and change the prelisten object and btw that was buggy and didn't always. At least in 9 you can select use channel strip settings, so that's an improvement but pre logic 8 versions were smarter with this. I've been a logic user since version 1.6, cpu wise I've owned a IIVX, 8100/100, a Umax mac clone, a dual 533 G4, which running OS9 and logic was probably the most reliable platform I've run, to a Dual G5 and now a 2.8 gig Macpro, I don't run a lot of plugins since I work on an analog console and use outboard for my processing. I use some VI's but I print those tracks after I've got them where I want. So basically I use Logic as a tape deck,I actually bought my Macpro because Logic was not good for me on my G5. Yesterday during a mix, Logic decided that instead of 48 outputs I only had 32, nice right? BTW that was after I trashed my prefs and repaired permissions.
What is nice about 9 is flex editing, quick swipe comping in my opinion is almost useless, so as far as workflow goes I could certainly argue with you there, I could go on but there will be people who argue on both sides, and it's all been done before. The OP is someone who is comfortable with what she has, Logic 9 will be a big change for her