Need something else!

[florida girl]

You know, sometimes folks have to get their blood riled up to actually stir them out of complacency! Walton County was never totally tourism; we always had that as a secondary industry. St. Joe changed that drastically when they quit tree farming, and got into real estate! So now we are just supposed to accept the total tourist trade? I still say, that the life blood of this county is not being represented, even ignored. Unions would be the next step, although I?m not sure that would be a good thing. Business needs to regulate itself voluntarily; the county needs to represent all of its citizens, not just the elite few. Get to a place that we consider our neighbor, our brother, treat people of all social status with respect and consideration. Frankly, it's irrelevant what your opinion is of me, if I'm able to get the topic out and have it discussed, so be it.

 

[John R]

So, after your opinions of johnny come lately, non-natives have been trampled, you're offering the other cheek to your neighbor/brother? This seems to fly in the face of most of your previous posts related to new residents vs old. The new to town, low wage earning, non degreed worker is indeed the demographic that rents your units, no?

This is not backpedaling for the term 'real job'?

I have a culinary and hospitality degree though I work in construction. I'm my own boss, make a good living, own property south of the bay, am a patron of the arts, go out to eat and am served by many of my friends. Is my demographic one that fits into your utopia?

I have lived in resort towns all my life. And in every one of the the old guard could be heard saying, 'back in 19xx...' There will always be new people as long as there is a destination. Change and growth are inevitable, and people will still come here to be 'served'.

What industry would satisfy you? Food processing? Manufacturing? High tech? All of these still require a only a handful of managers and many laborers. It's the same scenario that you're lamenting, just north of the beach.

I love your threads btw. Subjects that need to be discussed and will surely generate much debate. It's the tact of your delivery that has me scratching my head though.

 

[florida girl]

I just wonder about all the houses, condos, etc that are being, and have been built, who exactly is going to live in them? Are they all independently wealthy, or are they expecting to find a job here to pay the mortgage? Or, are they going to allow sub leasing and cram a dozen or so into one unit? They talk about affordable housing, affordable for who exactly? Just what can you afford on the salaries that are available? I think they need to do more research on wages in this county, and adjust accordingly. How about giving incentives for having to travel all those miles on 331? Mileage plus vehicle expense?

 

[elgordoboy]

I just wonder about all the houses, condos, etc that are being, and have been built, who exactly is going to live in them? Are they all independently wealthy, or are they expecting to find a job here to pay the mortgage? Or, are they going to allow sub leasing and cram a dozen or so into one unit? They talk about affordable housing, affordable for who exactly? Just what can you afford on the salaries that are available? I think they need to do more research on wages in this county, and adjust accordingly. How about giving incentives for having to travel all those miles on 331? Mileage plus vehicle expense?

Identify THEY. You are wearing that particular pronoun out. Your post is extremely contradictory. If wealthy people live in the houses then there is no issue, if the inhabitants aren't wealthy and can't find jobs as you seem to intimate, then what's to afford? And please tell me who are "they" that "need to do more research on wages in this county and adjust accordingly" I can't respond until I know. Incentives? From the local businesses overflowing with cash? That's what they need to do- raise prices-that'll get more people through the door, most are struggling enough as it is. I don't think you realize how tough it can be to do business here, you may say you do but by your posts you do not.

 

[wrobert]

Just what can you afford on the salaries that are available? I think they need to do more research on wages in this county, and adjust accordingly. How about giving incentives for having to travel all those miles on 331? Mileage plus vehicle expense?

Wages above state mandated minimum wages are market driven. That is why, in south Walton, the minimum wage is of little use, so if you want wages to go up, people are going to have to quit going to work for those rates.

Just like if you want houses to go down, you are going to have to increase densities and lessen regulations so something can get built. It will all work out in the end.

 

[florida girl]

Identify THEY. You are wearing that particular pronoun out. Your post is extremely contradictory. If wealthy people live in the houses then there is no issue, if the inhabitants aren't wealthy and can't find jobs as you seem to intimate, then what's to afford? And please tell me who are "they" that "need to do more research on wages in this county and adjust accordingly" I can't respond until I know. Incentives? From the local businesses overflowing with cash? That's what they need to do- raise prices-that'll get more people through the door, most are struggling enough as it is. I don't think you realize how tough it can be to do business here, you may say you do but by your posts you do not.

I suppose that's one reason why there are so many empty houses in SoWal? "They" built for people who either didn't come, or couldn't get financing, or what? There are 2 empty developments close to me, "they" would be the ones who bought the land intending to sell lots, or "they" would be the builders building spec houses. "They" need to do more research, would be the county, or real estate people determining what "affordable" housing means. "Local businesses", that would be sole-proprietorships that are struggling because of the recession? Throw out the facts and sort it accurately. Yes, local sole-proprietorships are struggling, many changes have been made that haven't exactly been ethical by our esteemed banking establishments, that will cripple, if not kill those businesses. Unfortunately, sole-proprietorships have no other cushion but what they themselves have provided. Sometimes, that's not enough to survive. If one is not savvy to having their own business in SoWal, they are hard pressed to pay the mortgage that they could have afforded in a larger metropolis where ever they were living before, much less have the benefits of a large company ie insurance, 401k, etc.

 

[florida girl]

Wages above state mandated minimum wages are market driven. That is why, in south Walton, the minimum wage is of little use, so if you want wages to go up, people are going to have to quit going to work for those rates.

Just like if you want houses to go down, you are going to have to increase densities and lessen regulations so something can get built. It will all work out in the end.

Those who have quit working for those wages, have been replaced by foreign workers whose employers get perks for hiring them. That issue could be resolved by unions, however, I'm not sure that's a good thing. Hopefully it will work out in the end, what gives you this confidence in the market?

 

[Matt J]

Those who have quit working for those wages, have been replaced by foreign workers whose employers get perks for hiring them. That issue could be resolved by unions, however, I'm not sure that's a good thing. Hopefully it will work out in the end, what gives you this confidence in the market?

Hmm the only places in south Walton that seem to have a lot of "foreign workers" are Sandestin and Seaside (both managed by Intrawest). That company provides fairly good wages, benefits, etc. In fact they actively make companies that operate on there property provide the same benefits. The foreign workers are generally hire for temporary positions needed during the summer and peak times i.e. house keepers, runners, and other job types that expand and shrink depending on season. I don't understand how these folks take jobs from locals or drive down the local wages? Perhaps you could expand on that statement?

 

[Matt J]

Oh, they also tend to pay a lower wage because they are providing housing on top of a wage.

 

[florida girl]

Oh, they also tend to pay a lower wage because they are providing housing on top of a wage.

Gee, have you been to the Tom Thumb or Waffle House, or even Winn Dixie lately? How about Gap? They are doing it because it's cost effective. It's cheaper to hire foreign workers.