At what cost, at what benefit?

[mitchh...@gmail.com]

I have to take issue with the idea that we are somehow owed an
affordable living community. While the phrase Poverty with a view may
be catchy, I beg to differ with the premise. Financial poverty is not
and should not be the primary measuring stick for quality of living. I
have many friends who spend thousands upon thousands of dollars to
"get out of the city." Whereas they live in a hectic, hurried
environment and need to get away a lot (and far away), I live in a
city where I can take an afternoon hike and come back feeling like
I've had a weekend away. I live in a city where I can drop my kids off
at school, ski in the morning, be back for lunch with my wife, and
still get a day's worth of work done in the afternoon. Please, someone
put a price tag on that! Yes, I make less than my peers in other towns
and states, but none of them have the peaceful, rejuvenating, rich
lifestyle I enjoy EVERYDAY in Flagstaff; a lifestyle that I pay for
(gladly) in reduced pay and increased "cost of living." Impoverished?
I don't think so...poverty? Perhaps as some count poverty. I'll take
that kind of poverty with that kind of view!

[RoadWarri...@gmail.com]

I agree that there is a value other than income to being able to have
a less harried lifestyle by living in Flagstafff. But you and I
apparently make enough money to be able to "afford" that position.

Let's look at our situations: I work for a company headquartered in
another state, and my pay is based on a national standard, not AZ or
Flagstaff standards.You mention friends who spend "thousands upon
thousands to get out of the city", implying that you move in circles
whose members have disposable recreational income. Apparently, you and
I don't know poverty. But it surrounds us - just drive through
Sunnyside, for example, you'll see it.

What about people in Flagstaff who are, for whatever reason, not as
fortunate as we are? Should FUSD lose a great teacher because they
can't afford to make it on a single-income salary, or two below-state-
average salaries? What about the person who services your car, patrols
your streets, assists your physician? (Not all of the jobs can or
should be filled by NAU students working part-time.) Should a great ER
nurse be prevented from enjoying the Flagstaff lifestyle because he/
she has to choose between a car payment and achieving home ownership?
And if they choose to live somewhere that they can either earn more,
or that their dollar goes further, who is going to provide those
services for you and your family?

I was just in Sedona a few weeks ago, and read in a local publication
that out of a 30-some member police force, only 2 police officers
actually live in Sedona. I suspect that is because the cost of living
there exceeds their income. Does Flagstaff want to be so exclusive
that we must "import" commuting service workers from more affordable
communities? How much loyalty will those people have for Flagstaff,
if they cannot even have a voting voice because while they work here,
they don't live here. That's not the kind of communitiy I want to
encourage - how about you?

You and I are blessed, and grateful - we can afford to live here and
have enough expendable income to go skiing and enjoy many of the other
benefits of Flagstaff living. While financial poverty may not be the
primary measuring stick for my quality of life or yours, many people
can't enjoy many of the intangible benefits of living in Flagstaff
because they are working 2 jobs, trying to put food on the table. I
suspect it is the people for whom the inequities of income and cost of
living makes that difference KNAU is interested in.