Need something else!

Yeah...Uh..try telling Mo at Bud and Alleys to give up his $100,000 a year bartending gig to get a real job.

Yeah...Uh..try telling Mo at Bud and Alleys to give up his $100,000 a year bartending gig to get a real job.

Shhhh... I don't think he wants that secret to get out.

Anyone notice that most of the job adds are for cleaning, servers, retail sales, general service industry work? Don't you think we need something else? How about a real job?

Don't mess with her mind and point out that many folks who don't have a "real job" are making more than the college grads. :roll:

I am a bit late in joining this thread...but I absolutely cannot believe that y'all are bashing florida girl like you are. The only point she has made is one that most of us who did not find our way here due to tourism have often discussed.

Look at DeFuniak Springs, then look at Crestview. True, Crestview has grown far too fast for its infrastructure. But which community is more affluent? Which community, by and large, attracts more new residents? To stereotype a step further, more new residents with advanced education?

How many residents of Crestview drive to Destin to work each day? Some, I'm sure. How many residents of DeFuniak Springs drive to SoWal or to Destin to work each day? Have you been on southbound 331 at 7:00 a.m. lately? Have you driven down some of the side streets off Chat Holley Road (for example, fg's rental neighborhood)? Have you driven around the less-genteel areas of DeFuniak Springs?

Regardless of how beautiful our beaches are (which is why most people on this board came together in the first place), most of our young people go off to college and then do not - can not - return home. By and large, there is nothing for them here. My nephew, a computer science expert, took a major pay cut to get his family out of Atlanta and back home. However, home to him is Niceville/Crestview, so that he can be near the defense companies that will compensate him for his services. There is nothing in Walton County for him, except taking an entry-level position with a wage that he cannot support his family on in the IT department of one of our local resorts.

At one time, we had agriculture. Later, there was a poultry processing plant. Not very aesthetic, and you had to get used to chicken poop, but it was there and provided a good wage for many north-end residents. Now, there is nothing, except driving down here to wait on tourists. It's good that we have tourism, because without it, we'd be totally toast, However, there should be a choice.

If anyone's employment is dependent on tourism, it's mine. I love what I do, and I like working with people. I am fortunate - heck, downright lucky - that I can put my education to use in a tourism-related 8:00 to 4:30 with an hour for lunch job, with benefits. But I knew that I would live here, and shaped my education accordingly.

I think that's all fg was saying. She and I don't always share the same viewpoint, probably because she likes to stir the pot more than I do, but in this case, she is spot on. Peace out.

Well said, ShallowsNole.

Compounding the issue for me and many others is this 'cost of living' calculation that HR departments of major organizations use in determining wages. I work locally for an international organization, but my pay is, in part, determined on a national formula for cost of living. It costs me much more to live in Walton County than it costs a counterpart to live in metro Atlanta (but less than one in, say, Chicago,) but based on the faulty assumptions made by our HR department, I am paid on a lower scale than the counterpart in Atlanta. Part of the formula is determined by what the local market wage is. They assume that my 'rural' locale means I can get by on less because so many others must also be doing so.

I'm lucky that I am living and working here, but honestly don't forsee being able to for much longer unless we do have significant growth in business opportunities, which will help drive wages up. My hope is that all the hot air from the West Bay Sector folks turns out to be true.

And I know that bartending is lucrative- I did it for years in a Colorado mountain town- fantastic way to earn a living. I just choose to now pursue career and lifestyle options that allow me to balance family and job life and utilize my education to the fullest.

I agree that Florida Girl does not deserve the bashing she got...I just read through some of this. There is a real need for some Economic Development in Walton County. I am amazed that even though we are adjacent to several military installations, Walton County has done nothing to attract business and industry that supports the military work. I am annoyed that we have an office of Economic Development--and some of our tax money goes to fund it, but nothing gets done by the man who enjoys that job.

Many people who are not here as a second home resident or because of tourism will readily understand FG's point of view and agree with it.

I found this interesting. Taken from the Chamber of Commerce, of South Walton County website.









Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast


Arvida / St. Joe Company




HealthMark Regional Medical Center

It's all relative - wherever you live, there are expenses that are not covered in the cost of living calculations and the complaint that young people are leaving town because there aren't jobs for them is also very typical. The unemployment rate in this area is lower than the national average.

If I lived in Chicago or New York, I could possibly find cheaper housing or food sources but wouldn't be able to afford to have a car if I lived in the city.........if I lived in the suburbs, my daily commute would make southbound 331 at 7 am look like a cakewalk.

If I lived in a ski resort area, I would have the same high cost of living as here and would be hard pressed to find a job in a non-service industry as well.

The idea of bringing in new industries and diversifying is always good, but you have to be realistic about what the area has as its resources and supply & demand. As this area grows, so does its available employment opportunities and infrastructure.

If you want to biatch about outsourcing, you first have to stop demanding Walmart prices. The companies you want to pay high wages and benefits and open factories here are the ones outsourcing overseas because you don't want to pay the necessary prices for goods and services that allow them to do so.

Interesting............:scratch:

Statewide Incentives

The Florida Enterprise Zone Program offers various tax incentives to businesses located within the designated enterprise zones. In addition, local governments may also offer their own incentives.
(The incentives are listed on the link)

If you click on the ezones link, you'll see that:
1)Walton County -Urban Enterprise zone
2) Freeport- Rural Enterprise zone
3) Defuniak Springs -Rural Enterprise zone

so the question is, with these tax incentives to bring businesses to Florida, why are we not seeing more businesses taking advantage of them? In addition, another incentive is businesses could also offer slightly lower wages since there is no personal State Income Tax or keep wages in line with the industry thus attracting more talented employees.

What are the incentives to draw businesses and workers here?

Answer that question and then you can figure out a way to get a suitable industry here.

What are the incentives to draw businesses and workers here?

Answer that question and then you can figure out a way to get a suitable industry here.

I see you didn't open the link to look at the tax benefits to the business? :roll:

Many different areas offer tax breaks in an effort to lure businesses - I meant more in terms of natural resources, proximity to distribution centers, skilled work force, etc.

When all the dust settles, Florida will finally see the negative toll the RE speculation frenzy has had on its economy. The frenzy essentially pushed the state's economy forward about 15-20 years in a matter of 3-4 years. Everyone was too engrossed in the RE money grab to care that an economy that relies on tourism, oranges and elderly folks on Social Security must maintain a low cost of living and affordable housing to support its workforce.

I've said it before--South Walton grew up hard and fast during the RE frenzy and mowed down all service-sector affordable housing in its wake. If it continues on its charted course as an "upscale South Beach Mini-Me," it will have to contract and house the majority of its third-world-nation labor force much like a cruise ship operation.

.

Many different areas offer tax breaks in an effort to lure businesses - I meant more in terms of natural resources, proximity to distribution centers, skilled work force, etc.

Interesting, you just answered the question to what I already knew regarding the rural business tax incentives. ;-)
However, that does not answer the question why if Walton County is designated as an Urban Enterprise Zone, then why aren't the Microsoft's and Cisco's of the world setting up shop there?

because, Mango, without going into all the gorry details...it is a designation in name only. The "powers than be" do not take advantage of the designations and the Economic development assistance that is available. When questioned about it; they say, Tourism is enough....Makes me crazy!

because, Mango, without going into all the gorry details...it is a designation in name only. The "powers than be" do not take advantage of the designations and the Economic development assistance that is available. When questioned about it; they say, Tourism is enough....Makes me crazy!

I am wondering though, let's just say for arguments sake, that the Economic Development office sales person (if they have one) went out soliciting technology, manufacturing, or agricultural types of business armed with the State tax incentives, and possibly local ones in addition too (I don't know what is available locally, if any) and demographics and housing data,( now someone would need to tell me what a modest home in Freeport or Defuniak costs) aside from living in a pretty place close to the beach, don't you think that there would be some resistance due to possibility of lost revenue when you consider the insurance costs relative to bringing a business to an area where there is a stringer possibility of catastrophic loss due to hurricanes and the like?

No, because the people in Escamba, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Bay counties...the ones closest to Walton ALL have industries that are clean, high tech, and offer well paying jobs...and they all have the same (if not more) risk from storms than Walton does.

I think hurricanes, while a costly factor of business here, are not the main reason Walton County isn't the technology or manufacturing center of the US.

No, because the people in Escamba, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, and Bay counties...the ones closest to Walton ALL have industries that are clean, high tech, and offer well paying jobs...and they all have the same (if not more) risk from storms than Walton does.

Respectivefully goodwitch, the jobs you speak of are mainly with the defense industry.

that's my point..there are many good clean (energy-wise), well paying jobs that support the defense industry, but are not government jobs....the other counties have them, but not Walton.

I worked in the Econmic Development business ( at the state level)for years...Walton is one of the few counties in the state that does not participate in the available programs

that's my point..there are many good clean (energy-wise), well paying jobs that support the defense industry, but are not government jobs....the other counties have them, but not Walton.

I worked in the Econmic Development business ( at the state level)for years...Walton is one of the few counties in the state that does not participate in the available programs

that's my point..there are many good clean (energy-wise), well paying jobs that support the defense industry, but are not government jobs....the other counties have them, but not Walton.

I worked in the Econmic Development business ( at the state level)for years...Walton is one of the few counties in the state that does not participate in the available programs

Interesting. Since you have experience with this, Is that market saturated now in the other counties? and I have never investigated home prices in NoWal, but wouldn't they be more expensive than the other counties for employees to find housing? do the other counties have 40% dedicated forest preserve? Isn't that one of the aspects that makes us unique?

one program the county did spend time on arranged a 5 million dollar state grant to build "affordable" housing called wolf creek next to windswept.
Those houses will start at 84 grand and go to 125 and be for in part teachers and the like and the rest for other folks mostly walton service workers i guess...only problem is finding banks to offer loans on these type of properties with so many strings attached...meanwhile lot prices in freeport have dropped to about 70 grand and houses to 189 in the swankiest of freeport neighborhoods...looks like our commisioners have found a way to get affordable housing here and all they had to do was work on residential issues for the last decade while ignoring other little things like infrastructure and commercial investment...but hey our school board has an almost $20,000 per student budget so those kids should be Harvard prepped if they care to leave...if not they'll have plenty of ops in retail and some affordable cribs to hang their hats...everyone deserves a medal in my book...

Respectivefully goodwitch, the jobs you speak of are mainly with the defense industry.

Not too mention the fact that all of those counties have military installations in them. I know quite a few people that live on 30A that commute to those jobs on a daily basis.

At one time, we had agriculture. Later, there was a poultry processing plant. Not very aesthetic, and you had to get used to chicken poop, but it was there and provided a good wage for many north-end residents.

:scratch:Is this considered a "real Job"? More so than waiter, waitress, bus boy, real estate agent, house cleaner, restaurant owner, tourist shop owner???
If you move industry into the area, which will provide jobs for higher professionals,won't you still have the resort areas that will need people to preform these jobs? I think the whole problem with the begining of the thread is, FG opened herself up when using the term "real job" many people took offense to this, who is to say what a "real job" is? It sounded high handed and condescending.