Large Research Institute Moving to Herndon (Reston, Fairfax: rental, car registration, house)

[Caladium]

One way to look at this is to put the shoe on the other foot. How do California and Oregon feel about losing these companies and these residents? Are they saying "Oh thank god, with SAIC out of here there will be fewer people driving on the roads"? I don't think so. New companies are a good thing, especially research institutes and other companies that don't pollute the air and don't need special infrastructure changes. They just need office space, and we have a few empty buildings. Sounds like a good thing to me.

[kevinm]

A lot of these companies just want to hang a sign near the Dulles Airport to have a "presence" in the area. They have no intention of moving major operations here.

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by kevinm

A lot of these companies just want to hang a sign near the Dulles Airport to have a "presence" in the area. They have no intention of moving major operations here.

I guess there are some companies that do that. OTOH, the OP's link says Ignite is hiring 600 people here.

SAIC announced their move will include hiring more than 1,000 employees in Virginia, working in finance, accounting, legal, and other administrative functions. SAIC Expected to Announce Headquarters Shift From San Diego to Northern Virginia | Xconomy

Hilton announced their move will create 300 jobs that will need to be filled in Nova. Congressman Gerry Connolly : News : Hilton Hotels Moves to Fairfax

Volkswagen announced their move will create 400 jobs that will need to be filled in Nova. Volkswagen: Packing Its Bags for Virginia - Auto Observer

[leighland]

Originally Posted by Caladium

I guess there are some companies that do that. OTOH, the OP's link says Ignite is hiring 600 people here.

SAIC announced their move will include hiring more than 1,000 employees in Virginia, working in finance, accounting, legal, and other administrative functions. SAIC Expected to Announce Headquarters Shift From San Diego to Northern Virginia | Xconomy

The majority of employees at SAIC in San Diego are long term contract employees whose contract status will not change. I don't believe those contracted employees will be leaving SD either. Again, the "New Jobs" created in Reston would no doubt be >50K a year, not people who will buy homes and pay new taxes, but more renters like me.

http://www.city-data.com/forum/san-d...s-saic-va.html

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by leighland

Again, the "New Jobs" created in Reston would no doubt be >50K a year, not people who will buy homes and pay new taxes, but more renters like me.

I guess I'm not getting the point. Even if every single one of these 2300+ jobs paid $50K, so what? That's still a gain. People who make >$50K pay taxes. IMO, many of them do become home owners, especially if they are married. I'm a homeowner, but I'm not an executive. My salary isn't sky high but without my contribution we would not have been able to buy our house. So my job is a vital part of contributing to the economy, even if I'm not an executive. And renters contribute to the economy, too. Renters pay taxes, buy local goods, hire local people to do services, etc.

Not everyone has executive skills, but mid level people need job openings, too. I don't want to live in a community where people who don't make six figures have no other options but to flip burgers.

[leighland]

Originally Posted by Caladium

People who make >50K pay taxes. Many of them are home owners, especially if they are married. I'm a homeowner, but I'm not an executive. Not everyone has executive skills, but people like me need job openings, too. And you don't have to be a homeowner to contribute to the local economy. Renters pay taxes, buy local goods, hire local people to do services, etc.

I don't hire plumbers or roofers or pay taxes on big ticket items that cost more that 100 bucks. The landlords (as most of them in my long renting experience) do these jobs themselves in order to save money. I do pay a nominal car tax, but I have one used car so its not a lot. Many people making >50K don't have a car, they use the bus (a system in debt but I digress..). The taxes I pay are food taxes/clothing taxes/consumption taxes. Not personal property taxes that benefit the County and the State greatly. And if I am a landlord, aren't my property taxes much less that if I was the homeowner and this was my primary residence? The taxes I give the county and the state are much smaller than someone who makes 160k, can afford a home, 2 cars and may buy big ticket items that cost more than 100 bucks (ex: a big screen tv).

All I'm saying is where is the benefit/where are the extra fees-taxes of having these companies move any location nationally?

[leighland]

Originally Posted by Caladium

I guess I'm not getting the point. Even if every single one of these 2300+ jobs paid $50K, so what? That's still a gain. People who make >$50K pay taxes. IMO, many of them do become home owners, especially if they are married. ........

I don't know anyone who makes 50K outside of areas such as St Louis, KCMO and Dallas who own homes. Do you?

I'd like to see the numbers on individual or combined incomes of 50K who own homes in the top 5 most expensive housing area of the county. I am sure that some guy lives with his cousin and that guys wife but they're making more that 80K among the 3 of them. And might be renting out the basement too.

Originally Posted by Caladium

Not everyone has executive skills, but mid level people need job openings, too. I don't want to live in a community where people who don't make six figures have no other options but to flip burgers.

We aren't flipping burgers, but we are working as the teller in the bank who lives in a 4 bedroom with 5 guys or your hairdresser who lives with her parents and grandparents at 30 years old.

We are also living check to check with only enough savings to get us through a month.

I think that if you can get back to school and get that advanced degree, go for it. Living is only going to be more expensive

[Caladium]

But it's still more taxes than you'd pay if you didn't have a job at all.

I get your point, it's nicer to have 2300 new executive jobs than to have 2300 mid level jobs. But it's still a gain. If the county gives these business a tax break, again so what? They'll still be paying more taxes here than they would if they moved somewhere else.

If the companies take over vacant buildings, that's a good thing. For example, Raytheon is taking over the old AOL campus. Would it be better to have a vacant campus?

If companies build a new campus, the developer has to pay a significant proffer. That's how most of the roads and interchanges get built--the developers pay for it. I like having roads paid for by someone else, so IMO that's also a good thing.

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by leighland

I don't know anyone who makes 50K outside of areas such as St Louis, KCMO and Dallas who own homes. Do you?

I know myself. I own a home, and my salary is in that range. As I said above, I may not make a fortune, but my salary was a vital contribution to being able to buy our first house.

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by leighland

I think that if you can get back to school and get that advanced degree, go for it. Living is only going to be more expensive

I totally agree. And get an advanced degree in something useful. I got a liberal arts degree. So I'm well rounded, I guess. But it didn't help me get that far in the working world. Not that I'm complaining about my job, I'm lucky to love the work that I do and also to be married to someone who brings home most of the bacon. Still, If I had the chance to do it over again I would have gotten a degree in something much more practical.