California people (Boise, Star: fit in, house, buy)

[sultresweetie]

I have the unique prespective of growing up in Blackfoot, ID, attending college in Eugene, OR and then beginning my adult life in Oakland, CA. The ignorance I faced in all areas I have lived, is always the same- people need someone to blame based on a preconcieved notion.

I can tell you that over the years, progress has influenced SE ID, as I can remember the first time we got a McDonalds in Blackfoot, and let me tell you it was welcomed! I remember pre-Walmart, and now hardly recognize the town I spent the first 18 years of my life. I was rather sad to see the delapidated state of downtown Blackfoot after it was decimated by the Super Walmart. My father is a 3rd generation Idahoan, yet I don't hear him complain about the changes, because that is what life does- CHANGE. There were many people that didn't want the lotto, and were unhappy that businesses would dare to stay open on the Sabbath, but I don't see those businesses or institutions suffering for lack of consumers.

When I moved to OR, there were a lot of complaints about CA transplants driving up the housing market. Yet, many of these CA transplants brought a wealth of expertise to the job market, creating business that benefitted the economy. Nevermind, that greedy real estate agents see the opportunity to make a windfall off of CA transplants, because a 800 sq ft house in the most violent neighborhood sells for $400,000 in CA and at that price ANYTHING looks like a good deal. Agents in Idaho and Oregon advertise for land and business opportunities in California publications- they are all over the place. Boise is listed in Sperlings, Best Places to Live as one of the few places in the western states with a booming economy, low cost of living and safety, considering it one of the best places in the country to raise a family. Next in line is Eugene, Oregon. Both can contribute an unemployment rate well below the national average to outside business developing in these areas.

I made my way after college to Oakland, CA, and ended up in the poorest, most violent and crime ridden section of town while I commuted to work in San Francisco. The disparity is unlike anything I had ever seen. I was 26 yrs old and struggling to make my way and 4 yrs later I'm still struggling. People come here for the lure of the plethora of great paying jobs, fabulous weather, beautiful landscapes, beautiful people (yes, some people do appreciate cultural/racial diversity), and progressive politics. You don't know until you get here, just what it means to "get by" in this state, and it's not for the lack of trying. The state of California's decay has been a long time coming and can't be pinpointed to "mexicans" or "asians" or even to one political affiliation. How easy is it to make sweeping generalizations in a complex web of dysfunction? People need to realize that California's economy drives this country, and if it falls, we ALL fall.

That being said, there is nothing at this point that I can contribute to change California. I scrape by, I vote, I protest and it just isn't enough. Now that I am starting a family and pregnant with my first child, I fear for his well-being and feel his opportunities are limited because of our financial struggles. My husband and I made the decision to move to Idaho for our son's benefit. Honestly, I have mixed feelings about it, because I will miss the excellent weather, liberal and tolerant people, and the cultural diversity. Where will I ever find great Persian food? I better learn to cook!

On the flipside of all these judgements against Californians or the us vs them mentality, I was very selective about who I told where I grew up, because people here would have their own judgement about Idahoans. The biggest being that they are under the impression that ID still harbors the KKK. People at work would be leary of me because they would believe that my politics or mindset is oppressive to their race or lifestyle. Funny thing is, my family is diverse in culture and I was raised liberal and agnostic in Idaho, and had my first contact with gay people in Idaho.

I hope I can bring my experience from the city to benefit my hometown, if not economically, at least socially.

[izzy]

Wow! What a great post Sultresweetie. Thanks for your thoughts.

Izzy

[zrahin]

keep in mind everyone that the majority will always win. So if paving the dirt road is what the majority wants, then the road will be paved. get used to democracy my friends. this country is built on changes.

[zrahin]

sultresweetie, what an excellent post. If our paths ever cross in Idaho, I will have you and your family invited for persian/ afghan food. I promise you that you will have the best Persian/ afghan food in your life. My wife is the BEST afghan chef.

[wildberries61]

I believe what most from California don't understand is Idaho is not just a place to live its a lifestyle. We don't really care if the road is paved as long as the highways are. Our worries are more if we are going to get through the snow,if we have enough wood to get through the winter, have you paid your bills enough in case a snow storm puts you out of work for a few days and you get behind. Do you have food stored in case you can't get out. When the tourist come hopefully, they don't buy up all the bread in the store and the gas trucks can get up the highway to the gas stations. Its called real life!! Not City Life.
Change is good if done the right way, not investors coming in and buying up land and putting in cheap sub-divisions with high prices. Rich coming in and pricing everyone out of the town.
Not all of us care if fine dining is available most of us can cook and its a lot better then any crowded restaurant, shopping malls hake you have the Internet. Just know if you move to the cities you have all of that but, most small towns are happy just the way they are and we all own a car to get to the city even if its 2 hours away.
Move to Idaho because its Idaho not does it have what California has because it doesn't. Even less paved roads.

[skitow]

Hi. I swore I was going to out of this, but I'd like to comment on one thing you said. You may know that I live in CA, and that is what happened here. When I moved to Mountain View there were farms everywhere. At the end of the condo complex there was an onion farm. It smelled like onions only about 2 days a year when they harvested the crop. Everyone just laughed. Across the street was all open field. Cherry farms here, peach farms and grape farms there. It's all been sold to build condos. Same as Idaho. That's why a lot of people want out. This place sucks. I'd like to go target shooting again. The range was on top of a mountain. It's all houses now. They complained about the noise. The range was there first. Tuff luck. I don't like it just like you don't. That's why I wan't outta' here. See, we do have things in common. Hope you can keep your road. Take care, skitow.

[izzy]

Hi,
Wildberries...you are assuming things about CA residents. I can cook. I just made a meatloaf, and six loaves of banana bread...from staples...not box. I've made 10 lbs. of fudge from staples...for my holiday baskets of homemade goods.

I live on a country road with no sidewalks. I just went to my kids xmas play last night and I put my levi's on one leg at a time. Just like folks in Idaho.

We took down two big dead oak trees last year and split wood both this year and last. To make sure we had enough wood for the winter. Just like you

We buy in bulk to stock up and save money...for hard times.

Do we kinda sound like we both live the same lifestyle just different states? Please don't group everyone under one label. In this country we pride ourselves on being individuals.

Happy Holidays wildberries...I'm mean all the above in a kind tone. So please take it that way.

Izzy

[dusesean1986]

The Only Thing That Is Rough About California Is The Horrendous Neighborhoods And The Ridiculous Once You Get Past That You're Fine...yeah The Houses Are Alot...but After Awhile It Slips Your Mind...idaho Is A Very Gorgeous Place I Love It...it Is Very Rural...it Has None Of The Problems Los Angeles Does...and Los Angeles Has Increasing Racism

[sultresweetie]

Originally Posted by skitow

Hi. I swore I was going to out of this, but I'd like to comment on one thing you said. You may know that I live in CA, and that is what happened here. When I moved to Mountain View there were farms everywhere. At the end of the condo complex there was an onion farm. It smelled like onions only about 2 days a year when they harvested the crop. Everyone just laughed. Across the street was all open field. Cherry farms here, peach farms and grape farms there. It's all been sold to build condos. Same as Idaho. That's why a lot of people want out. This place sucks. I'd like to go target shooting again. The range was on top of a mountain. It's all houses now. They complained about the noise. The range was there first. Tuff luck. I don't like it just like you don't. That's why I wan't outta' here. See, we do have things in common. Hope you can keep your road. Take care, skitow.

This isn't a new phenomenon, this is the end result of a shift from family farming to factory farming. In the early 80's, in the interest of high production and "cost efficiency" or rather, corporate rape, many farmers found that they could not compete with corporate or factory farms, and they were losing their livelihoods. Does anyone remember Farm Aid? Farming has been heavily subsidized for some time now. When I was a kid, we used to have group meetings in my parents home for farmers that were in crisis and on the edge of losing everything. Still, these same folks turned around and voted Reagan in for another term! It was devestating to the region, since Idaho's economy is mainly agriculture and textiles. You are going to see a shift now to alternative means of making a living- most likely technology based and I believe some manufacturing. People are selling their land because it's not sustainable, and face it, they can make a nice cushion for themselves. This is happening all over the country, and Americans in every facet of production are now having to compete on the world market. We are highly in debt to China for this reason.
Most likely, the folks coming in that can afford to buy up everything, especially in Idaho, where they could never find the wages to sustain it, are in a higher income bracket than most of us, and built a nice nest egg for themselves. I imagine they can afford to make the demands that are annoying to the folks that are used to the "real life". Our country has made the decision, repeatedly, that monetary wealth for the top 10% is most important to them.

[David Pristupa]

Originally Posted by zrahin

Don’t blame the Democrats, Republicans, Asians, Mexicans, or anyone for this. The main reason behind the problem in California is the Banking industry. In the last 5 years Banks have been giving these funny loans to just anyone who wanted to buy a home. This included cashiers at McDonalds, Wal-Mart, or the 99 cent store who were making $6 an hour to buy homes in the 500K to 700K range. Actually blame the local governments for their lack of regulations to protect the consumers. In any case, at the end of the day, you do what’s necessary to take care of yourself and your family. Let the locals cry. They don’t own Boise.

In recent years the banks have become very generous in lending money. The more money that is pumped into the economy regardless of whether it is borrowed or not increases the size of the pie and each one gets a larger slice.Those that are left behind have to pick up the price yet have no means.