| |
As of literally yesterday my wife and I are cleared to close on a house in Boise. Soon we will be making the move.
Pay has farther to rise in Idaho because it's long had the reputation of being "the slave wage state." As it grows, that should change. Boise is fastest-growing for a number of reasons, but one of the big ones is Californians relocating. That trend seems likely to pick up as Californians realize the effect of the state and local tax deduction rules in the new tax overhaul. A lot of them are realizing they can't afford to live in California anymore, and the Boise/Meridian/Eagle area is a popular relocation spot, much to the chagrin of a lot of the conservative locals who want to see nothing change (except their property values, conveniently). It's funny listening to the Boise originalists complain about blazing economic growth. Tons of places would love to have those kinds of problems.
Preferring warmer climes, I decided that I preferred northern Colorado to Boise, Idaho, and so didn't really push for a transfer to Boise. Had I made that move, it would have been WAY back in about 1982, just coming out of that nasty early 1980's recession.
People here in Colorado complain about Californication, too. A lot.
Boise locals would hate to hear me say it, but let them come. Let them flood the city with their west coast money. Please.
A lot of Boise planners and leaders are pushing hard for density in any new housing developments, because density improves walkability, bikability, and proximity to services, all of which reduce traffic congestion. Density means things like apartment buildings, condos, and townhouses. A lot of people are sickened by this. They seem to want normal houses with big yards on at least a half acre. That's the American Dream, right?
Density is not a bad thing. Sprawl is a bad thing. Density minimizes sprawl. Houses on half acres as far as they eyes can see is sprawl, creating neighborhoods from which driving is required to get anywhere. The need to drive to get anywhere causes congestion, which wastes time, space, energy, and reduces quality of life. The urban planning Boise leadership is pursuing is the right way to do it, I'm convinced.
I think Boise (and indirectly, Idaho) is going to continue to grow, wages are going to continue to rise, its politics are going to gradually become more liberal, and those developments are going to be just fine for the state.