Is Colorado Springs on the right path? (Denver, Pueblo: real estate market, co-op)

[TCHP]

I didn't know that about the 501c companies, but I'm not surprised.

The military infrastructure here has created a very robust telecommunications network here. One of the best in the nation in fact. These has led to a number of customer support centers, telemarketers, and polling organizations. In the case of places like USAA and Cal Casualty, its decent because they bring a range of well paying jobs with them. For others like WOW, Luce, and numerous other communications companies, they pay minimum wage and have high percentage of part time workers to keep their costs down.

Being under the national average for a broad range of pay was tolerable when a single family home was $150k. But we aren't the sleepy little corner of CO any more.

[BornintheSprings]

What can we do as citizens to attract more high paying jobs to the area?

[LHS79]

Originally Posted by TCHP

I didn't know that about the 501c companies, but I'm not surprised.

The military infrastructure here has created a very robust telecommunications network here. One of the best in the nation in fact. These has led to a number of customer support centers, telemarketers, and polling organizations. In the case of places like USAA and Cal Casualty, its decent because they bring a range of well paying jobs with them. For others like WOW, Luce, and numerous other communications companies, they pay minimum wage and have high percentage of part time workers to keep their costs down.

Being under the national average for a broad range of pay was tolerable when a single family home was $150k. But we aren't the sleepy little corner of CO any more.

These are all call centers (USAA, Cal Casualty etc...) and WOW closed up shop here in March.

So- besides the x-military folks with ACTIVE Top Secret Clearances the only other jobs are at call centers (very high turnover) or the chain restaurants that are coming to town.

You are correct- 30 years ago a min. wage job could get you a nice small house, even in Briargate (when it was a new development). I paid $67K for a new 4 br/2 ba house there in 1986 and it is worth $275K now (CRAZY!). I was only making $10/hour as a contractor at Falcon AFB (now Schriever) when the min. wage was +-$6/hour.

We felt rich making $10/hour then!

Doubt many can afford the new housing prices with the prevailing wages here.

[YoYoSpin]

Originally Posted by BornintheSprings

What can we do as citizens to attract more high paying jobs to the area?

Republicans with a strong real estate background have been in charge of city and county government for at least the past 40 years. Change often requires breaking from the status quo.

[TCHP]

Originally Posted by BornintheSprings

What can we do as citizens to attract more high paying jobs to the area?

Not much. Corporations don't listen to citizens but they will look at what they create in the community. They look at the nuts and bolts of doing business; taxes, cost per square foot, utilities, availability and education of the workforce and access to planes, trains, and automobiles for goods and transport and the infrastructure to allow it. Simply being in CO is enough for a person or family to move here, but a business wants much more than pretty views, healthy lifestyles, and recreation access.

For the community, we would have to ditch the national perception that we are ultra right wing nut job central with more evangelicals than Oklahoma. The reality is Utah is more conservative, Idaho has more anti-government organizations, and any state in the south-east has more evangelicals, but the national perception of us is still based in Amendment 2 hatred, Doug Bruce and TABOR restrictions, James Dobson telling others how to live, Ted Haggard's hypocrisy, and Gordon Klingenschimdt's social critique.

Most of my career has been with companies not based in Cos. All of my wife's career has been working with remote clients who don't live here. Some consistent things always come up in conversations; when they hear we're in CO, they make jokes about weed and what do we do when we aren't skiing. When the learn we're in Cos, it is either something religion based or they were station here in the military once and it was nice. I can't think of one time someone said "Oh, you're the Olympic City", despite our city governments best attempts to brand us that way. I do have a number of remote friends who know us because of the Hillclimb because they are gearheads. The same might be said of the Ascent within those circles.

[YoYoSpin]

Originally Posted by TCHP

I can't think of one time someone said "Oh, you're the Olympic City", despite our city governments best attempts to brand us that way.

The United States Olympic Committee, including all of their local training facilities, is one of those pesky non-tax-paying 501(c)(3) corporations. It may be (IMHO) one of the best examples of the many one-way relationships COS city government has been suckered into...the city gives and the non-profit takes.

[tnff]

As someone who spent half their life in the Springs and left, I think it's on the wrong path. It's not Colorado Springs any more, it's East California. There is a difference between growth and cancer. Growth in Colorado Springs has turned into cancer, destroying the very quality of life that made it such a wonderful place to live.

[BornintheSprings]

Originally Posted by tnff

As someone who spent half their life in the Springs and left, I think it's on the wrong path. It's not Colorado Springs any more, it's East California. There is a difference between growth and cancer. Growth in Colorado Springs has turned into cancer, destroying the very quality of life that made it such a wonderful place to live.

Interesting perspective for me the Springs still feels quite small. Also I disagree the quality of life is bad the hiking and biking is still amazing and the outdoor activities that the city is close to is as good as ever.

[Mike from back east]

Shazzam! Ain't it amazing! Every metro area in the country has been growing for decades but it's all the fault of California. Wow! Who knew! True insights!

[BornintheSprings]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

Shazzam! Ain't it amazing! Every metro area in the country has been growing for decades but it's all the fault of California. Wow! Who knew! True insights!

Thanks to California my rose bushes have died!