10 Reasons Not To Move To Tucson (Phoenix, Glendale: renewal, association, pine)

[azteacher]

Originally Posted by sickofIL

I would really like to know out where you get your information. Because frankly, I cannot verify anything you say. Everything that I can find shows that Tucson is one of the fastest growing cities in High Tech in the country. I cannot find anywhere that has any information about companies leaving Tucson or Arizona for that matter.

So far you haven't backed anything you state. So are we supose to just believe that you are the foremost expert in everything and that you do not need to back anything that you state?

Uh, does the Intel Plant closure ring a bell?

Remember when Microsoft backed out of its plans to build a plant near Vail a decade ago?

What about the layoffs at Raytheon? Any of this jog your memory?

Oh, and I'm a native Arizonan, btw. I also went to the University of Arizona and graduated with Honors. I loved the academic and athletic experience there.

However, I came back to teach school there for two years and I have to tell you that a little bit of me died inside while living in Tucson. It's just a generally unaware, dirty city that the University has had to drag into the 21st century, kicking and screaming.

And unfortunately I have to add that a significant percentage of Tucsonans have their heads in the sand when it comes to what their city needs to have some sort of decent future for its children. They'd prefer to just say "The weather's great," give some lip service toward liberal issues, treat strangers rudely or refuse to acknowledge them at all and not care to educate or improve themselves.

As further evidence: I can state with absolute certainty that responses from Tucsonans to this argument will not be with counter-facts, but rather indignant attacks on the messenger. It's like you can't deny the reality of what has become of your city--it wasn't ALWAYS this way, after all, as Tucson was BEAUTIFUL in the '80s--so you avoid addressing the issue by turning it back on the person. Not constructive at all.

Even further evidence: the treatment of Lute Olson by a significant percentage of Tucsonans. People to this day continue to find ways to bash the man who, though criminally underpaid during his entire tenure as basketball coach, did the city its greatest favor--and actually put it ON THE MAP.

Don't believe me? Check the Comments section of the Daily Star sometime under any Greg Hansen column. Hell, Tucson couldn't even keep Olson's on Broadway in business. The city, from my perspective, just doesn't respect success--much less the legend that is Lute.

[actinic]

Originally Posted by sickofIL

If you read my posts, most times I have links. They are not difficult to find, especially when they are on the City-Data site.

http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/T...n-Economy.html

Tucson's New Economy | High-tech Cluster Industries

Southern Arizona's Hi-Tech Connection

Benchmarks : Economic & Business Research Center : The Eller College of Management at the University of Arizona

I checked them out. Self-promotional and dated for the most part that certainly disputes the 'one of the fastest growing' lablel. How old is the second link? 8 years?

[sickofIL]

Uh, does the Intel Plant closure ring a bell?

Remember when Microsoft backed out of its plans to build a plant near Vail a decade ago?

What about the layoffs at Raytheon? Any of this jog your memory?

Again, read the newspapers this is happening oll over the country, not just Tucson. We are in recession or didn't you notice. All over companies are laying off people and businesses are closing. Ever read about the auto makers? They are closing plants everywhere and laying off everywhere. So don't just blame it on Tucson. Besides, I don't see you posting any links to support youe argument. I just did a simple search and the ones I posted were just the first. There are pages and pages of information about high tech. We are just in a recession now so it is easy to say "see people are being laid off, theirfore Businesses and companies are moving out of Tucson.

As further evidence: I can state with absolute certainty that responses from Tucsonans to this argument will not be with counter-facts, but rather indignant attacks on the messenger. It's like you can't deny the reality of what has become of your city--it wasn't ALWAYS this way, after all, as Tucson was BEAUTIFUL in the '80s--so you avoid addressing the issue by turning it back on the person. Not constructive at all.

Where are your facts from, I don't see you posting any links either. Another one like Spot. We should believe you because you absolutely certian.

Even further evidence: the treatment of Lute Olson by a significant percentage of Tucsonans. People to this day continue to find ways to bash the man who, though criminally underpaid during his entire tenure as basketball coach, did the city its greatest favor--and actually put it ON THE MAP.

I don't see what this has much to do with anything. First, I am not a sports fan so I never heard of him. He put Tucson on the map? That explains why nobody ever heard or new anything about Tucson before the mid 80's. Common, There is a lot more to Tucson than a basketball coach.

I checked them out. Self-promotional and dated for the most part that certainly disputes the 'one of the fastest growing' lablel. How old is the second link? 8 years?

I think that it doesn't matter what I links I would post because you would find something wrong with them anyway. But the fact of the matter is that Tucson is growing, just look at the US Census info, and it couldn't be growing if businesses were leaving the city. Oh, unless the US Census is self-promotional too and somehow slanted just for Tucson.

Besides, Tucson's growth is what so many on this forum have been complaining about. And cities cannot grow without jobs.

[azteacher]

Did you read where I said ALL of those things happened a DECADE ago? Those weren't 'things that were happening all over' in the late '90s.

Read my post before you tell me to 'read the newspapers'. It would help your argument.

So would knowing who in the world Lute Olson is. If you had actually lived in Tucson ANYTIME from 1983 on, you would know.

If you have, and you don't, you're another of the many who don't respect success in that town. I don't have to post links for you. You know how to Google names, right? Try it sometime.

You should believe me because I LIVED it. You don't because it doesn't fit in your narrow, provincial worldview. And your response indicates you couldn't care less about learning it either.

I'm really not interested in debating someone who doesn't have a clue about the single biggest name in local Tucson news for the last 25 years. You don't have to remotely be a sports fan to know this--just watch the local news. Apparently, that's too much to ask, so you're not qualified to even defend the city if that's true.

[sickofIL]

You know, Azteacher, I read about Lute Olson before my last post and it doesn't matter. The only reason it does to you is because you are tied to him being a teacher. He did not put Tucson on the map. It existed for long before he was even born.

For instance, in 1775 Hugo O'Connor established the Tucson Presido, then there was the Gadsden Purchase in 1854 when Arizona became part of the United States. Then Tucson was the official territorial capitol between 1867 and 1877. In 1880 the Souther Pacific Railroad reached Tucson. During WWII Davis Mountian Mountian Field became an important training base which fueled post war industries. During the Cold War Davis became an important location for retired planed from agreements with Russia, for spare parts and for storage of planes that could be made ready for use quickly. By 1804 there were about 1000 people living in what was to be the City of Tucson and by 2000 the population has increased to 800,000.

Somehow I think these are of bigger importance than a basketball coach in making Tucson something. These things along with many others has made Tucson the city it is now.

Yes Tucson has problems, but so do EVERY city in this country. All have growing pains and all have crime and poor governments. All cities have some form of companies leaving because of the economy and because of free trade allowing them to move overseas.

The company I work for used to have over 500 employees in Glendale Heights (here in IL) and over 1000 additional between the other three locations we had around the country. Now we have our location solely and we have only about 300 remaining. They now have locations in India, Mexico and China. Is this because they are running away from Glendale Heights because the city is falling apart? That is a big NO. It is because our federal Government has made it very easy for companies to move manufacturing and services out of the country all for bigger profits and fewer jobs here.

[.45acp]

Talk about insular! Tucson does not revolve around UofA. UofA is not the center of the Universe for most not affiliated with UofA. Believe it or not... many people ('least the one's I'm aquainted with) could care less about basketball or much else other than NASCAR and the Rodeo. Academe's inhabit their own little world... and attempt to exert more of their loopy influence on Tucson than any other group. Snobbish metrocentric elitists at best. Terrible drivers at worst.

'Y'all don't like it here... Saddle up 'n Git! Take your loopy left politics with you. Tucson... if you haven't noticed... is in the Sonora Desert. There's this thing called 'water'... which will always limit how big Tucson/Marana can be... or not be. If y'all think Tucson is dirty... you surely don't travel much. I've seen 'dirty' 'n this ain't it.

[Candace B Bengtson]

Picture Rocks has its positives and negatives like most places. If you are moving here I would recommend that you respect nature and all the "critters" that come with the desert. This place is not for the faint of heart. Having said that, most people here are good caring people. There is room to horse ride, motorcycles are extremely popular, bicyclist love this place. We have 3-4 months of very hot weather...the other 8-9 are wonderful. Read up on the local animals, realize that we do have druggies, but they and their homes are easy to spot. The county police station is in Picture Rocks....Candance13

[.45acp]

Picture Rocks is definately NOT for the faint of heart. The number and variety of critters is sometimes daunting... (Especially when yer loungin' on a water chair in the pool (at night) 'n a snake decides to join you inna swim... and you dunno WHAT kind'a snake...!!!) 'Just a King Snake... no problem. It fell out of the Lemon Tree I think...

Quite often there two tribes of coyotes singin' to the north and southeast at the same time. I think the northern ones just gather in the road up the street... and now 'n then a Gray wolf will howl way off to the south. I've seen them twice within' a 1/2 mile from the house. The Iguana's do their push ups on my back wall... the little guys hang on the walls at nite for an errant bug... Gekko's 'n Spiney's... 'n I have a resident Canyon lizard who likes to hang out on my back porch 'n taunt the cats thru the screen door. This is 'Open Range' country... so yer liable to see most anything from Coati's to Mountain Lion. Yeah... those too.

[Chila]

I loved your top 10 reasons to move to Tucson!

[CarolGoodBear]

Just wanted to comment. I moved to Tucson six mos. ago. I am from far north. I had great opportunity to live in gaited community near foothills. I enjoyed the weather from January til mid March. Other than that, I discovered this is not the place I want to be. I did come head on with a wildcat. Normal things like that because I am smack dap in the middle of a desert. This place is not for me. I am used to big Pine trees, tall natural grasses growing, abundance of water, and good drinking water, like from an Artesian well, wide open spaces, and milder weather, thats not this hot. Would I recommend the place for someone to move to? No, especially if you have children.