Is Boston's tech boom hurting smaller cities (Somerville: public school, college)

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

Most top performers won't take a job offer in a Little Rock or a Jackson. If something bad happens to their job, they're going to have to move and they run the risk of getting priced out of the high COL areas.

Another reason why talent goes to these few cities. One needs to raise one's base salary early on to be able to negotiate higher salaries when moving to new jobs, even if one does want to move back to a smaller city eventually.

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by timberline742

Another reason why talent goes to these few cities. One needs to raise one's base salary early on to be able to negotiate higher salaries when moving to new jobs, even if one does want to move back to a smaller city eventually.

Yup. One of the tech people I know is an outlier socially and culturally for the field - he is a staunch conservative who doesn't care for big urban areas and would greatly prefer a huge plot of land somewhere in the deep south. Even he won't take jobs in the smaller markets for those reasons. If he loses/doesn't like his job (and jumping is common in the sector), there aren't other options nearby. And salaries tend to be lower, so he would have a hard time with pay if he was forced to move to a bigger market. So he's settled on the middle ground even though he's found (and received offers from) jobs in smaller markets - currently in KCMO, but looking around places like Austin, Nashville, etc. where he can find the closest approximation of his ideal environment.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by lrfox

Yup. One of the tech people I know is an outlier socially and culturally for the field - he is a staunch conservative who doesn't care for big urban areas and would greatly prefer a huge plot of land somewhere in the deep south. Even he won't take jobs in the smaller markets for those reasons. If he loses/doesn't like his job (and jumping is common in the sector), there aren't other options nearby. And salaries tend to be lower, so he would have a hard time with pay if he was forced to move to a bigger market. So he's settled on the middle ground even though he's found (and received offers from) jobs in smaller markets - currently in KCMO, but looking around places like Austin, Nashville, etc. where he can find the closest approximation of his ideal environment.

Sorry to go OT but it doesn't sound like he is looking in the right places. Those booming southern cities are gobbling up land rapidly, and cost of land/housing is going through the roof. He'd almost be better off staying in KCMO, especially for the long term.

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by massnative71

Sorry to go OT but it doesn't sound like he is looking in the right places. Those booming southern cities are gobbling up land rapidly, and cost of land/housing is going through the roof. He'd almost be better off staying in KCMO, especially for the long term.

Agreed completely. He doesn't hate KCMO, but his issue everywhere is balancing how far to remove himself from the city to like where he lives vs. dealing with a crappy commute. KCMO is better than Austin, Nashville, etc. He's even considered a West Virginia - Suburban DC commute for one prospective job. Not sure he's ever going to find a good fit.

[btownboss4]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

Near minimum wage factory jobs are very different from left coast/right coast tech jobs. Factory workers can't create intellectual property no matter how much you try to train/educate them.


Of course, Nashville is different since it has Vanderbilt as the world class anchor university and has seen a ton of inward migration of people who can create intellectual property. Plus it's the tax haven for the NY and CA-based entertainment industry. Williamson County is a very prosperous place with all the trappings you'd expect in any other very prosperous place. There's a Lamborghini dealership to fix your car. I was kind of shocked that it's NYC/DC/Boston/north Atlanta level of suburban prosperity. I was expecting Deliverance and Hee Haw.


Most top performers won't take a job offer in a Little Rock or a Jackson. If something bad happens to their job, they're going to have to move and they run the risk of getting priced out of the high COL areas.

When Sunbelt states land a corporate relocation they don’t say “oh no we are leaving the rust belt behind.

They say Tax and spend liberals are ruining their economy.

If we leave the south behind than so be it. That’s their problem not ours.

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by btownboss4

If we leave the south behind than so be it. That’s their problem not ours.

Except of course that we are massively subsidizing those states with our Federal tax dollars, with a couple of exceptions.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by lrfox

Agreed completely. He doesn't hate KCMO, but his issue everywhere is balancing how far to remove himself from the city to like where he lives vs. dealing with a crappy commute. KCMO is better than Austin, Nashville, etc. He's even considered a West Virginia - Suburban DC commute for one prospective job. Not sure he's ever going to find a good fit.

Yeah I don't think he'll find much better balance elsewhere, certainly not WV - suburban DC area.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by btownboss4

When Sunbelt states land a corporate relocation they don’t say “oh no we are leaving the rust belt behind.

They say Tax and spend liberals are ruining their economy.

If we leave the south behind than so be it. That’s their problem not ours.

But this isn't a north vs. south vs. rustbelt thing, it's larger hi-tech centers vs. those that are not. Boston vs. Springfield. Minneapolis vs. Flint, MI. Nashville vs. Jackson, MS.

[btownboss4]

Originally Posted by massnative71

But this isn't a north vs. south vs. rustbelt thing, it's larger hi-tech centers vs. those that are not. Boston vs. Springfield. Minneapolis vs. Flint, MI. Nashville vs. Jackson, MS.

Of which you only need to concern yourself with Springfield because they are in our commonwealth.

If Houston fails to adapt to a 21st century economy that’s their problem to fix not ours. We should concern ourselves with our issues (notably transit, affordable housing, poverty etc)

[timberline742]

Well Houston will be fine as long as we're tied to fossil fuels, sadly. I know that's not your point though.


But I think we do need to care about other regions. It's not dissimilar from caring about another person's, even a strangers health. WE are paying for it no matter what. We have to as a society. We're supporting them through the net flow of our tax dollars. The choice is to how to do that wisely. Invest in them so they can support themselves, or pay for the safety net. Right now, we're funding the safety net.