Your thoughts on Albuquerque's growth? (wages, professionals, moving to)

[bradly]

I want to know what your thoughts are about Albuquerque's growth and tell me what you think, share your opinions, but please be civil.

[karmathecat]

What do you mean by "growth?" Population increase, further outward development? Increase in industry and jobs moving to the city?

[bradly]

Originally Posted by karmathecat

What do you mean by "growth?" Population increase, further outward development? Increase in industry and jobs moving to the city?

I'm just going to pretend you didnt ask that question.
Hahah funny one. You know what "Growth" is right?

[abqsunport]

Karma, I think that is a very good question, but I think Bradly is probably just talking about population.

[lalahartma]

I agree. What is growth in this instance?

[domino]

The quality of growth is more important than the quantity of growth. That would be a better poll.

[karmathecat]

Right. For example, if I answered "Growning at a slow rate, needs to grow faster", it might be because I think the city needs to attract more businesses that employ highly skilled/highly paid professionals. These professionals would demand more upscale businesses, better services, more selection and quality of goods, etc.
On the other hand, I would be against the opening of something like a chicken processing plant or assembly plant that paid very low wages, might attract more illegal immigrants, do nothing for services, retail or other business.
So if the city had the choice of ( and these are just examples ) a high tech chip manufacturer that hired skilled employees and needs 10,000 people and paid them $15 an hour or the chicken plant that pays low skilled workers $7 an hour and also needs to hire 10,000 people and for some reason those employees could not be hired locally so 10,000 new people relocated to ABQ, I'd rather they contribute as much to the local economy as possible.
Either adds 10,000 to the city population but the higher paid employee really contributes more to growth.

[rybert]

Growth is fine with me (population). Sprawl is not. Please clarify.

[mortimer]

Originally Posted by karmathecat

... city needs to attract more businesses that employ highly skilled/highly paid professionals. ...

... against the opening of something like a chicken processing plant or assembly plant that paid very low wages, ...
... chip manufacturer that hired skilled employees and needs 10,000 people ...

Of course, 1,000 high-wage new residents would add more to "sprawl" than 2,000 low-wage new residents.

Everybody hates "sprawl" ( except for their personal "sprawlspace" ) so this is truly a conundrum ( or poser or paradox if you don't like Greenspan-speak ).

[yukon]

Considering that the alternative to sprawl is upward building, I'll take sprawl anyday.