looking for a young/hippie/liberal SW town (Santa Fe, Taos: fit in, income)

[Fiddlehead]

Originally Posted by nonexpat

"People wearing Ugg boots at the welfare office. Strange days indeed."

I lived in Plano, TX for many years Fiddlehead. It is a fairly wealthy suburb that has been hit hard by the recession. My own husband, a Ph.D was laid-off from Texas Instruments. We have former neighbors who have been looking for work for almost two years. It took my husband over seven months until he found a job in Austin, which paid much less, not to mention the cost of moving. Luckily, he found a great job here in Albuquerque and we have moved here recently.

So, Ugg boots at the welfare office doesn't surprise me. We didn't get to the point where we needed welfare, but people who were once quite upwardly mobile may now be in big financial trouble.

Yes, people in the housing industry especially could have gone from feast to famine quickly. My wife gets a bit judgmental when people who have fought taxes their whole lives, and who live in $500k homes and drive BMWs are expecting a handout. Truth of the matter may be that they cannot sell the house! The Beemer, yep, they could. Like the kid panhandlers, it is hard to separate those truly in need from the grotesquely entitled these days.

[nonexpat]

Originally Posted by Fiddlehead

Yes, people in the housing industry especially could have gone from feast to famine quickly. My wife gets a bit judgmental when people who have fought taxes their whole lives, and who live in $500k homes and drive BMWs are expecting a handout. Truth of the matter may be that they cannot sell the house! The Beemer, yep, they could. Like the kid panhandlers, it is hard to separate those truly in need from the grotesquely entitled these days.

Not just the housing industry, also high-tech. I agree that some people, even when times were good didn't save as they should have and lived beyond their means--no doubt. Still, many people who didn't live way beyond their means are in big trouble too. If somebody who once made over 100 k a year and now are trying to get by on on unemployment or a poorly paying job, they won't be able to keep up on house payments and car payments. Luckily we always buy used cars for cash, and we never have any debt, so we weathered the storm.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Fiddlehead

I know that hippies like New Mexico, like Oregon. Do you have a crop of these "dog on a rope" hippy types from Pennsylvania who park the 4Runner behind the coffee shop and panhandle for change? We have an epidemic out here.

They seem to like liberal areas. Plenty in Boulder, CO. and Missoula, MT too.

Just curious.

You will see some, but we never saw many in the 7 years we lived there. I sould say less than in most cities. In fact you really won't see many hippy types period. YOu will see a lot of people in the lower income class and yes, lots of people with drinking problems, plus people who enjoy nature and love to just be themselves, but not real hippies or people who hang out begging.

Nita

[Fiddlehead]

Originally Posted by nonexpat

Not just the housing industry, also high-tech. I agree that some people, even when times were good didn't save as they should have and lived beyond their means--no doubt. Still, many people who didn't live way beyond their means are in big trouble too. If somebody who once made over 100 k a year and now are trying to get by on on unemployment or a poorly paying job, they won't be able to keep up on house payments and car payments. Luckily we always buy used cars for cash, and we never have any debt, so we weathered the storm.

Moving that direction myself. Drive old cars killed one student loan, the credit card, and working on the second student loan. Trying to get debt free over the next year. Unfortunately, we are now underwater on our first home bought in early 2003 ( no death by HELOC, just the crash). Sigh. I guess the lesson of all this is, don't expect the good times to roll forever. Thankfully, we are both still employed and making headway.

You are right that many people were hammered by this recession, and while it is hard to sympathize with the ostentatiously and snooty types asking for a handout, they may well need it. I still find it distasteful, but I see your point.

[crackiswhack]

There are, 95% of the time, these sorts of folks standing near the on-ramps to I-25 from Central. I guess I just don't understand it, perfectly-healthy looking and decently dressed people holding up signs that say "Just Lost Everything" and asking for money. Something always just seems a little off about the whole thing to me.

[Poncho_NM]

Originally Posted by crackiswhack

There are, 95% of the time, these sorts of folks standing near the on-ramps to I-25 from Central. I guess I just don't understand it, perfectly-healthy looking and decently dressed people holding up signs that say "Just Lost Everything" and asking for money. Something always just seems a little off about the whole thing to me.

You see them a lot on many ramps to I-25...

Have a friend that in a two year period, wife passed away, he lost his 15 year + job, started drinking, DUI a few times, lost his house and he gave custody of his son to a family member while he is in jail. He was someone who helped us out when we moved to New Mexico in 1998...

He is staying at a friends home, and there are a few part time jobs. His future looks pretty dismal.

Oh, he is " perfectly-healthy looking", but has diabetes which is out of control, he is usually "decently dressed" he is "holding up signs" when he does not get a day job...

Each one of this people has a story, yes and some are probably frauds... They each deserve a small amount of respect, even with the possibility that they may also be criminals on the prowl...


Yes, we have panhandlers in Albuquerque...

Rich

[crackiswhack]

Well, I definitely don't want to get into a bigger discussion about each persons' story. People fall on hard times all over the world, no question. People deal with it in different ways - some make it out and some don't. I have more than a small amount of respect for anyone that doesn't infringe upon another's personal rights, no matter what the situation.

[N8!]

this is my favorite panhandler (usually seen on Lead & Oak off I-25).

He's got all the angels covered; pet dog, larger cross, US flags and a costume. He dresses as Santa during the holidays.

I all him 'Scoobie Bum."

[Big fat mooma]

Does new Mexico have any hippie type living going on in that state?

[NMHacker]

Yes.