Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
A few weeks ago the Statesman posted an article talking about how certain regions of Idaho (Adams County in particular) is near 20% unemployment. It also said that a good portion of Idaho's more rural counties are well into the teens for unemployment reported.
One just has to be really careful with how to interpret state statistics. Idaho is such a large and diverse state that it tends to have many different economic regions, each with their own unique climate and identity.
I'm from a four generation farm family, and grew up outside of Moscow, Idaho. We have always had experienced a poor economy, mainly because of farm prices, and living in a rural area, however we could pay the farm loans, and bills, and maintain a lifestyle that we always have known, which was better than todays-by far. The 70's were very hard on farmers nation-wide. In the 80's I married a logger, and taught school, and we bought a place outside Potlatch, Idaho. Paid our bills, and saved all the money we could, without buying new pickup trucks, campers, houses, etc.
My husband was disabled from another logging accident, four years ago, and now has three fusions in his neck, so he went back to the U of I, and graduated a year ago in finance. I was disabled with a neck injury, two fusions from a whiplash in l994, and had to quit my teaching job. I also have scoliosis, with a herrington rod, which has always plagued me with chronic pain, so the whiplash was the end of my career. Saving our money and living simple is what got us through this crisis, and obviously we are still not the same physically, but managed to pay off all loans to get my husband through school.
One thing I noticed since the 90's and the 21rst Century, was the overwhelming influx of people moving into Idaho, mostly from California. My sister and her husband and kids live in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho, and I never get over the shock of the growth up there, and especially the number of developments, sub-divisions, and huge McMansions. I have met and heard about a lot of my sister's acquaintances; who many, live like rock stars-gone out of control, with more rooms in their homes than they can fit furniture in, and more houses they can spend time in.
[MOD CUT: You're seriously opening yourself up to libel, and CDF does not want to be party to it. Please refrain from making allegations of potentially criminal misconduct on this forum. It's simply not the place for it.]
After [MOD CUT] then realitors, developers poured in, all with the same agenda, to make money, at the expense of all the original state citizens, and responsible people who lived within their means, and wanted a higher quality of life. I can't count how many people I have met up there who were flipping houses, buying lots, between Post Falls, Coeur d' Alene, and Rathdrum, right on up to Sandpoint. What I didn't know was that many of these people didn't have the money to pay their own house payment, let alone the other ten houses they purchased to rent, to pay for their original $2500.00 a month morgage. This is one sad example, of irresponsibilty and careless speculation that the reality and housing market bubble that was created artificially, was going to explode with disastrous results. However, you reap what you sow.
My mother lives at Twin Lakes Village. She was born on our farm outside of Moscow, and my father purchased the farm from my grandfather, my mother's dad. My great-grandfather purchased the farm in l895, after building the first railroad into Idaho Territory, from Spokane to Lewiston.
My parents bought a condo for $56,000 after they sold the farm, and us kids gutted it, and painted, carpeted, and completely remodeled that place to make it liveable; it was a rental, in poor condition. Since then my dad died of farmer's lung. His last years were beyond miserable, physically not able to breathe. However, all of us three daughters have to pay my mother's bills, and her $450.00 a month dues, as best as we can.
These dues were $200.00, until the board at Twin Lakes, continued to raise them [MOD CUT]. My mother lives below poverty level, and if it wasn't for us she wouldn't have her own home. She lost my dad's vet check for being in the Korean War, a four bronze star vet; as well as his social security check, which being a farmwife isn't very great. So now we have to pay for her morgage payments, which are also $400.00 a month, on top of this $450.00 due payment. The dues are for living at Twin Lakes Village. [MOD CUT]. By the way, these dues for having the priviledge to live in your own home or condo, doesn't cover snow removal, at all.
All the condos besides my mother's are time-shares. These time-share owners are realitors, out of state people; mosty from California, who have moved on or live in a new home in Coeur d' Alene. They rent to people they never screen. My mother has had to deal with drug dealers, alcoholics, pit-bulls, and was threatened last year many times, clear up to the last day my dad was alive. She informed the board, and even the owners of the condos, and none of them listened or cared. [MOD CUT] My dad couldn't sleep the last week he was alive, because of the man downstairs who yelled his head off in the middle of the night, and beat on the walls, he had a violent temper. The owner of his condo, had to completely gutt that condo out to rent it again, but never assisted my mother during this crisis. Police came out, but the man would never answer the door. This is one example.
Where am I going with this? This is a sad scenerio that culminated from people living beyond their financial means, poor planning and zoning laws, and a huge influx of people moving into Idaho, that wanted to make as much money as they could on realistate, which created a bubble that popped, and missed having all the chain stores, restaurants, bars, etc., they relied on from where they came from. This trend started spreading down here around Moscow, Idaho as well.
I am thankful that the market crashed. Most of us that have lived here for generations, or were born here, always knew what it was like to tighten our belts, and purse strings, and live comfortable, simple, and great lives.
This financial crisis, is nation-wide. We are never going to see this type of economic out-of-control spending again in our life times, because our country is bankrupt. Now California, has decided to bankrupt themselves, since they lowered their taxes.
The government, banking system, zoning boards, and big businesses, just ruined it for everyone else, who always valued Idaho, and other beautiful states for their natural attributes and resources, and good family values!
Just returned from visiting in-laws in Florida, and that state is in the same crisis, but with a lot more people. However, I saw many empty McMansions, and downright Mansion-Mansions, that are stuccoed, but not painted, including many gated orchards, with no houses, but they were going to build them!
Idaho has always been renowned for it's natural resources: farming, timber industry, ranching, and great hunting/fishing, and other outdoor and sportsmen activities. It's never going to be like it was, or the same again. However, we may be able to slow things down, work hard, and save our money to pass something on to the next generation, if not a farm, house, or a lot, a simpler lifestyle, and that's priceless.
I don't want to offend any out of state people that moved here to enjoy one home, and their jobs and families. I have met several very nice people in Coeur d' Alene, many from California, that have wanted to retire, or raise a family here for the lifestyle, not the money.
Last edited by Sage of Sagle; 02-08-2009 at 10:10 PM..
Reason: Potentially libelous statements removed.
Very well said!!!! I agree with you all the way. I think sometimes we are too damn accomidating to people who really don't have our best interests at heart.
I don't want to offend any out of state people that moved here to enjoy one home, and their jobs and families. I have met several very nice people in Coeur d' Alene, many from California, that have wanted to retire, or raise a family here for the lifestyle, not the money.
I think it is unfair to blame all of you problems on the Californians. You sound prejudiced and that's not going to help anything.There are Idahoans that live beyond their means too. Last time I checked many states are struggling with economic/growth problems.
I'm a native Californian-one of the few. I remember what it was like to grow up is a small San Diego suburb. I could look out in the distance and see open fields and beautiful mountains. Lots of open spaces. Then all of a sudden people from all different states started moving to my little town. (Not to mention all the tourists that would flood our cities in the summer and especially winter. That wasn't fun.) As time went on home prices increased, smog and crime, etc. Some of us Californians no longer could afford to buy a home in our homestate and had to leave our parents behind so we could raise our families (their Grandkids) with a quality life. Our stories aren't much different. Most of the Californians that leave for other states want you want, a good life for their families.
I think it is unfair to blame all of you problems on the Californians. You sound prejudiced and that's not going to help anything.There are Idahoans that live beyond their means too. Last time I checked many states are struggling with economic/growth problems.
I'm a native Californian-one of the few. I remember what it was like to grow up is a small San Diego suburb. I could look out in the distance and see open fields and beautiful mountains. Lots of open spaces. Then all of a sudden people from all different states started moving to my little town. (Not to mention all the tourists that would flood our cities in the summer and especially winter. That wasn't fun.) As time went on home prices increased, smog and crime, etc. Some of us Californians no longer could afford to buy a home in our homestate and had to leave our parents behind so we could raise our families (their Grandkids) with a quality life. Our stories aren't much different. Most of the Californians that leave for other states want you want, a good life for their families.
Perhaps that was her point - that out of control growth will eventually destroy a place.
I mean, people saw it happen to California, they see it happening to Western Oregon, Western Washington, Southern Nevada, Arizona...and god knows elsewhere in the country. For some reason they refuse to believe it can happen here in Idaho (or they just don't care).
It's a cancer, and a particularly nasty one because political and business leaders seem to think growth is the only way to run a city or state. Sure, it's good for some people when times are good and things are booming willy-nilly. But when it comes time to pay the piper, you end up with California - bankrupt, overpopulated, over regulated, and on and on.
And people that can move on, and push the poor and/or locals out of their homes, until that place is ruined (see Arizona as a prime example). Heck, it's how this nation was founded - we come in, and push the Native Americans away from their homes and their land. They move, and we take more of their land.
It's sad. But hey, everything's peachy, and Idaho is just great right now! Nevermind 15 or 20 years down the road...
I agree with you pll. And I also see that what has happened to you in California you are now doing the same thing to Idaho or any state that you choose. How did you feel to see the farms disappear? How did it feel to know that no matter how hard you worked you were never going to be able to afford your dream home because you have just been totally priced out of the market? How did it feel to see your neighbors sell out and you were left alone? How did it feel to be a native Californian surrounded by people who did not understand your way of life? How do native people feel when there life has been taken over by some other group? I don't think anything she said was offensive to anyone. As a matter of fact I am offended that you got so offended by someone who was only speaking her mind about how she feels and sees the world. How can anything she says be wrong if she belives it to be true? The fact that it is happening is true. It is a fact it can be proven. How can we place blame on the people who are affected? For the most part they were just living their life the way they always have. The people came here looking for that better lifestyle which the farmer had and in the process took away what made this place special. The people moving in did not mind the influx of people because to them that is the norm. And even if half of LA moved here it would still be better than living in LA. It's all really a matter of perspective I see both sides of the picture your both right. I just think that what will happen to this place is wrong. It has been gutted and used as a tool to make money. Getting a bunch of people living here for a few years at a time is no way to run a state. This place needs real jobs that can pay us what the houses cost around here now. I want a healthy state not a state full of rentals...
I find this thread rather fascinating. And this quote above all:
I think sometimes we are too damn accomidating to people who really don't have our best interests at heart.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, that I'm sure my ancestors were thinking the same thing as they were enjoying their new homes on the reservation.
You all act like this is something new, when in actuality it is as old as time itself. History repeats itself and it is hardly ever good for the locals. Chins up. Some of my ancestors lived through it and so will you. As far as I know, there has been no genocide of native Idahoans. Recently, anyway.
You all act like this is something new, when in actuality it is as old as time itself. History repeats itself and it is hardly ever good for the locals. Chins up. Some of my ancestors lived through it and so will you. As far as I know, there has been no genocide of native Idahoans. Recently, anyway.
Well said, Greensleeves, well said. I can assure you that many of us have not forgotten.
And North Idaho seems to grow with the "2 move here, only 1 stays more than a single winter" philosophy. It tends to weed out people who don't REALLY want to be here...
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
