Limited Jobs - Prescott's Biggest Problem

[observer53]

I don't remember reading here that jobs were "everywhere" in Prescott. It should be fairly obvious, to anyone who has spent much time there at all, that it has the typical job base of a fairly small Western city, and that when the state's economy went south, places like Prescott would be harder hit than Phoenix.

[esselcue]

Originally Posted by DellNec

Hello! McFly!

ScottDavis has been a member of the forum since SEPTEMBER 2006. YOU have been a member ONLY since FEBRUARY 2008. Do the math, if you can!

New member? Let's see, ScottDavis member since SEP 2006, you ESSECLUE member since FEB 2008.

ScottDavis member = 2 years 7 months
Esselcue member = 1 year 2 months

The problem with you and others like you is that you are ignoring the REALITY of the situation here in Prescott. You believe Prescott is some type of heaven on earth, Nirvana. You may be retired and moving to another state, but many here are not retired and the Prescott economy has collapsed, harder than major cities like Phoenix has.

Wow...such nastiness. I only meant "new" to the Prescott forum...not to CD in general. Sorry you misunderstood or that I did not make myself clear, which is probably the case. I did not see much in the way of forum activity from Mr Davis, and the length of time a person as been a membor of CD Forums in general has little to do with their involvement.

Where did I ever say Prescott is Nirvana or Heaven on earth? There is no such place and Prescott has as many faults as any other town. It has NEVER had a booming job market. Not in the 23 years I have lived here. Not ever. People who live here do so for the area itself, for the beauty, the small-town ambiance, the people...most of us could have made a lot more money living in a big city somewhere, doing the same jobs we did here. A person chooses to live in Prescott (or the surrounding areas...I do not actually live IN Prescott) because of the lifestyle.

Bitterness and nasty remarks only serve as criticism for those people who live here, work here, and enjoy the community. Not everyone here is greedy or land grabbing. You seem to be irate that I am retired and hoping to relocate. Let me explain...after a 20-year career in Yavapai County (my second career) I am now hoping to relocate to an area where my family and many friends reside. If that were not the case I would not even think of leaving because this area is "home" to me and in spite of your hatred and disappointment of Prescott and the quad-cities, I still see it as a good place to live. If you do not agree, then move.

[nwlv]

Originally Posted by ArizonaBear

And; having lived in Bullhead-----------the summers there are dangerously hot. Decent winters (no snow/ice) but still............

That's how dire the situation is in Prescott--things are looking better in BHC (and I would avoid that place like the plague).

[shiphead]

Originally Posted by ArizonaBear

And to run with esselcue's ball further-------------things here in the Phx area are very bad. So one can imagine how badly smaller communities are hurting.

I count my lucky stars every day that I am still working.

In the cities they are worse. The small towns have enough business running to keep them going. The town my parents live in constantly have some form of construction going, cell phones are still being used, and people are buying groceries. The beauty of a small town.

[DellNec]

Originally Posted by w1ngzer0

In the cities they are worse. The small towns have enough business running to keep them going. The town my parents live in constantly have some form of construction going, cell phones are still being used, and people are buying groceries. The beauty of a small town.

Nonsense! Prescott's unemployment rate is higher than Phoenix's and higher than the national average.

Small towns like Prescott rely on retiree's and weekend getaway's. I run a business in Prescott and we are hurting and hurting bad. Posted a job opening for an $8 hour job and had 450 people apply within 2 days. Had to pull the ad because so many people were inquiring.

I ran a business in Phoenix and even now, with the bad economy, things are better in Phoenix because it is a large metropolitan city and there are so many different businesses that accell even in bad times. I have contacts in Phx and they state that things slowed but still are much more stable than up here in Prescott.

[wwalker101]

There is probably some truth in most of the arguments that I have seen above. I have been in Prescott for nearly 3 years, have a 4 year degree, but am fairly young and inexperienced and came to Prescott for recovery. However, I must agree with the gentleman whom last posted stating the absurd number of applications here considering the quality of the jobs. There is only so much gratitude in my heart that I can hold for a town in which I am continually turned away from sub 20k jobs. I sincerely believe that Prescott is in worse shape than most of the country for a couple of reasons: 1) Lack of any industrial/manufacturing base. 2) Large population of retirees. I will explain further about the retirees. It is my opinion that a large number of the retirees here, while having significant assets, are not flush with excess funds, as they have retired to Prescott and not a premier destination on one of the coasts or a hamlet (such as Paradise Valley, Highland Park) within a larger community. Of many of these retirees, a great many of them are living entirely, or, to a large degree, on equity they received from selling their homes (primarily in California) a few years back. These are the dollars that seem to have dried up in Prescott, like many other places. However, I believe the scope of the recession (if you will) in Prescott is larger due to the fact that such a large chunk of the population base can not go back to work, and are tightening up much more than your average American. Prescott is hurting more than most, especially with no manufacturing/industrial base or consistent tourist dollars to count on (not that would mean anything exceptional as many one-dimensional city economies will tell you).

[DellNec]

Originally Posted by wwalker101

However, I must agree with the gentleman whom last posted stating the absurd number of applications here considering the quality of the jobs. There is only so much gratitude in my heart that I can hold for a town in which I am continually turned away from sub 20k jobs. I sincerely believe that Prescott is in worse shape than most of the country for a couple of reasons: 1) Lack of any industrial/manufacturing base. 2) Large population of retirees.

Of many of these retirees, a great many of them are living entirely, or, to a large degree, on equity they received from selling their homes (primarily in California) a few years back. These are the dollars that seem to have dried up in Prescott, like many other places. However, I believe the scope of the recession (if you will) in Prescott is larger due to the fact that such a large chunk of the population base can not go back to work, and are tightening up much more than your average American. Prescott is hurting more than most, especially with no manufacturing/industrial base or consistent tourist dollars to count on (not that would mean anything exceptional as many one-dimensional city economies will tell you).

Thank you. A real voice for the real problems being faced in Prescott. Beware of the realtors, they will come out of the cracks and tell you that you are wrong and a hater for stating the truth.

In my business, I have already laid-off people and I have to post a sign telling people that we are not hiring, as I am getting people coming in on a daily basis looking for work.

Get ready to start seeing more and more businesses going out of business up here.

[PrescottSince02]

I love living in Prescott. I've also never had to look for a job here. These two things are probably not unrelated.

[DellNec]

Newest stats show unemployment is up to 9%. Local experts state that many people are moving OUT of Prescott and the tri-city area due to the low pay and unavailability of jobs. Unemployment would be well over 10%, if not for the exodus out of Prescott, Prescott Valley and Chino Valley.

[DellNec]

The latest data, as reported in the Prescott Courier, was that,

"Moving is the No. 1 reason students left Chino Valley High School this school year, according to Dean of Students Mike Fogel. There was an increase in the number of students mentioning that their family lost their job and home, he said."

Over 48 students left because their family moved out of the tri-city area. Those are only the ones who reported leaving, that number could safely be raised to 100. Yet, people like the lying Realtors will tell you jobs are plentiful, Prescott pays high salaries, all is well, and now is the time to buy. Except for the fact that you would have to be independently wealthy to live up here.

48 high school students equals about 192 people (due to the size of the entire family) moving out of Chino Valley. 100 students would equal well over 400 people. Now add the grammar schools, the other high schools, the towns of Prescott Valley, Prescott, etc, and you will have figures easily in the thousands and thousands of people who have left or are leaving this area. When 10% of the population leaves an area as small as this, that is significant.

My business is down almost 40% for the 1st quarter & even the 2nd quarter which only has 1 month left.