More Californians in WA than CA?: Is the influx of Californians beneficial to the state?

[nullgeo]

Originally Posted by VeronikaW

This person I was replying to said there were no good paying jobs in WA. I countered that the tech market was booming, and then he said something about welders not making enough money. So I was just countering that I wasn't talking about welding jobs, I was talking about tech jobs, and the tech jobs that my husband and I get calls for are in the $100K range.

So obviously there are still good paying jobs here, is the point I was trying to make.

V. =)

I see. So, when you say "if you can't live on 100K then the problem isn't the job market" you are inferring that, since welders don't make $100K a year, they are in the wrong profession? Doesn't Washington need welders as much as tech jobs? Should welders simply accept that they are in an inferior, servile position and be content living in a trailer? Or what?

Maybe I DON'T see, I should say. Perhaps I misunderstand your comment. It strikes me as pretty arrogant. Correct me if I am missing your point. I make even less than a welder. Far less. But I bought property a LONG time ago so I have a nice place (which taxes for I can't afford). I have multiple college degrees and am a combat disabled war veteran. I raised four kids here, 3 of whom are in construction trades. They also do not ever have a prayer of making $100K a year or ever affording real estate in Western Wash. unless I leave my equity to just one or two of them — because split 4 ways it won't buy snot. Should those of us who work with our hands just move away? Who will clean the toilets?

[VeronikaW]

Originally Posted by nullgeo

I see. So, when you say "if you can't live on 100K then the problem isn't the job market" you are inferring that, since welders don't make $100K a year, they are in the wrong profession? Doesn't Washington need welders as much as tech jobs? Should welders simply accept that they are in an inferior, servile position and be content living in a trailer? Or what?

Maybe I DON'T see, I should say. Perhaps I misunderstand your comment. It strikes me as pretty arrogant. Correct me if I am missing your point. I make even less than a welder. Far less. But I bought property a LONG time ago so I have a nice place (which taxes for I can't afford). I have multiple college degrees and am a combat disabled war veteran. I raised four kids here, 3 of whom are in construction trades. They also do not ever have a prayer of making $100K a year or ever affording real estate in Western Wash. unless I leave my equity to just one or two of them — because split 4 ways it won't buy snot. Should those of us who work with our hands just move away? Who will clean the toilets?

No, all I was pointing out was that the person I responded to said there were no decent paying jobs in WA, and I was countering that in my experience there are several decent paying jobs in WA in the tech industry. That was the only point I was trying to make, and it was misconstrued by people who obviously hadn't read the full thread.

I was just pointing out that the original post I was responding to was totally misleading.

V. =)

[nullgeo]

Originally Posted by VeronikaW

No, all I was pointing out was that the person I responded to said there were no decent paying jobs in WA, and I was countering that in my experience there are several decent paying jobs in WA in the tech industry. That was the only point I was trying to make, and it was misconstrued by people who obviously hadn't read the full thread.

I was just pointing out that the original post I was responding to was totally misleading.

V. =)

I see. OK. And I agree that there are decent paying jobs available in Washington. I didn't, however, feel that that post you refer to was so misleading. I observed his point as being that, for all Washington is an advancing, active, economy — it is hard for many to keep apace.

It is true that tech-type fields, computer-related and bio-tech and such, are on a roll here. And that ties into the topic of this thread. Those fields carry much the same lifestyle and attitude as the California culture being bandied about here. The earnings in those fields, like the money leveraged from California's tech and real estate booms, are setting the new benchmarks for NW lifestyle. I am more educated than the typical tech workforce — to say nothing of my military and civic contributions to our country. But I willingly choose to work with dirt under my nails — which earns me about 30% of what the tech jobs you refer to pay. I prefer my work and accept the realities. My three sons all work the same as I. We build and repair the kinds of homes that folks like you and your husband can afford from tech field earnings. My sons can't afford to buy what we build. And when we find ourselves being flipped off by California (and tech) money, we get some attitude up. It's an old story. But I think those more well off financially would also be well off to consider that the differences between our work/lifestyle choices don't simply come down to the 'intelligensia elite' vs. 'the ignorant, unwashed, plebian worker-bee masses'.