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Not to offend you but I believe this type of attitude is probably my least favorite thing about the Phoenix area. Too many white (men and women) over 40 in the Phoenix area have this attitude, and while it suits them, it makes Phoenix look pretty horrible on a national level.
My biggest complaints about Phoenix are the following:
1.) Overall pro-big business, anti-consumer, anti-latino, anti-poor people, "get off my lawn" political attitude.
2.) Underinvestment in schools and overall low quality schools. They are always the 1st thing cut when the budget needs to be cut and the people in my # 1 complaint always complain that there is too much wasted money in education. You can only cut so much before it starts to hurt. To find a good school system is a challenge.
3.) Lack of yards (and those ugly stucco and / or cinder block walls that separate yards), I am not much of a fan of rocks, cactus, and plants that hurt me.
4.) Poorly constructed, ugly, "cookie cutter" homes everywhere. You almost have to have a home at least $600,000+ to get anything decent.
That being said, the demographics (and politics) are changing and in 15 years Arizona will look a lot more like Colorado looks today demographically and politically.
All good points. I have resided here 8 loooong years. My blood pressure was on over drive and everything you have mention is correct. It use to drive me bonkers why auto Tags are high, why would any one vote themselves 3 tax increases. and the list is long and creative. About 250 reasons why I dis approve of Arizona, not hate , easy breath and take a pill.
So that being said I have taken a position let go. Let the Phoenician people create their own KOAS. It simply does not matter if I left tonight for my home in Orlando.
I treat people with good Southern Manners and tell people "God Bless" They look at me like am crazy. but every once in a while a get a polite squint and fake smile. That's the best you will achieve.
I listen to my Church on TV (Atlanta GA) and listen to my favorite southern Baptist preachers to carry me through the trials(and they are many) and tribulations.
There is a funny, but tragic side to this. My question has been "why has god placed me here in the over size fish bowl"?????
The answer was not what I wanted to hear. "Because God placed you here to serve"
Just think of it from my point of view. I am so screwed over. But I probe every day to fine a way home. One can Never keep a Good man Down for long!
Move if you get a clear shot and maybe the AZ Highway Patrol will not shot out your tires. It helps to take a back road when doing this,
PS: I still wave my Florida State Flag and Go Gators!
To escape harsh winters
To retire where there aren't harsh winters and there is a reasonable cost of living.
For more affordable housing
A job transfer, or company expansion.
Being in a city with so few native born residents has it's setbacks. A majority of the population is not in sync with other residents because of that.
Areas that have traditionally had high union membership and an employment sector that consists of many highly educated people, tend to be more progressive and forward moving. The bulk of the jobs that are created here do not involve a skill set that commands high salaries. Thus we attract a lot of ordinary people with limited education who work in these call center type jobs, who come from smaller population, low wage areas who see this as a step up.
We also attract a lot of people who lack the earning abilities to live a fruitful life in places like California, and who are uncomfortable being a white person in a state where white people are no longer the predominant race.
These two types of people who move here don't meet the criteria for a progressive coalition. And a progressive and libertarian coalition could actually work.
There is so much privately owned land here and not enough cosmopolitan mindset, so that excessive new construction has left many commercial shopping areas virtually empty, as populations keep shifting to the next newest area, with no consideration to the blight they are leaving behind. You all know what I am talking about as you see this when drivng around the valley all the time.
Most people don't move here thinking about anything more than the 4 reasons at the top of my post that people move here. They don't know anything else about the area to think any other way.
To escape harsh winters
To retire where there aren't harsh winters and there is a reasonable cost of living.
For more affordable housing
A job transfer, or company expansion.
Being in a city with so few native born residents has it's setbacks. A majority of the population is not in sync with other residents because of that.
Phoenicians are loyal to the end. Its good thing we are not on HMS Titanic. Its been a long hard and discouraging time here.
My job keeps me here and I could possible get any assignment here on the West Coast. The problem I am hearing from people with skill sets is, employers are trying to retain talent here. Transfer to the East Coast have been largely dismissed.
As a positive note Phoenix has refreshed my career and I broke away from the Good Old Boys Crowd in Orlando.
Phoenix on the other hand is not family friendly and if your fam does not live here . That's just tuff.
Mrs. G has good Hair Days.
There is truly a East Coast West Coast thing going on here. Even point blank, no filter, ," when are going to sell in Florida?
West coast are some what confrontational when they know you can pack up and leave if the circumstance dictate.
It does not matter. I have learned to let it go.( take a Pill) On the other hand I do not watch local TV or Radio. this town is not worth my High Blood pressure. I will not invest or buy into long term commitments. Its just easer that way.
Matter of fact I am more in turned with Florida. I listen to WDBO Orlando AM Radio, read the Orlando Sentinel. Simulate beach runs on Ft. Lauderdale VIA Web Cam. Import T-shirts from Ron Jon's Beach Shop. Of course smuggle them in by Private plane.:dubious :
Arizona is just a stop over to bigger things! We will just let the dust blow by!LOL
Last edited by observer53; 08-19-2013 at 12:48 PM..
Reason: fixed broken quote tag
Lack of a more highly educated population another minus. Lack of a prestigious university like Stanford.
I'm really wondering if this has anything to do with the job market here. Phoenix is approximately the same size as Philadelphia, and that city has the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel, Temple, St. Joseph's, and at least ten other 4-year universities, not including for-profit and trade schools. Meanwhile, we have one gargantuan university with a reputation for being a great party school.
While Phoenix is somewhere in the middle of the US in terms of unemployment figures, it doesn't include the number of people who are underemployed here, working jobs they're overqualified for.
I hate hiking to the top of South Mt Park and seeing the brown cloud. Or the little hill in Sun Ray park off Ray Rd and sometimes being able to see Mt Lemmon and other times not (brown cloud).
I also hate the idea of a freeway going through South MT Park.
A lot of people will go through the expensive task of selling their homes and relocating to Phoenix, just to find out in a year or two that they cant stand it. Then comes the task of having to relocate again and that becomes another burden they don't want to repeat.
for me personally, the political climate of Phoenix and Arizona as a whole would prevent me from locating there. The heat is a lot worse than here in Southern California so that would be a huge negative as well. I don't think Phoenix really has any character, it just seems like a sprawling desert city.
A lot of people will go through the expensive task of selling their homes and relocating to Phoenix, just to find out in a year or two that they cant stand it. Then comes the task of having to relocate again and that becomes another burden they don't want to repeat.
for me personally, the political climate of Phoenix and Arizona as a whole would prevent me from locating there. The heat is a lot worse than here in Southern California so that would be a huge negative as well. I don't think Phoenix really has any character, it just seems like a sprawling desert city.
Unfortunately, a lot of people can't afford to live in San Diego, so have to try something more within their means.
A lot of people will go through the expensive task of selling their homes and relocating to Phoenix, just to find out in a year or two that they cant stand it. Then comes the task of having to relocate again and that becomes another burden they don't want to repeat.
for me personally, the political climate of Phoenix and Arizona as a whole would prevent me from locating there. The heat is a lot worse than here in Southern California so that would be a huge negative as well. I don't think Phoenix really has any character, it just seems like a sprawling desert city.
so if you already knew why YOU did not want to move here, and it sounds like there is no chance you are going to, what was this thread all about?
so if you already knew why YOU did not want to move here, and it sounds like there is no chance you are going to, what was this thread all about?
I actually did consider moving there and going to ASU. I made this thread to see if the things I didn't like about it a few years ago, are still a concern today. I love Arizona and have been all over the state on road trips growing up. My favorite area is Flagstaff. Phoenix is ok. I would consider moving to Arizona if the political climate changed. I'm more of a moderate person with some liberal and conservative views but Arizona just seems to be right wing and not friendly to more moderate liberal views.
Last edited by bradleyyo; 08-18-2013 at 11:34 AM..
I'm really wondering if this has anything to do with the job market here. Phoenix is approximately the same size as Philadelphia, and that city has the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel, Temple, St. Joseph's, and at least ten other 4-year universities, not including for-profit and trade schools. Meanwhile, we have one gargantuan university with a reputation for being a great party school.
While Phoenix is somewhere in the middle of the US in terms of unemployment figures, it doesn't include the number of people who are underemployed here, working jobs they're overqualified for.
I think it does. The only major companies we had here prior to around 20-25 years ago were Armour-Dial, Motorola, Air Reseach, and Goodyear aerospace. U-Haul headquarters too, and they are notoriusly low paying.
Why would a company relocate from one major city to another? In my mind it usually involves cost savings. So we don't get a lot of career based sources of employment that are many times located in the vicinity of established prestigious institutions of higher learning.
In simple english, companies come to Arizona for tax incentives, cheaper land, no unions, lax regulations, and a population hungry for jobs, which allows them to pay much lower wages. They know people who feel stagnant where they live, or are tired of the cold, will come here and take whatever pay they are offered.
Why should a company move to another state unless it is for cost savings measures, unless it is a service oriented business that comes here to serve an expanding population base. And service oriented types of jobs, unless you are in higher level management, are modest paying ones, particularly when there are no unions to force the average salaries/hourly pay upwards.
With a large presence of prestigious colleges, you tend to have a more established industrial base, hence an historic union base even though it is declining, and more sources of employment which capitalize on the larger pool of highly educated talent. Land is less abundant, which creates more rehabbing of existing properties. Any home is worth more, and people are less likely to move around, they will upgrade their existing home and stay put.
If an apartment costs you $900 for a 2 bedroom here, that same place may be $2000 in a more established city with a higher percentage of educated people. But your job will most likely pay you at least $15,000-$20,000 more a year, so you really are about even or a little ahead lifestyle wise. The hardest obstacle to overcome is buying a home, since it will require a larger down payment which is out of reach for many, so they just continue to rent. But the amount of $100,000 a year jobs which many college educated people qualify for is abundant in the DC area for example, but those level of jobs are lacking here. A person leaving a $100,000 a year job in DC may have to settle for being a manager of Radio Shack or a mid level call center management position here .
Here property is disposable. Live in it awhile and move on to the next new subdivision 10 miles farther away.
IMO unless saving money stops being the driving force for businesses to come to Phoenix, our large budget conscious residential base will continue to struggle and grow.
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