Young family, considering a move from Idaho to Anchorage (Nome: car insurance, mortgage)

[TheDisillusionist]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

Yeah, that's what I said, Pitts. The guy made the assertion that Alaska's got a lot of "slave labor," and that's not the case.

I was referring to Anchorage's homeless population when I made that comment. Faced with the choice between living on the street in Alaska and working for Chinese wages, I know which option I would take, at least.

Anyway, very interesting commentary on Alaska's economic issues right now - it all sounds like a good cautionary tale about relying too much on one industry, which gives that industry too much political/economic power, and thus enables the industry to act as a de facto government over the people - a government with much less interest in its citizens than the democracy that we pretend to have anymore.

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by TheDisillusionist

I was referring to Anchorage's homeless population when I made that comment. Faced with the choice between living on the street in Alaska and working for Chinese wages, I know which option I would take, at least.

LOL.

Anchorage's homeless have been there through the boom times and will be there through the next one, if it happens. There's way more to it than a lack of jobs. There are jobs that pay more than Chinese wages that go to out-of-state applicants because Alaska can't fill them. Many of Anchorage's homeless have substance abuse and other issues that make holding down a job impossible. Sorry, but the place is hardly ripe for some exploitative industry to blow into town and exploit the homeless and thinking they'll line up to work for crap wages; I imagine that panhandling and stealing pays more.

And there wouldn't be an either/or choice to work for Chinese wages or live on the streets. Chinese wages wouldn't pay for a cardboard box in Anchorage.

Anyway, Alaska's not for you.

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by pittsflyer

Unfortunatly for me CA is the one state my wife refuses to move to. The Berkeley area is dark green on the BLS map for my profession

Housing costs are so outrageous there that it might not be worth it anyway.

[TheDisillusionist]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

LOL.

Anchorage's homeless have been there through the boom times and will be there through the next one, if it happens. There's way more to it than a lack of jobs. There are jobs that pay more than Chinese wages that go to out-of-state applicants because Alaska can't fill them. Many of Anchorage's homeless have substance abuse and other issues that make holding down a job impossible. Sorry, but the place is hardly ripe for some exploitative industry to blow into town and exploit the homeless and thinking they'll line up to work for crap wages; I imagine that panhandling and stealing pays more.

And there wouldn't be an either/or choice to work for Chinese wages or live on the streets. Chinese wages wouldn't pay for a cardboard box in Anchorage.

Anyway, Alaska's not for you.

That's a rather antiquated outlook on homelessness. It seems rather clear from the other comments that Anchorage's homelessness issue has increased since the economic downturn. Blaming the issue on people who just "want" to be homeless and steal and do drugs isn't productive. Not to mention that the number of people who are at risk of homelessness - one or two paychecks from living on the street - has undoubtedly increased since the economic downturn.

Either way, it probably isn't going to be high-skill, high-wage jobs moving to Anchorage anytime soon, given the issues I've already mentioned.

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by TheDisillusionist

That's a rather antiquated outlook on homelessness. It seems rather clear from the other comments that Anchorage's homelessness issue has increased since the economic downturn. Blaming the issue on people who just "want" to be homeless and steal and do drugs isn't productive. Not to mention that the number of people who are at risk of homelessness - one or two paychecks from living on the street - has undoubtedly increased since the economic downturn.

Either way, it probably isn't going to be high-skill, high-wage jobs moving to Anchorage anytime soon, given the issues I've already mentioned.

I don't think you understand. I'm not "blaming" the issue on anyone -- anyone who's ever actually been to Anchorage can tell you that substance abuse among street people is unfortunately fairly common. That aside, it's doubtful that any of them would line up for Chinese wage jobs.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/...omeless-deaths

https://www.adn.com/opinions/2017/09...-homelessness/

More importantly, there are jobs being filled by out-of-staters as I speak because they can't be filled with residents. (Not jobs on Pitt's level, as I've stated before).

Panhandling and stealing are more lucrative than Chinese wage jobs, sorry. Quite a twist to translate that into anyone "wanting" to be homeless. People do what they have to do to survive. And I've stated before, Chinese wages won't pay for housing in Anchorage or anywhere else in the U.S., so I'm not sure what the point is of making a comparison between being homeless and working for Chinese wages. And surely you understand that federal law prohibits U.S. businesses from paying $2 an hour.

Not to mention that the number of people who are at risk of homelessness - one or two paychecks from living on the street - has undoubtedly increased since the economic downturn.

My comments weren't about those in this position. Again, my point was that Anchorage's homeless population isn't a draw for incoming employers. Labor market analysis is far more complex than just seeing a bunch of homeless people and thinking they're a credible source of cheap labor. Available and affordable workforce housing is a big factor; Anchorage doesn't have it.

Either way, it probably isn't going to be high-skill, high-wage jobs moving to Anchorage anytime soon, given the issues I've already mentioned.

No one made that claim.

It seems rather clear from the other comments that Anchorage's homelessness issue has increased since the economic downturn.

What "other comments?"

About the increase in the homeless population:


New data reveals an increase in Anchorage's homeless population

New counting method accurately tracks Anchorage homeless population - KTVA 11 - The Voice of Alaska

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by jdhpa

What specific infrastructure do you believe the state should have built?

I'd like to know too, but I suspect the poster is simply another outsider who looked at a map and was shocked when he didn't see roads to the interior villages. Kind of like another guy a couple of years ago who came here insisting that the communities on the panhandle should be connected by bridges instead of served by the ferry system.

[pittsflyer]

Originally Posted by TheDisillusionist

That's a rather antiquated outlook on homelessness. It seems rather clear from the other comments that Anchorage's homelessness issue has increased since the economic downturn. Blaming the issue on people who just "want" to be homeless and steal and do drugs isn't productive. Not to mention that the number of people who are at risk of homelessness - one or two paychecks from living on the street - has undoubtedly increased since the economic downturn.

Either way, it probably isn't going to be high-skill, high-wage jobs moving to Anchorage anytime soon, given the issues I've already mentioned.

At one point parts of south central Alaska had the most educated, skilled work force in the nation. We might still be up there but the behavior of the oil compnaies is definitly going to have an effect. Because of the wealth that is floating around from 30 years of relative propserity since the 80's the exodus phase of Alaska is much slower but if the oil companies keep playing what ever game it is they are playing people will start trickling out. Espeically people that are not from up here, I have friends that have already sold their homes as BP is doing another round this fall. Someone like me can, if I choose to, stay here indefinitly because I have so much family here but the skilled and educated work force up here is going to get pretty slim. However, I did not suffer through an engineering program to work at some pedestrian grey collar job and I would not really be fulfilled there long term so that does present an issue.

But you have hit the nail on the head, big oil is our government, what ever they say goes, when they tell the legistator to jump they say how high. They are constantly threatening lay offs, to pull out, etc to get their way. The issuance of threats has been getting more and more frequent, at some point they are just going to want to produce for free and anchorage can look like some kind of bengledeshi shanty town for all they care.

They dont even own their anchorage office buildings anymore.

[pittsflyer]

Originally Posted by TheDisillusionist

That's a rather antiquated outlook on homelessness. It seems rather clear from the other comments that Anchorage's homelessness issue has increased since the economic downturn. Blaming the issue on people who just "want" to be homeless and steal and do drugs isn't productive. Not to mention that the number of people who are at risk of homelessness - one or two paychecks from living on the street - has undoubtedly increased since the economic downturn.

Either way, it probably isn't going to be high-skill, high-wage jobs moving to Anchorage anytime soon, given the issues I've already mentioned.

Eh, I think its pretty clear from the crime stats that the unemployment numbers are driving up crime. Yes we will always have "homeless bob's" of the streets but I think we are seeing alot more new homeless, people that dont want to be homeless and are upset that they are in the situation they are in. And they are right, they are in this situation due to the treachery of Alaska employers.

Its important to distinguish the legacy homeless who choose to be there even in boom times from people who were thrust onto the streets due to treacherous behavior of employers.

[pittsflyer]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

I'd like to know too, but I suspect the poster is simply another outsider who looked at a map and was shocked when he didn't see roads to the interior villages. Kind of like another guy a couple of years ago who came here insisting that the communities on the panhandle should be connected by bridges instead of served by the ferry system.

He is right though, there should be a road to Nome and a road to Cordova down the copper. The road to Cordova is really already there, they just need to cut the brush back and add gravel, the rail bed is already there. They would have to build a few bridges.

The reason we dont have these things is due to sheer political corruption. If we had a road to Nome the Russians would VERY likely build up a road to their side as we could have a summer time ferry to go back and forth. You could then drive from NY to London in your car. But nope.

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by pittsflyer

Eh, I think its pretty clear from the crime stats that the unemployment numbers are driving up crime. Yes we will always have "homeless bob's" of the streets but I think we are seeing alot more new homeless, people that dont want to be homeless and are upset that they are in the situation they are in.

What makes you say this? Do you know people who are in that position? Do you have some stats to back it up? Oil and gas seems to be where most of the job losses are. Are people formerly in that industry now on the streets?

Alaska lost about 9,000 people in 2017; I think more people are choosing relocation over life on the streets. Some people get stuck because they can't afford to leave, but again, that's not going to tempt industries to move here, which was my point.