Lack of quality jobs is the problem

[sham...@gmail.com]

The difficulty with living here is not the cost of food or housing.
The primary problem is access to quality, stable jobs. Even public
school teachers, which should represent a stable segment of any
properly functioning community, are frequently at risk of loss of job
or lower pay in subsequent years of teaching.

The Flagstaff Economic Development Council, for the brief time it
existed, claimed that there is not a highly qualified workforce
available in Flagstaff. But thousands of highly qualified and
intelligent people graduate from NAU every year. There are NO JOBS for
these graduates and so they leave - back to Phoenix or Chicago. The
only jobs that are available in the City, the County and elsewhere are
distributed through cronyism - not ability and not qualifications.
This is why Flagstaff is called poverty with a view, not because
Phoenicians inflate our housing
costs. Like the Ellsworth's, we love Flagstaff - we graduated from
NAU, we love the Peaks, the trails, the clean air, Pay n Take and Flag
Brew but there is that perpetual concern in the back of our minds -
how long can we really stay here?

[wyattin...@yahoo.com]

Economic development, whoever handles it, is not just about having
Councils and Commissions. Economic development is all about BUSINESS.
This is a highly technical and social environment.

Bottom line- Whoever handles the interaction with potential new
employers and businesses needs to be able to meet them on their level.
The Tesla Motors Cos decision to pass on Flagstaff for Albuquerque was
more than simply a geographical decision. It was a social and
financial decision based on lack of incentives and lack of appropriate
engagement between the City/County/NAU and the would-be employer.

The City's lack-luster relationship with NAU does not help either. In
successful small Cities (Bend, Boulder, Chico), University-City
cooperation and economies are THE key to economic/ job growth. There
is SO much energy, so much talent, all right next door, but no Mo-Jo.
All because of lack on engagement and cooperation.

Flagstaff has EVERYTHING that it needs to grow new, meaningful jobs.
The only thing missing is organization, leadership and powerful will.
Maybe the City will step up, maybe private business, maybe NAU.
I am optimistic, in any case.

[Cactus Mitch]

In a recent speech, NAU's president, asked for about $3*10^6 for new
buildings.

The quest for parking lot prosperity is the WAY WAY wrong way to go.
Check the price of gas. NAU and KNAU should be planning a new media
based future.

I'm not so sure about the efficiency of battery based personal
transportation. Hauling (Lead) batteries arround seems very in
efficient. So long Tesla, fair well.

Just north of Flag is a cold war ear bunker with a concrete roof three
feet thick, Atomic bomb proof. I think that Internet traffic could or
does pass through that structure. Why not Flag becomming a
communication center? Public transportaion could be more meaningful
and efficient that the vanity of personal transportation...

Just some ideas...

Have you heard any more spots for pov. wi't a view? An explanation of
how or why it ended?

Cactus mitch:|

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