Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Everyone wants to live here -- except city and county administators.

They don't seem to be quite down with this Poverty with a View thing. 

I get the sense we're approaching these professionals with a "Hey, you'd be so lucky to live here" attitude, and they're taking a good hard look at the realities -- and their predecessors fates -- and saying, "I don't think so..." and bailing.

Anyway, this is just my way of saying, I intend to vote for the parks and recs measure.

This is who we are.  This is how we get people to Bend -- to spend money.

I've always maintained our economy is tourist and recreation and retirement; so the nicer we make things, the better for our business.

This is our equivalent of investing in infrastructure.  Forget Juniper Ridge, forget business parks and big business tax credits.

Invest in our parks!  Our outdoor amenities!

We ain't got much else to offer them.

Note:  Just noticed that the Source published a column yesterday saying much the same thing, albeit more professional like.

5 comments:

H. Bruce Miller said...

But ... but ... but this is PARADISE! How can anybody NOT want to live here?!?

H. Bruce Miller said...

I'm voting against the parks measure because I'm moving away. But if I was staying I would vote for it.

Anonymous said...

Sorry Duncan to disagree with you, you are usually right on, but what the Parks and Rec did to the seniors in this town does not deserve a yes vote. They are all for the younger seniors and selling their classes. I understand your viewpoint being a business owner.

Duncan McGeary said...

Yeah, I don't think is has a chance in hell of passing.

Bend Economy Man said...

Look, Bend is going to be losing population for a while unless / until the economy can provide enough jobs. You can make a place as nice as you want and you might even attract more visitors but it won't make people MOVE themselves and their families.

If Bend were 20 miles outside of Portland, it would be an extremely popular suburb. But there's no economic engine in or near Bend.

If you want to live in Bend you need to bring your own money or get a job. And there's not that many jobs. Sure there are people with money who can / will want to choose Bend over everywhere else they could move to, but that's a slim demographic.

On the other hand the demographic of people who can't / won't find a decent paying job with decent prospects in Bend is a broad one. Talk to just about anyone!