[EA]

Originally Posted by ScoopLV

This whole "you need to get a degree that comes with a paycheck after you graduate" is a VERY new idea. And it's one I don't at all like. Because it dissuades people from majoring in what interests them.

It's the way the economy is now, unfortunately.

I plan to take classes to further my career. I plan to get more certifications than are needed to keep myself employed.
I'd also like to take some classes on things that interest me, but that's hard to do without adequate income.
Speaking of adequate income, we have a lot of people working 2 jobs just to make ends meet. Even if they wanted to go to college, they can't. If you do happen to get a job that pays well, without the degree, the cost benefit of getting a degree in something that interests you is out of line.

This is why I support raising taxes to offer free college. Let the people learn what they want without putting themselves in debt.

[compwizard4504]

Originally Posted by EA

It's the way the economy is now, unfortunately.

I plan to take classes to further my career. I plan to get more certifications than are needed to keep myself employed.
I'd also like to take some classes on things that interest me, but that's hard to do without adequate income.
Speaking of adequate income, we have a lot of people working 2 jobs just to make ends meet. Even if they wanted to go to college, they can't. If you do happen to get a job that pays well, without the degree, the cost benefit of getting a degree in something that interests you is out of line.

This is why I support raising taxes to offer free college. Let the people learn what they want without putting themselves in debt.

Wrong. The problem are the parents of these children who end up working two jobs to make ends meet as adults.

Free education currently exists under the pell grant program and scholarships.

Why are people working two jobs? The only excusable reason would be that a parent fell ill or passed away and they needed to work as minors instead of focusing on education.

Any other excuse is bad parenting. Children graduating high school post 1990 have no excuse for lacking a degree. Say you're lazy fine, but don't imply the opportunity for higher education didn't or doesn't exist.

Yes it might be too late for you but don't make excuses for our youth. They have every opportunity, so long as their parents are driving them to succeed.

As a related side rant this all ties into the class system in this country. The crap always rolls down hill. Non motivated parents generally breed non motivated children. These people will always be lower class. It has nothing to do with elitism, but more to do with what someone wants out of life for themselves and their family. You can tell these people that education and wise financial planning are key. They will look at you cross eyed and continue working 60 hours a week at the same job the rest of their lives all while racking up insane credit card debt.

The class system is alive and well in this country. Want your kids to succeed? Monitor their friends, make sure they are doing at least 3 hours of schoolwork on a nightly basis.

[EA]

You must live in lala land.

Over half the country makes less than 30k a year. A single parent making 13 an hour can't afford basic bills, especially since they have to buy health insurance now. They'll need a second job.
There are many reasons people can't get a degree. Learning disabilities, anxiety, low IQ, or even not knowing how to go about it. The Pell grant process is a huge pain to deal with and it's easy to mess up. That was the only reason I was able to go after a degree. The amount of stress I went through working full time and going to school full time was insane. It wasn't worth it. Had I taken a job in that field I'd be making 10k less a year with half the benefits.
No, the degree didn't help me get any jobs. My employer doesn't even know about it.

[Clarkcty]

Originally Posted by EA

You must live in lala land.

Over half the country makes less than 30k a year. A single parent making 13 an hour can't afford basic bills, especially since they have to buy health insurance now. They'll need a second job.
There are many reasons people can't get a degree. Learning disabilities, anxiety, low IQ, or even not knowing how to go about it. The Pell grant process is a huge pain to deal with and it's easy to mess up. That was the only reason I was able to go after a degree. The amount of stress I went through working full time and going to school full time was insane. It wasn't worth it. Had I taken a job in that field I'd be making 10k less a year with half the benefits.
No, the degree didn't help me get any jobs. My employer doesn't even know about it.

A single person WITHOUT kids can barely make it on that alone and forget home ownership.

[AdamSelene]

It's easy to spot the older posters by how they pontificate on an economy that hasn't existed in twenty years.

[ADI20151]

Here's my opinion on the education system, at least in LV: Yes, our public schools don't rank very well, even though a number of them meet and exceed general US guidelines, making them competitive with schools in other cities. Private schools are in a whole different ballpark, as is the case everywhere. Jobs in certain fields usually have pretty similar requirements countrywide, including here, in fields that include engineering, accounting, education, etc. The trade fields usually have similar requirements as well: plumbing, HVAC, electrical, etc. And the service industry - usually similar requirements everywhere. The difference between here and other places is that a larger percentage of the workforce is in the service industry because of the large presence of hotels / restaurants, etc. and require people to fill those the positions - which, generally speaking, don't require higher education. And pay is relatively decent. So, it becomes attractive for people to just go into those positions and forego schooling. I've seen it amongst high school peers here and their goals when I went to HS. However, I will say that many also had the goal of going to trade school or college. And even in the workforce today, here in LV, many jobs require some type of formal education. The service industry will still be popular and a seemingly easy solution for some. Its the nature of being in a city with more service industry positions.

[tijlover]

Originally Posted by ADI20151

And yes, all of the new housing going in is not solving any problems. What's here already needs to be re-done, redeveloped and upgraded. Value needs to be instilled rather than a "I don't like it anymore so I'm moving on."

We should do what Phoenix has done in their north central neighborhoods, create historic districts. I lived in the Fairview district, if your house is 50 years old, your taxes are cut in half, to help keep the central neighborhoods from decaying. And drive around north central Phoenix, up to Camelback, and check out the prices of some of those homes, and how beautifully restored those neighborhoods are, like the Coronado district.

Given Las Vegas is younger, they could lower the age requirement of the home. Let's start with the Paradise Palms and Huntridge districts, and neighboring areas!

[tijlover]

Originally Posted by yellowsnow

I wish we would expand the monorail to the airport and downtown(Fremont Street). It still blows me away that Nevada put in this cool monorail that goes no where but up and down the strip. Since it's already there, why not make it useful?

The monorail is not going to go to the Airport, now or ever. Latest transportation plan (yes, we're really getting serious about it now!) emanating from RTC is having the monorail going from the MGM to Mandalay Bay, with a stop at Sands, to connect the 3 convention centers.

There's 2 more major meetings left before it's decided just which transportation plan that will be chosen:

1. Above ground rapid transit line from the Airport, down the Strip to Fremont! IMO, it doesn't have a chance of passing!

2. Light rail surface line from the Airport to Fremont, with underground tunnels at the major intersections. This decision will rest with the casino's and it may just not sail with them!

3. Underground subway, the most expensive of all, which I believe the casino's will be endorsing and it would bring this city up to international standards!

No matter, the Feds and the state will be chipping in close to $5 billion of the costs, whichever transit system is chosen.

Also included in this massive transportation plan is widening the sidewalks on the Strip and the addition of 7 more bridges across the Strip.

It takes a stickpin to get this city moving into the 21st century, and we can give thanks to the car-hating millenials for this "sudden" focus on a transportation plan for the Strip. And Orlando, one of our convention competitors, is building a maglev train from the Airport to the convention center, which has been the complaint of too many millennial conventioneers, it takes too long to get to the convention centers!

It's going to take 5-10 years for this to happen (lots of financial security to EA), but one benefit will be more housing in the downtown area, making it so easy, then, to hop a train and go to the airport!

[ADI20151]

I agree - the subway solution would bring us into the 21st century! And alleviate traffic. As long as things progress and don't stall out, we should be in good shape with the increase in population, visitors and traffic.


I think that Las Vegas can really make an impressive step forward with redeveloping some of the worn out areas - such as the old storage facilities off of the 15 next to the strip expanding all the way up to the southern part of downtown, creating a more downtown feel with a variety of different industries, tech facilities, and mid rise buildings - for business and residential - and being in good shape with less crime. There would be more excitement in people wanting to relocate to those areas and being close to either the strip or their work. It would become more of an urban hot spot, rather than a decaying heap of 60's built buildings that are an eye sore from the freeway . Add to that a subway running close by to commute you around and now you are creating something! The funny thing is that with some of these re-developments, including the added amenities that I think the city lacks now (as in my original post), if the city / county really put in a concerted effort to attract businesses, especially the big ones who already do business here, to help with this, all of it could be done within the next 10 years! I think about the re-development that Denver did with the current Denver Tech center. Nice mid rise buildings with mixed residential/business/tech, shops, cafe's, a large park for the enjoyment of the people who live there and walking distance to downtown. I think we need that type of re-development by the strip in those areas - attract big business and small. Give it a real downtown urban feel. I think we are just about there to really make Las Vegas an attractive city - for residents.

[BBMW]

This likely comes from the fact that a degree now costs six figures, sometime multiple. For that kind of investment, you need a pretty concrete return.

Originally Posted by ScoopLV

<Snip>

This whole "you need to get a degree that comes with a paycheck after you graduate" is a VERY new idea. And it's one I don't at all like. Because it dissuades people from majoring in what interests them. Even a basic English degree teaches skills that are useful in all manner of careers -- organizing thoughts and writing well. Nobody in HR has ever told me, "We're looking for someone who is scatterbrained and cannot write."