Posted on 03/17/2005 3:59:11 PM PST by BurbankKarl
The talk in Los Angeles is the talk of getting out In fact, a third of the residents surveyed said they want to move away, up more than 20 percent from 2003. The mood here in the South Bay, however, is slightly rosier.
Fed up with traffic, crime and skyrocketing housing prices, a growing number of Los Angeles County residents say they plan to move away within five years, according to a survey released Wednesday.
Although the mood in the South Bay area was slightly rosier, the report by the Public Policy Institute of California calls the county's 10 million residents "stunningly unhappy with some key indicators of quality of life and paints a picture of growing concern for any chance of long-term recovery."
"I spend all my money on rent," said San Pedro resident Janelle Anderson. "And now with gas prices going up, I'd love to find a cheaper place to live. But it's not that easy to leave your job and family."
The number of residents who plan to leave the county almost doubled in two years. A similar survey in 2003 found that 17 percent of residents did not see themselves staying in the county. The number is now 33 percent.
In fact, more people in the city of Los Angeles say they plan to leave than the 26 percent who voted in the recent mayoral election, said Mark Baldassare, the survey's director.
"It seems they plan to vote with their feet," he said.
For Torrance resident Gary Webb, it's the unrelenting traffic that makes him ponder leaving.
"It seems like I'm always in my car," he said. "And it keeps getting worse. I can't go anywhere without getting stuck in traffic."
The third annual survey found traffic, lack of affordable housing and low-performing public schools as reasons for the bleak outlook -- 74 percent of the 2,000 participants said congestion on freeways and main roads was a major problem. Another 64 percent said a lack of affordable housing was a big problem in the county. Both those figures have significantly increased from two years ago, when 67 percent cited traffic woes and 54 percent mentioned housing.
"So many dimensions of people are more negative today," Baldassare said. "The way they rate housing problems, the way they view race relations, and increasing negativity were certainly important things we noted."
In all, 58 percent believe race relations were not so good, compared to 53 percent in 2003. Different races also had varied outlooks. Only 21 percent of blacks -- compared to 50 percent of all residents -- say police in their community treat all racial and ethnic groups fairly most of the time.
But there were some silver linings in the survey. For instance, most residents expect race relations to improve.
"There are areas that have optimism," Baldassare said. "Most people believe race and ethnic relations will improve. And we're seeing improvements in the economy and the general belief that the quality of life is still good."
Dowell Myers, a professor of urban planning and demographics at USC, suggested that the survey include a question about whether people planned to move. He said he was a little surprised at the results, but he also cautioned about reading too much into them.
"It's a little higher than I would expect," he said. "It's not clear people are going to act different. People complain about traffic, but don't leave."
But if people do follow up on their plans to move, it could spell trouble in the future.
"The danger is people will still keep coming, but the ones you want to keep might go away because they've got other choices," he said. "You might be keeping the wrong kinds of people. Middle-class taxpayers might get up and go. That's the key. Who are the ones leaving?"
The survey divided the county into four parts. The area that includes the South Bay -- which stretches from Long Beach to Malibu -- was more optimistic about many trends. While generally unhappy with traffic, two-thirds of the area's residents said things were going well. They also gave the highest rating to the economy (40 percent) and expressed strong approval of local parks (68 percent).
"Some of the optimism in the region reflects the fact that people have good air quality, good job opportunities," Baldassare said. "Many people are in good economic shape compared to other parts of the county."
Now, now -- that's not very nice -- jumping for joy when one of our "hallowed" institutions of learning is forced to close.
Locusts come to mind...
No you won't.
yeah well these people want to leave but they are locked in good for the most part.....wishing and doing are two separate things......it is too bad we can't have some secret police force like in Colombia and just goes out and assasinates the gang bangers.......I would rather have peaceful illegals than that scum that encompasses most of west LA, south LA and the Compton areas.....worhtless lot them all
Because voters have established the pattern of bending over and taking it for so long, why should a politician now believe that they will not again? Squeeky wheel gets the oil, and the left knows this; how else do you suppose that a minority percentage of the country is able to influence so much power? Although they are whackjobs, the liberals have shown themselves at least to be committed whackjobs who will protest at the drop a hat when something does not go their way whereas conservatives will often let things roll of thier backs until it comes to a full head. Conservatives, Christians, and Traditionalists must use the same tools against the left that they have used against us - protest, boycot, letter writing campaigns to the media, etc.. If Christians are offended by retailers leaving Christmas out of their advertisements to be PC to cater to a minority they should boycot that business - how long do you think it will take for business to capitulate? People have larger power than thier vote, it is called their wallet. I do not buy the We hav NO power argument, I will buy the We will not use our power argument though, or it is to much of a bother to use our power argument. No offense.
You are certainly welcome here.
Just don't bring any liberals with you. :-)
Yeah Washington used to be a nice state until the Californicators all moved up there. They have turned it into the same kind of cesspool that CA is. Now they are doing it to AZ. So if ya'll want to leave LA fine, go north to Seattle, or east to NY, but stay the hell out of Arizona. Unless you are a conservative, a real conservative not a RINO. Oh yeah, on the way through pick up John McLame and take him with you.
irrelevant? We haven't been relevant for a while now.
I prefer to think of it as being rather liberating to be irrelevant. However, I am glad that you live in a more relevant state like Texas.
I'll just have to stay here and suffer.
The last GOOD Chief they had in L.A was Darryl Gates
Now they have a "SISSY" Police Department.
The Freeways are a nightmare! I lived in the San Fernando Valley when it was GREAT! NOw you can go to parts of the Valley and think your in Pakistan, Vietnam, Mexico, the Local Prison..Terrible!
Was actually the first thing I thought too, or if you watch SG Atlantis the Wraith.
North Carolina is horrible, dirty, and dangerous.
Please stay far away.
Sincerely,
Constitution Day
Sorry...Texas is full up. They'll have to go to Nevada or Idaho.
They'll be lobbying Uncle Sam for handouts. That means you and me.They are already in practice mode and gearing up for the real deal.
The meltdown is in stage 2 of a 5 stage process. Your property taxes are going to do nothing but rise, that's the backdoor tax hike and they are sneaking the raises through under the radar. I can't afford to trade my retirement for the sun and weather, just waiting for the right time to get out.
I hate to tell you this, but I'm in on your game.
I try to bad mouth California as much as you do, and for the same reason. I'd like to live there, too, but without all the fools who are currently there overpaying on their rents and mortgages.
The bubble is due to burst, and I waiting to get in when it does.
"58 percent believe race relations were not so good"
as a former south bay resident, ...
uh you mean when brothers from south l.a. pull up at an off ramp,
and see a ---- as they call asian immigrants in a car waiting for the light to change,
and they shoot them dead and drive off onto the onramp and escape?
you say race relations are not good. how did you figure that out? (/s)
Hey Californios, stay the heck away from Utah! We are having severe floods and earthquakes are expected. Go to Aridzona. You'll love it there.
Karl, you got that right, and it's not only in the Southland. Up here on the Central Coast, just about everybody who has recently retired from where I work has relocated to other states. These are people with pretty healthy pensions and 401K's. They're going to Utah, Arizona, Nevada, Idaho.
The taxpayers are leaving, the tax users are pouring in.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.