San Antonio on Phoenix heels (City Proper Population Growth)

[rynetwo]

Originally Posted by Jkeenan87

I told you that I live in Helotes which is San Antonio for all intensive purposes. Also your condescending tone when I simply refute your opinions is unnecessary and adds no value to your argument. I don't understand why you would doubt me however I wont post any personal information about myself online.


I answered how the cold war helped San Antonio, The military had a very large budget and it allowed business in the area to thrive through both military purchasing products and services from San Antonio companies. You also have airmen and soldiers purchasing everything from to houses, cars, and appliances. All of this greatly helped San Antonio's predominant service industry. We catered to the military as they were and still are the dominant industry in San Antonio.

After the cold war ended DOD spending was drastically cut and that when we saw things such as Kelly AFB closing and less money was available to stimulate our economy since our government was focused on cutting military spending. The war on terror had reinvigorated military spending and things have gone back more to how they used to be pre-91 however, withe the government cutting military spending once more it will affect our city once again since they are still the largetst employer and dwarf the next largest company significantly which happens to be USAA with 14,832 (which coincidentally hapeens to be a banking/insurance company for military!). San Antonio is still a military city, so when the military does well the city does well.

If you don't see the benefit of an industry that employs 80,165 employees (Largest employer in the city by far) and utilizes the products and services from local businesses therefore creating more jobs then I don't know how to help you.


Major Employers

Your 1st article (San Antonio Boosted By Energy, Manufacturing Growth | Economic Insights) article is not very substantial when quoting about the Boeing jobs since it even mentions that these jobs are uncertain due to budget cuts. I also do not trust this! estimate of oil shale jobs as it is an industry that San Antonio has just started and estimates of this kind do not have enough substantiated evidence at this point to make a real claim. There will definitely be growth from this industry I do not dispute that I am not sure about 10,000 new jobs.

The reason I bring Dallas and Houston into this is because these are San Antonio's competition whether they want to believe it or not. They actively recruit new companies and talent better than San Antonio and have more job opportunities. While it is true they have substantially larger workforces respectively they have better opportunities for a young college educated person to obtain employment than San Antonio which is why I compare them. Many of my friends have left San Antonio because the jobs aren't there. Here is an article explaining it pretty well.
Left Behind: Why People Leave San Antonio | The Rivard Report

I do not hate San Antonio like you have implied, I simply am realistic about the situation. Companies like Rackspace are awesome and show the entrepreneurial spirit that drives this country and I wish they were more the norm. I am excited for the energy boom happening in San Antonio and it does hold great promise however we need to still develop other industries.

Moderator cut: see note I quoted you and even bold the section so you wouldn't miss it yet you haven't backed up that inaccurate claim. Nowhere in your above post states we only attract minimum wage jobs.

[Jkeenan87]

Originally Posted by rynetwo

Moderator cut: see note I quoted you and even bold the section so you wouldn't miss it yet you haven't backed up that inaccurate claim. Nowhere in your above post states we only attract minimum wage jobs.

Moderator cut: orphaned We do not only attract minimum wage work in this city, but it is clear that many of the jobs here are of low pay. Texas in general does this as we are a right to work state where unions have no say here. I have listed an article explaining how San Antonio wages are the lowest in major cities in Texas. Does that not translate to people make less in San Antonio than other cities?

My opinion that Toyota brought a giant manufacturing plant to an area where cheap labor is more than readily available is the type of work that San Antonio needs. They offer living wages and benefits and is treats their employees well.

Then their are the opinions of many members of this board that state exactly what I have said, are those completely invalid as well? I replied to your post and yet you chose a completely different reply to another poster to form your argument. Moderator cut: orphaned. Moderator cut: see note

[Jkeenan87]

Teenwolf80, I would like to thank you for your data representing the actual overall high school graduation rate. I was wrong when I made that generalized statement and can admit that I was incorrect in that sense.

[rynetwo]

Originally Posted by Jkeenan87

Moderator cut: orphaned We do not only attract minimum wage work in this city, but it is clear that many of the jobs here are of low pay. Texas in general does this as we are a right to work state where unions have no say here. I have listed an article explaining how San Antonio wages are the lowest in major cities in Texas. Does that not translate to people make less in San Antonio than other cities?

My opinion that Toyota brought a giant manufacturing plant to an area where cheap labor is more than readily available is the type of work that San Antonio needs. They offer living wages and benefits and is treats their employees well.

Then their are the opinions of many members of this board that state exactly what I have said, are those completely invalid as well? I replied to your post and yet you chose a complety different reply to another poster to form your argument. Moderator cut: orphaned. Moderator cut: see note

Read the report in this thread because it shows how well the San Antonio 'real wage' compares to other metro's. It also show how well other Texas metro perform as well. Moderator cut: argumentative

//www.city-data.com/forum/23998206-post16.html

[jeffutsa2001]

I recall seeing on the news that Mayor Castro hopes SA receives jobs from potential Oil & Gas companies locating offices here in SA because of the Shale projects. This would be a direct effect on the economy.

[Jkeenan87]

Originally Posted by rynetwo

Read the report in this thread because it shows how well the San Antonio 'real wage' compares to other metro's. It also show how well other Texas metro perform as well. But hey you can go try to find work in on of those beloved union states.

//www.city-data.com/forum/23998206-post16.html

I am glad to see that in San Antonio your dollar goes farther than most cities. This does not surprise me one bit.
I dont know why anyone would be so against a Union. Unions fight for Americans and we can thank them for Labor day, the 40 hour work week, and the end of child labor laws. Labor Unions are the reason why we as a society moved away from the standards of working during the industrial revolution. I am not saying unions are perfect, but I prefer them over the right to work folks.

The average construction worker in San Antonio makes 16.45 an hr which lower than the national average of 21.46. According to this site every job pays less than the United States Average.

Occupational Employment and Wages in San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX

[Jkeenan87]

Originally Posted by jeffutsa2001

I recall seeing on the news that Mayor Castro hopes SA receives jobs from potential Oil & Gas companies locating offices here in SA because of the Shale projects. This would be a direct effect on the economy.

Definitely has the chance to give a significant boost to the city!