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Old 10-22-2010, 04:47 AM
 
9,725 posts, read 15,165,460 times
Reputation: 3346

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Fresno gets a bad rap because it's inland and kind of boring. I actually spent a long weekend there years ago and had a good time. The problem is, compared to LA and San Francisco, Fresno could be pretty much anywhere, in any state.

It is close enough to the fun things that people aren't totally deprived of the great things in California -- but I guess the same could be said about most of the central valley cities. Bakersfield isn't totally terrible because you are close enough to LA to drive in for a night out -- or a weekend away -- or even just for a good shopping trip.
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Old 10-22-2010, 05:39 AM
 
Location: Irvine, CA to Keller, TX
4,829 posts, read 6,928,365 times
Reputation: 844
Quote:
Originally Posted by 18Montclair View Post
STATES WHERE MOST PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO LIVE - APART FROM THEIR OWN STATE

"If you could live in any state in the country, except the state you live in now, what state would you choose to live in?"

Base: All U.S. Adults

1 California
2 Hawaii
3 Florida
4 Colorado
5 Arizona
6 North Carolina
7 Oregon
8 Texas
9 New York
10 Washington

These are some of the results of The Harrris Poll of 2,620 adults surveyed online between Sep 14-20, 2010 by Harris Interactive.

Read more: California, Hawaii and Florida the States Where the Most People Would Like to Live - PR Newswire - sacbee.com (http://www.sacbee.com/2010/10/19/3114666/california-hawaii-and-florida.html#ixzz132mv0pb9 - broken link)
The problem with CA now is that they are ranked 39th best state for business.

Slide Show: The Best States For Business - No. 1 Utah - Forbes.com
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Old 10-22-2010, 07:06 AM
 
9,725 posts, read 15,165,460 times
Reputation: 3346
Quote:
Originally Posted by Soccersupporter View Post
The problem with CA now is that they are ranked 39th best state for business.

Slide Show: The Best States For Business - No. 1 Utah - Forbes.com
Is that bad or good?

I'd be happier if California was ranked 50th best for business. I don't want business to destroy all the natural lands in California. Fortunately, the voters in California prefer to put the land above business interests for the most part. If you want to do business here, you have to play by the environmental rules.
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Old 10-22-2010, 07:08 AM
 
Location: Los Altos Hills, CA
36,653 posts, read 67,476,702 times
Reputation: 21228
Quote:
Originally Posted by Soccersupporter View Post
The problem with CA now is that they are ranked 39th best state for business.

Slide Show: The Best States For Business - No. 1 Utah - Forbes.com
Even when California's economy is flying high, it ranks near the bottom of business friendliness.

Short of giving endless tax breaks and basically letting businesses operate for free or for next to nothing, chambers of commerce and businesses will NEVER claim to be completely happy.

Furthermore a very interesting study revealed that businesses are NOT fleeing the state the way some would have us believe. IN fact, while a few are leaving, overall its the opposite that's occurring.

Quote:
It's not true that businesses are fleeing the state, Henton said. Adding up the numbers of businesses that started up compared with those that closed or moved elsewhere showed that California gained a net average of 58,500 new businesses each year from 1995 to 2008, the report said.

California leads nation in green tech - SFGate
That's because unless they can relocate all the UCs, Stanford and Cal Tech to cheap states which will never happen, California will always be an incubator of ideas that translate into new technologies that will chart the course for economic growth and expansion.

All of that cheerleading said, its vital that we create an image of business friendliness that will entice employers and new start ups to choose to remain in California and grow here. That's a given.

I don't know how we can quite deal with the cost of living. I mean that's something that we really have no control over but rather a creature controlled by free market forces.
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Old 10-22-2010, 07:09 AM
 
Location: Los Altos Hills, CA
36,653 posts, read 67,476,702 times
Reputation: 21228
Quote:
Originally Posted by UB50 View Post
Is that bad or good?

I'd be happier if California was ranked 50th best for business. I don't want business to destroy all the natural lands in California. Fortunately, the voters in California prefer to put the land above business interests for the most part. If you want to do business here, you have to play by the environmental rules.
Excellent Point.

+1
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Old 10-22-2010, 07:37 AM
 
Location: Sacramento
14,044 posts, read 27,208,139 times
Reputation: 7373
Quote:
Originally Posted by MtnSurfer View Post
This is a very good post and more objective (on a national level) than we typically see from a CA native slant or ppl planning on leaving the state for whatever disgruntled reasons. Although I am somewhat biased toward the coast, which is where I grew up and reside, I would agree with your overall assessment.

I actually took my family this year on a weekend getaway to, of all places, Fresno. We actually stayed in Clovis which was not a bad little town at all. But the funny part was when I told my wife I was planning such a trip her first question was "so why would I want to leave Monterey and drive three hours just to vacation in Fresno?" Well, you see in the Spring Fresno has the Blossom Trail with all of their fruit trees flowering. It is actually quite nice. And the Sierra Foothill wildflowers are in bloom around the same timeframe as well.

Anyway she eventually agreed, although somewhat reluntantly. However once there she a bit surprised. And upon leaving she admitted that it was much nicer than she had expected. Our three kids had a great time as well.

In assessing the area myself in terms of it's proximity to King's Canyon and the Sierra range plus drivable distance to the coast (for a weekend trip) it really isn't that bad at all. In fact on our way home I told my wife that if I had to choose between Denver or Clovis/Fresno I'd pick Clovis. The biggest problem with living in CO, the MidWest or SouthWest is lack of proximity to the ocean and crazy weather. After living in CO for a number of years, being land locked in the middle of the US was too much for us. Not being able to simply get in the car and drive to the coast was a huge negative. But with Fresno you can enjoy both the High Sierra and the coast. And proximity to the gorgeous Sierra Nevada mountains is about the same as Denver is to the Rockies.

Derek
That is partially what I wanted to get across.

When folks want to relocate to a different area of the country, a place like Fresno should actually get some consideration. Many folks have limited financial means, especially with all of the economic problems that have occurred the past four years. A place like Fresno, or other Central Valley areas, may actually be a great option for some of these folks, giving them a decent place to live at reasonable cost, yet be able to get to many of the attractions that make California desirable.

After all, though metro areas such as San Francisco and Los Angeles may be difficult for most folks to afford, it doesn't mean California can't be a good residential alternative. We have a lot of other choices too, and many are just as nice, safe and "inexpensive" as places in other regions of the country.
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Old 10-22-2010, 07:56 AM
 
Location: Austin Texas
474 posts, read 905,004 times
Reputation: 534
In spite of the survey data, not many people in the US are actually moving to California. California's population growth is driven by births, and international immigrants. Since the US Census started tracking this data (1991), California has a negative domestic migration.

California Population and Components of Change

Hawaii is also losing domestic residents.

At some point, people have to live where they can work (unless they are retiring).
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Old 10-22-2010, 08:19 AM
 
Location: Pasadena
7,411 posts, read 10,382,016 times
Reputation: 1802
If anyone has traveled outside California it become quite evident why our state is picked as the number 1 place to live. California is unique beyond what any other state can come close to realizing. The beauty and diversity of California makes it the most desirable place to visit and live. Every poll on CD that compares states always ends up with California winning and it's no wonder!
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Old 10-22-2010, 01:34 PM
 
Location: Bella Vista, Ark
77,771 posts, read 104,672,365 times
Reputation: 49248
Quote:
Originally Posted by 18Montclair View Post
STATES WHERE MOST PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO LIVE - APART FROM THEIR OWN STATE

"If you could live in any state in the country, except the state you live in now, what state would you choose to live in?"

Base: All U.S. Adults

1 California
2 Hawaii
3 Florida
4 Colorado
5 Arizona
6 North Carolina
7 Oregon
8 Texas
9 New York
10 Washington

These are some of the results of The Harrris Poll of 2,620 adults surveyed online between Sep 14-20, 2010 by Harris Interactive.

Read more: California, Hawaii and Florida the States Where the Most People Would Like to Live - PR Newswire - sacbee.com (http://www.sacbee.com/2010/10/19/3114666/california-hawaii-and-florida.html#ixzz132mv0pb9 - broken link)
these types of polls or surveys mean abolutely nothing. Many who are asked have never been to the place they think they would like to live. They are basing it on movies, what they have read and what they have heard, some propaganda and some true. It is always fun to have the place you love on a "most loved" list, but it is only good for bragging rights. The little town we live in, on about every study and survey done, it rated in the top 10 places to retire and Fayetteville is rated consistantly as one of the best small cities in the country. We love to brag about this, and we love our home, but I have seen many cities and towns that seem to be just as disirable.

Nita
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Old 10-22-2010, 01:35 PM
 
Location: Bella Vista, Ark
77,771 posts, read 104,672,365 times
Reputation: 49248
Quote:
Originally Posted by MtnSurfer View Post
This is a very good post and more objective (on a national level) than we typically see from a CA native slant or ppl planning on leaving the state for whatever disgruntled reasons. Although I am somewhat biased toward the coast, which is where I grew up and reside, I would agree with your overall assessment.

I actually took my family this year on a weekend getaway to, of all places, Fresno. We actually stayed in Clovis which was not a bad little town at all. But the funny part was when I told my wife I was planning such a trip her first question was "so why would I want to leave Monterey and drive three hours just to vacation in Fresno?" Well, you see in the Spring Fresno has the Blossom Trail with all of their fruit trees flowering. It is actually quite nice. And the Sierra Foothill wildflowers are in bloom around the same timeframe as well.








Anyway she eventually agreed, although somewhat reluntantly. However once there she a bit surprised. And upon leaving she admitted that it was much nicer than she had expected. Our three kids had a great time as well.

In assessing the area myself in terms of it's proximity to King's Canyon and the Sierra range plus drivable distance to the coast (for a weekend trip) it really isn't that bad at all. In fact on our way home I told my wife that if I had to choose between Denver or Clovis/Fresno I'd pick Clovis. The biggest problem with living in CO, the MidWest or SouthWest is lack of proximity to the ocean and crazy weather. After living in CO for a number of years, being land locked in the middle of the US was too much for us. Not being able to simply get in the car and drive to the coast was a huge negative. But with Fresno you can enjoy both the High Sierra and the coast. And proximity to the gorgeous Sierra Nevada mountains is about the same as Denver is to the Rockies.

Derek
Derek, awesome pics as always.

Nita
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