Sorry, there is no "long story short" with this topic...
No disrespect intended here but I've seen enough posts that I think this is warranted- some of you will appreciate it and of course the usual negative comments are expected but unfortunately this is apparently not just my opinion ...
So if I'm doing the math right on a recent post on the classified section of this website...that would be for a 2 BEDROOM TRAILER HOUSE
1st mth $650
last mth $650
deposit $250
lot rent 1st mth $190
total.................$1740???? And that is only if you are not required by the trailer court to provide first and last also or it would be another $190...just to move in. Are you kidding me? My 5 bedroom 2 bath house payment is $700 (including taxes, hazard ins and flood ins) so for those of you with a $1000 mtg on a 3 bdrm house I do feel for you, must be awfully nice houses.
Subsequent monthly rent $840.00 plus utilities? I just read on one of the(scared to mention... POOL forum) that Miles City's per capita income median was about $15,876 (@ $7.63/hr 40hrs/wk)and that is only if you are an employee that GETS A STEADY 40 HOURS PER WEEK which is not likely here in Miles City- doing the math that does not include taking out the mandatory taxes leaves $1250/mth income- remove from that the mandatory taxes and you are left roughly $960 take home pay. Even considering for a minute that the property has been completely updated (which is almost a certainty that it is not) with proper insulation, siding, insulated skirting, new windows, energy efficient furnace and the like, I'm only guessing that the utilities are probably about $100 to $200 per month depending on the season so average of $150.00? You factor in the fact that in order to keep that 40hr week job you must have transportation therefore you MAY have a vehicle payment, therefore you should (oh yep another touchy subject for some) have vehicle insurance and gas money and presentable clothing to wear to that job. God forbid you have a child or two to have daycare expenses because you would make too much money to be able to qualify for daycare assistance.
$990.00/mth from $960.00/income??? Sorry...there is something that has to be said about the human race...they must eat! So even removing from the equation the food, vehicle payment, insurance, gas, clothing and child daycare you are still -$30.00 per month to live in this 2 BEDROOM TRAILER. So therefore you are looking at needing TWO full time jobs in order to rent a 2 BEDROOM TRAILER HOUSE and cover all other NECESSARY expenses. !!WOW!! No wonder we can't afford that pool. Maybe the gal looking for funding ought to be contacting the landlords of this community for funding the pool!
Or the other alternative is, WELFARE!!! Yep I said another word that everyone loves to hate on MILESCITY.COM! And I'm sure that all you naysayers will have a field day with it but before you do, do the math yourself before you head up another forum on our nasty little "welfare queens". I know plenty of "men" out there that are utilizing the welfare system or that play their part of the result of a mother having to utilize the SYSTEM. All that energy you may want to spend on me educating you of the reasons behind the use of our Welfare System please spend writing letters to your senate and governor that have the power to change it because complaining to me or about my opinion is useless- it may make you feel better but all in all is still useless. For those of you that need assistance on where to start with that:
Governor Brian D. Schweitzer
Office of the Governor
Montana State Capitol Bldg.
P.O. Box 200801
Helena MT 59620-0801
Senator Max Baucus
222 N 32nd St Ste 100
Billings, MT 59101
(406) 657-6790
The US Dept of Health and Human Services only funds these programs but they are strictly monitored by the individual states by the people that you elect by voting- if you don't vote your voice is never heard. Just a food-for-thought moment.
So our "community" families are suffering at the hands of whom? Sadly it's our own community. Who suffers the most when a child has no parental supervision because the parent(s) are forced to work multiple jobs outside the home in order to simply pay the rent? I'm not talking lazy here people. Which system "our community" or "welfare" is the rightful failure? Our SYSTEM provides for a family those necessities that our "community" takes away from them. And it's the children of our community that ultimately pay the price for those short comings. Ah yes, the product of our society that everyone is ashamed to admit had a hand in. We should be so proud.
I realize the "free market economy" but really? Miles City is not Sidney, Glendive, Baker, Williston, Bozeman, California or any of the other "high income" communities that are plastered all over this website (or we could afford that indoor pool and spruce up our parks a bit) where the citizens are capable of paying the same rent prices that this free market economy is causing some to think that's what they can get- not just yet. AND THANK GOD FOR THAT- HAVE YOU SEEN THE CRIME RATE IN THESE TOWNS!!!! And if this is any indication of what our community can expect with the anticipated "oil boom", our community is totally doomed and so not ready for the repercussions. It will be an enormous BOOM!!! Our housing issues are nothing new; Miles City has always had a housing shortage problem that now will only get far worse. But without remaining rational about it our beautiful town will be left nothing but a rundown, filthy ghost town when all said and done. The landlords will have collected all their high-end rent for their rental property and because of the higher income tax bracket that money throws them into, none of the money will go back into the homes (just look at them now) because...yep you guessed it...property tax reassessment which means pay more property tax also. They are going to want to keep what they can- right, line their pockets- right? And what will happen, when the boom resides and everyone moves on to Arkansas or wherever the oil takes them? The money is all gone, the properties are all run down, and everyone is still obligated to pay those higher taxes. Great!!! I Can't Wait.
With this mentality do you seriously think that when this does really hit our town that the landlord of rental house that your parents or elderly grandma and/or grandpa is living in isn't going to see the almighty $cha-ching$ and find a legal way of getting them to move out so they can collect that $double$ rent? Our elderly will have no place to go because everything is already overpriced for them on the fixed income they receive. It is as simple as this (does this sound familiar to anyone yet)..."Oh gee Mrs. So-N-So...I know you are 79 years old and make $850 in social security but I'm raising the rent to $1000, which will no longer include the utilities, water or garbage and well if you can't figure out how to pay it I expect you will be moved out within 30 days?" It is already happening people!
When the accountability to rebuild our community begins, whom will you hold responsible (got to be those lazy welfare queens (kings) right?). Where do you even begin with that topic? Ahh yes...history always repeats itself...it was good while it lasted blahblahblah..if only our city fathers would have done things differently blahblahblah...if only we all knew where that money went blahblahblah...sippin' a cold one, bellied up at the Bison Bar...
I hope to the good lord above that I am totally off base with where this great community is headed. I choose as McKee does. Prefer long term here-to-stay renters rather than fly-by-night-seat of your pants transits. Good luck to you all "free market economy" supporters as I'm sure I will be excused as your flock heads south. Totally here today gone tomorrow but you are correct that everyone is entitiled to their own opinion...at least until you post on this website that is.
Ok well it has now taken days to get the time to say what I wanted to say, so now off with my head! I sincerely apologize to those critics that will get noting more out of this other than the opportunity to scrutinize my spelling and grammar, tell me to head back to school, the how dare you's, you talkin' to me's?, how devastatingly wrong I am, attack my ridiculous pampas-ass attitude only to remind me that I really should have just done the dishes instead of write this.