Will A Fiscal Libertarian Survive Or Complain In Boulder? (Denver: appointed, sales)

[CCCVDUR]

I'm a Fiscal Libertarian / Social Liberal ... i.e I favor reducing all taxes to very low rates making it very easy for new businesses to come in. I'm for privatization of parks. On the other hand, I'm for universal health care (from perhaps a 4% sales tax), and am liberal on social issues like gay marriage.

If I relocate to Boulder, I do not want to encounter the Socialism that we have here in the People's Republic of Flagstaff. Flagstaff has high taxes on new businesses along with environmental restrictions and a 13% bar/restaurant tax! As a result, new businesses do not come here, and unemployment has reached the double digits w/ the Northern Arizona recession.

Can a fiscal Libertarian "survive" in Boulder w/o complaining about their lack of economic freedom on Boulder?

How easy is it to obtain a business license?

How would you describe the political atmosphere there - centerist, liberal, ultraliberal, socialist, communist, or all of the above? (I see from CNN.com that 80% of Boulder Co. voted for Obama.)

Now, I would predict that I will get different answers whether the posters are from Boulder, Greeley, Ft. Collins, or Colorado Springs! :-)
What would Gunny Bob, John Caldera, Rick Barber,
and Jay Marvin say?!

[suzco]

Originally Posted by Tom Lane

I'm a Fiscal Libertarian / Social Liberal ... i.e I favor reducing all taxes to very low rates making it very easy for new businesses to come in. I'm for privatization of parks. On the other hand, I'm for universal health care (from perhaps a 4% sales tax), and am liberal on social issues like gay marriage.

If I relocate to Boulder, I do not want to encounter the Socialism that we have here in the People's Republic of Flagstaff. Flagstaff has high taxes on new businesses along with environmental restrictions and a 13% bar/restaurant tax! As a result, new businesses do not come here, and unemployment has reached the double digits w/ the Northern Arizona recession.

Can a fiscal Libertarian "survive" in Boulder w/o complaining about their lack of economic freedom on Boulder?

How easy is it to obtain a business license?

How would you describe the political atmosphere there - centerist, liberal, ultraliberal, socialist, communist, or all of the above? (I see from CNN.com that 80% of Boulder Co. voted for Obama.)

Now, I would predict that I will get different answers whether the posters are from Boulder, Greeley, Ft. Collins, or Colorado Springs! :-)
What would Gunny Bob, John Caldera, Rick Barber,
and Jay Marvin say?!

If you become a real Bouderite, you'll complain, a lot. You won't be alone. Boulderites are nothng if not opinionated. There are vocal libertarians, fervent supporters of gun rights, loud anti-immigration voices. But your views will be those of the protesting minority, not those of most of the people. Privitization of parks, lower taxes and the like go against the grain of a large majority of the population. Boulder open space, mountain parks, etc. are a cherished part of what have made Boulder what it is. Boulder voters consistently support taxes for public land, for public schools.

You won't be silenced or ignored, and you'll find some kindred spirits, but your views and beliefs will not be shared by most of your neighbors.

[suzco]

Originally Posted by Tom Lane

. . .On the other hand, I'm for universal health care (from perhaps a 4% sales tax), and am liberal on social issues like gay marriage.

If I relocate to Boulder, I do not want to encounter the Socialism that we have here in the People's Republic of Flagstaff. Flagstaff has high taxes on new businesses along with environmental restrictions and a 13% bar/restaurant tax! As a result, new businesses do not come here, and unemployment has reached the double digits w/ the Northern Arizona recession.
. . .

If you're liberal on social issues, you'll fit right in in Boulder.

Boulder is big on environmental restrictions, but also has a long history as a hotbed of entrepreneurialism. Unemployment is lower than in many areas. Theses figures are not the absolute latest, as they're from September, but here's an article from the Daily Camera (start reading the Camera to get a good feel for Boulder's mindset):

Colorado's unemployment rate dips : Local Business : Boulder Daily Camera

. . .The Boulder and Longmont area’s unemployment rate for September was 4.2 percent, down from August’s 4.6 percent rate. Still, it was nearly a percentage point above the 3.3 percent rate recorded in September 2007, according to state labor department statistics that were not seasonally adjusted. The labor department does not provide seasonally adjusted figures for individual counties and statistical areas.

Broomfield’s unemployment rate in September was 5.2 percent, which was unchanged from August. In September of last year, Broomfield’s unemployment rate was 3.9 percent.

[Katiana]

You will find more moderate voices in the communities in Boulder Co. arouond Boulder. I don't think you'd find support for privatization of parks anywhere. There is lots of lip service given to "Universal Health Care", but who knows if anyone will be willing to pay for it?

[subsound]

People in Boulder complain all the time. Many people I have met want the best social and environmental programs, but don't want the high taxes required to maintain it.

Plus there are a good number of really nutters people at the university. My favorite to see was the person with a "Save the Environment" sticker on his/her H2, or the person who was trying to convince me that anti matter is made by nuclear reactors and it would be free for all if the "secret society" didn't keep a cap on it.

[suzco]

Originally Posted by subsound

People in Boulder complain all the time. Many people I have met want the best social and environmental programs, but don't want the high taxes required to maintain it.

Plus there are a good number of really nutters people at the university. My favorite to see was the person with a "Save the Environment" sticker on his/her H2, or the person who was trying to convince me that anti matter is made by nuclear reactors and it would be free for all if the "secret society" didn't keep a cap on it.

This is an appropriate post to lead into the fact that a couple of weeks ago, Forbes magazine declared that Boulder is the most educated city in the US.

America's Best- And Worst-Educated Cities

If you're looking for solid economies with low unemployment, follow the college degrees.

The most-educated city in America: Boulder, Colo., home to the University of Colorado with high-tech employers like IBM (nyse: IBM - news - people ) and Sun Microsystems (nasdaq: JAVA - news - people ) to keep alumni in the area after they graduate.
.

How something like that affects your decision about whether Boulder is a good place for you, and how you think a highly educated populace acts, is a matter of personal reasoning, only you can know for yourself; not that the Forbes article is important, but the reality in fact is that Boulder is populated by highly educated folks, who are opinionated and voice their opinions.

[CCCVDUR]

Originally Posted by suzco

If you're liberal on social issues, you'll fit right in in Boulder.

Boulder is big on environmental restrictions, but also has a long history as a hotbed of entrepreneurialism. Unemployment is lower than in many areas. Theses figures are not the absolute latest, as they're from September, but here's an article from the Daily Camera (start reading the Camera to get a good feel for Boulder's mindset):

Colorado's unemployment rate dips : Local Business : Boulder Daily Camera

THANKS! This is very important information for my situation as an unemployed person in Flagstaff w/ the unemployment rate of 10%, and I would not be surprised if it's 30%, if you count the students. The Arizona unemployment rate is about 7%, and "downhill" in Vegas and Palm Springs, I've heard estimates approaching 10%.

Yes, I am VERY liberal on social issues, and that's why I am considering places like Boulder.

Our main problem in Flagstaff is restrictions on new businesses coming in, including high-tech companies (like you have in Boulder). As a result, when there's a recession, unemployment soars since tourism, construction, and auto sales all go down. There are not enough scientific and technical employers that maintain employment levels during recessions. Same thing is true in places like Seattle. That's why I identify as a fiscal libertarian here, due to excessive restrictions in Flagstaff.

From your VERY low unemployment figures, it appears that your restrictions have not been as severe over the years, and that major companies have come in (as you point out, Boulder has been a place of entrepreneurism). Right now, the Flagstaff city council is slashing spending by 20% due to decreased sales and restaurant taxes. First of all, their budgetary considerations perhaps shouldn't rely so heavily on these regressive and unpredictable taxes, but that's another story.

Due to the restrictions, you're not going to believe this. Next to the Grand Canyon and Sedona, we don't even have these national franchises)....Do you have them in Boulder???

REI
Sportsman Warehouse
Sports Authority
GART Sports
Performance Cycles
Only ~Five Independent Bike Shops (you have dozens)

and....other merchandisers absent in Flag...

Costco
Circuit City
Good Guys
Office Depot
Smiths' Foods
Pep Boys
Lowes
Guitar Center
Applebys

And here's a link in return for yours showing that Boulder/Denver is not in a recession (scroll down):

The New York Times > Week in Review > Image > Cities in Trouble vs. Growing Cities

[CCCVDUR]

Originally Posted by suzco

This is an appropriate post to lead into the fact that a couple of weeks ago, Forbes magazine declared that Boulder is the most educated city in the US.

America's Best- And Worst-Educated Cities

Best:
Boulder
Ann Arbour, MI
Washington DC
San Jose, CA
San Francisco, CA
Southern Connecticut (Fred Ebert?)
Charlottsville VA
Raleigh-Durham, NC
Boston, MA
Ft. Collins, CO

Worst:
Lake Havasu City-Kingmann
Merced, CA
Visalia, CA
Yuma, AZ
Bakersfiled, CA
Ottawa, IL
Ft. Smith, AK
McAllen, TEX

Great link. I wish Forbes would list all the rankings, not just the top and bottom 10. Bob Brinker yesterday on Citadel's "Moneytalk" discussed the unemployment figures and they are always lowest among people with a bachelors degree.
If a city is more highly educated it's likely to support and also be tolerant of a diverse range of political opinions - conservative, liberals, libertarians, socialists, etc.
The scores for these rankings are very similar for Dr. Richard Florida's Creative Class and Bohemian rankings. Boulder scores at 201, the highest Bohemian score in the US. Creative Class® The source on how we live, work and play

[Pilot1]

If a city is more highly educated it's likely to support and also be tolerant of a diverse range of political opinions - conservative, liberals, libertarians, socialists, etc.

I have found leftist enclaves like Boulder and Berkeley/SF to be anything but tolerant. They tolerate views that resemble their own while demonizing and name calling anything else. Just walk into some of the shops on Pearl Street.

[vegaspilgrim]

Tom Lane, the very title of your question is odd. You ask if you're going to "complain" there, as if you're already setting yourself up to be disappointed. I think you could "survive" in Boulder. But considering that you lived in Santa Fe and complained there, you lived in Flagstaff and complained there, it seems to me like you'll complain whereever you go. And Boulder is the closest equivalent of what Santa Fe is to NM or Flag is to AZ-- you seem to have a knack of moving to small liberal touristy/college-y cities. What will it be next-- Missoula? Why not just move to a normal big city like a Denver or Phoenix where you can just be yourself and carve out your own niche?