Needles ... possible secession from CA??? (Los Angeles, Long Beach: motel, to buy, casinos)

[Valley Native]

Needles casts an envious eye elsewhere - Los Angeles Times

I found this article rather interesting. The tiny town that is basically nothing more than a pass through on the way to Lake Havasu, Laughlin, or Las Vegas is considering leaving California to be a part of Arizona or Nevada. Normally, this type of talk is often discounted ... but this sounds like a pretty strong movement that people are serious about.

There are some good points mentioned about why Needles has become little more than a ghost town: the high cost of doing business, and the over regulation that California is known for. Too many other times, secession attempts have failed ... but what does everyone else think? Is secession possible, and could it actually improve things in Needles if it does happen?

[EscapeCalifornia]

Sure, why not? Its not like California needs anything from them and if they're better off as part of Arizona or Nevada, then more power to them.

[humboldtrat]

I drove through Needles last fall on my way to Flagstaff and stayed at a Motel 6 (off J St. ??) and Needles looked really depressed. The downtown area was dead and sort of rundown with little traffic. Of course I waited to buy gas in Arizona where it was a dollar less a gallon than in California (why is that ????) and wondered how gas stations in Needles stay in business when everybody could just go across the stateline.

[Caliguy2007]

In my opinion,Needles has remained the way it is for years,because they most likely showed no Encouragement for Growth,as is the case with many small towns throughout California,because they worry about the Crowds,Traffic,Sprawl,Crime,Etc,but now that Needles has witnessed the Prosperity of Growth across the river,while their city has been left behind in the dust,they now want to get on the Bandwagon.

It's not the County or the State's fault,it's the No-Growth Mentality that Needles has displayed for years.

Oh and another thing,No I wouldn't want Needles to secede...Every square mile of California's Land is precious to me.

[Havasu]

Originally Posted by humboldtrat

I drove through Needles last fall on my way to Flagstaff and stayed at a Motel 6 (off J St. ??) and Needles looked really depressed. The downtown area was dead and sort of rundown with little traffic. Of course I waited to buy gas in Arizona where it was a dollar less a gallon than in California (why is that ????) and wondered how gas stations in Needles stay in business when everybody could just go across the stateline.

The gas stations stay in business because they get the ones who think they will run out of gas before the next stop if you are coming from Barstow towards Needles its a long ways with no real city that has gas and Needles is the first stop. It is a dead town and has been this way for a long long time most likely will not change if it has not during the last housing boom.

[kettlepot]

Originally Posted by humboldtrat

I drove through Needles last fall on my way to Flagstaff and stayed at a Motel 6 (off J St. ??) and Needles looked really depressed. The downtown area was dead and sort of rundown with little traffic. Of course I waited to buy gas in Arizona where it was a dollar less a gallon than in California (why is that ????) and wondered how gas stations in Needles stay in business when everybody could just go across the stateline.

Oregon gas is substantially cheaper than California gas too. It's the law of supply and demand. California only allows boutique super eco-friendly gas to be sold in the state which is only produced in a few refineries in Richmond and Long Beach. The supply is limited and the population of California is huge. And just try getting a new refinery built in California. Never going to happen.

[MichaelinWA]

About 15 cents, last I checked. And of course you don't have to pump your own gas.

Originally Posted by kettlepot

Oregon gas is substantially cheaper than California gas too.

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by kettlepot

And just try getting a new refinery built in California. Never going to happen.

It's not just California that has a difficult time building refineries. Arizona is just as bad. In fact, Arizona is one of only a few states with NO oil refineries. There have been proposals to build them southwest of Phoenix, and near Yuma, but they keep being met with strong opposition from the environmentalists and the NIMBYs, who have too much of a voice as far as I'm concerned. It makes no sense that the eco nuts keep opposing new refineries when they would be much cleaner & safer than the old ones in existence.

Originally Posted by Caliguy2007

In my opinion,Needles has remained the way it is for years,because they most likely showed no Encouragement for Growth,as is the case with many small towns throughout California,because they worry about the Crowds,Traffic,Sprawl,Crime,Etc,but now that Needles has witnessed the Prosperity of Growth across the river,while their city has been left behind in the dust,they now want to get on the Bandwagon.

There again, the NIMBYS have a lot to do with that. They see or hear about all the problems that happen in the larger cities (L.A., Phoenix, Vegas, etc.), so they oppose any kind of growth or progress. Then other places start to boom around them, and they become a little jealous & want in on the action. So I don't think seceding from California would help Needles if they continue their desire to be small & isolated. Nevada has some small towns that didn't want any casinos ... so they have basically become ghost towns or jerkwaters as a result. You can't oppose growth or progress without consqequences!