AZ Republic Article about Top skilled workers in Phoenix/AZ (Scottsdale: renting, house)

[gophins72]

Does quality of life fall short?

this seems to echo a lot of the opinions expressed on this forum, if you want to give it a read, it is interesting.

[irwin]

Originally Posted by gophins72

Does quality of life fall short?

this seems to echo a lot of the opinions expressed on this forum, if you want to give it a read, it is interesting.

This is a really great article. Thank you for posting it.

It is a fairly accurate portrayal of why I left Phoenix, even after moving out there for a job only a few years earlier. Quality of life in Phoenix is not very good. You may get more for your money out there, but there is a reason it is cheaper to live than other, more appealing and cultural city. The attraction of buying a larger house did not offset my need for entertainment, real neighborhoods and culture, and a vibrant and diversified economy filled with others of similar levels of ambition and education. Honestly, after about six months the gimmick of living in a desert and cactus faded and I felt as I was isolated in Timbuktu.

If you are a retiree or close to it, Phoenix may provide what you need. But why anyone would actually raise a child out there is beyond comprehension.

[az1969]

These "Knoweldge" workers can't expect to earn much here. Financial Analyst and Data Analyst make no more than $40k. They live in Tolleson which is not exactly the place for culture or entertainment. People need to set their expectations correctly and figure out if they want to be here before committing. Try a year of renting and go through a summer. If you still like it then it's probably for you. If not...make like a tree.

[sheena]

Originally Posted by az1969

These "Knoweldge" workers can't expect to earn much here. Financial Analyst and Data Analyst make no more than $40k. They live in Tolleson which is not exactly the place for culture or entertainment. People need to set their expectations correctly and figure out if they want to be here before committing. Try a year of renting and go through a summer. If you still like it then it's probably for you. If not...make like a tree.

Good point! Why interview someone in Tolleson and then ask them why they are leaving? Good ole Az Republic gotta love it.

[londonbarcelona]

Originally Posted by irwin

This is a really great article. Thank you for posting it.

It is a fairly accurate portrayal of why I left Phoenix, even after moving out there for a job only a few years earlier. Quality of life in Phoenix is not very good. You may get more for your money out there, but there is a reason it is cheaper to live than other, more appealing and cultural city. The attraction of buying a larger house did not offset my need for entertainment, real neighborhoods and culture, and a vibrant and diversified economy filled with others of similar levels of ambition and education. Honestly, after about six months the gimmick of living in a desert and cactus faded and I felt as I was isolated in Timbuktu.

If you are a retiree or close to it, Phoenix may provide what you need. But why anyone would actually raise a child out there is beyond comprehension.

I enjoy living in Scottsdale, but I cannot wait to move. This just is not the kind of place I want to live and grow in. I have eight more months to my "prison" sentence. Arizona was the worst thing to ever happen to our family. I would NOT recommend trying to raise children here if you are even slightly educated....

[sheena]

Originally Posted by irwin

This is a really great article. Thank you for posting it.

It is a fairly accurate portrayal of why I left Phoenix, even after moving out there for a job only a few years earlier. Quality of life in Phoenix is not very good. You may get more for your money out there, but there is a reason it is cheaper to live than other, more appealing and cultural city. The attraction of buying a larger house did not offset my need for entertainment, real neighborhoods and culture, and a vibrant and diversified economy filled with others of similar levels of ambition and education. Honestly, after about six months the gimmick of living in a desert and cactus faded and I felt as I was isolated in Timbuktu.

If you are a retiree or close to it, Phoenix may provide what you need. But why anyone would actually raise a child out there is beyond comprehension.

Although it wasn't horrible, I wish I would have raised my kids in a different place. I have 2 kids that have tree phobia, they hate trees. I guess all they know is cactus and palms.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by sheena

Good point! Why interview someone in Tolleson and then ask them why they are leaving? Good ole Az Republic gotta love it.

No kidding. What a crock! Tolleson is a town where farm laborers were permitted to live during segregation. While it is improving at least in appearance, it remains a magnet for illegals and the schools are overwhelmingly non-English speaking. I doubt there is one school there that exceeds minimum state standards. The place is the bottom of the barrel in new developments here. I wouldn't be happy if I lived there either.

[sheena]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

No kidding. What a crock! Tolleson is a town where farm laborers were permitted to live during segregation. While it is improving at least in appearance, it remains a magnet for illegals and the schools are overwhelmingly non-English speaking. I doubt there is one school there that exceeds minimum state standards. The place is the bottom of the barrel in new developments here. I wouldn't be happy if I lived there either.

They had to go Tolleson to find skilled workers to interview? How is that a credible news story?

[sirwinston73]

Originally Posted by londonbarcelona

I enjoy living in Scottsdale, but I cannot wait to move. This just is not the kind of place I want to live and grow in. I have eight more months to my "prison" sentence. Arizona was the worst thing to ever happen to our family. I would NOT recommend trying to raise children here if you are even slightly educated....

I agree, living in Scottsdale was nothing more than a waste of years out of my life and leaving was the best decision I ever made. Sure, it was a lot cheaper than where I live now, but in terms of the quality of life for your money, it was a very, very poor value. Totally not worth it. It's great for people with little ambition who merely seek cheap banal living but for the rest of us it most definitely is a prison sentence like you said.

Raising children there is completely out of the question and is one of many reasons that I left. The intelligent, ambitious, successful people I met while living in Arizona were all from somewhere else and couldn't wait to leave AZ. The natives I met were lazy, indifferent, and frequently rude & unhappy ... no way would I raise kids there.

[twiggy]

It's like beating a dead horse, isn't it? Diehards will say get out and people who agree will be frustrated that no one cares here if it doesn't directly effect them! AZ =Big Business, not people. It's just as simple as that.
And as people on here will tell us all, "Go if you don't like it, it's a free country". Translation, "it's never gonna change here, so stop bringing it up!".
What a waste of paper that article was. I grew up here and wanted it to be a good place to raise a family and work but it isn't. I looked into changing it, found out why it hasn't changed and now plan on moving my family elsewhere. I wish it would change and I could stay but I know this is a waste of peoples time. Spend your time planning your move people. I understand the need to rant at first but over time one will find it fruitless!!! AZ's head is stuck in the sand, or should I say dirt. lol You move in, freak out, and then you leave. It's like dating a rock star. The exterior is exciting, weather is different, but inside, hey, what inside? Then you move on to a real person, with values and who wants a family and a life with you. The outside isn't as glamorous but you learn that isn't what counts.