Column: A micropolitan area that’s on the rise
October 12, 2012 at 7:00 pm in Worthington Daily Globe
WORTHINGTON You feeling pressure?
That’s because we’re growing.
Not a lot. The figure is .09 percent from the time the 2010 census was taken until last Dec. 31. Continue Reading
“Fairmont or New Ulm or Albert Lea” I would say they are all more desirable places to live then Worthington, population growth or not. I would also say that the 3000+ that have moved out would agree!
“Worthington micropolitan area ranks No. 5 among the 576 U.S. micropolitan areas in the largest (percentage) increase of Hispanic residents”. How does that make Worthington better? Better than Spirit Lake, Alexandria, Bemidji and Brainerd ? Not!
“An exciting place to live” that might be, but is it a good kind of excitement? Is this growth a good growth or one that could kill you? There’s probably another few thousand wishing they could join the first 3000. this could well be more bad news then good news for Worthington. I mean is this a desirable attraction for Worthington in the long run? I think Alexandria should think again…
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Well, I see no one else is taking this one on. So I’ll try to rephrase this, make it simpler. What this article is describing is called White Flight, look it up. Now for whatever reason, some call it racism, some say just people exercising their civil right to live where they want. Whatever, the truth is that where this happens the area most always ends up in financial ruin, with all the niceties that go along with that. So, in all likely hood this is not a sign of a micropolitan on the rise, but instead a decline. People who have lived here since the mid 80’s have been watching it happen. Sometimes its fast sometimes it takes decades, but it happens. Beware!
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No one else took this on, since we all know you’re the resident race baiter. We all know that you don’t like foreign people. If anything the article didn’t mention “illegals” (which anyone that appears hispanic is to you), so i’m shocked you didn’t bring that up. Nothing new to argue about. Its just old and shows how much you resent anyone not white.
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Some people are uncomfortable with facts. For the more open-minded, Mr. Crippen has done an admirable job of teaching us something in a clear and concise manner. And what’s more, for those who continue to perpetually whine about the “decline” of the quality of life in Worthington, he’s even done a bit of research and homework for you! It sounds like you’d fit in perfectly in either Alexandria or Spirit Lake, since they’re both 97% white. Why continue to live somewhere that makes you so miserable, deano?
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Sorry, The reply was ment for Merc, but it works for you too.
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You might want to look up race baiter. I think that fits you way better then me! I hardly ever mention anything about race, I’m stating the facts of the situation as I see it and usually that situation is affecting many different races. That’s not a race baiter, but the one always blaming racism for that situation is the baiter. Anyway as usual no contest of what I’m saying, just a personal thing again..
My three best friends when I was in the service were\are Latino. One Puerto Rican from New York, one from Juarez \ El Paso and the other from southern Ca. I am in no way a person that judges by race. As far as that goes when I was in the service Hispanics were classified as Caucasian \ white. However I do want to see people held accountable no matter what their race is! So if a given situation envoles a certain race of people then so be it, but that does not make me a racist! it might make you the baiter.
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It might be a more useful thought exercise to consider what Worthington might be like did it not have the influx of immigrants. I suspect there would still be no Kmart, probably no Wal-mart, likely not a new Hy-Vee. There would have been further contraction of healthcare services available, less demand for housing leading to a lower property valuation and tax base. Pizza Ranch probably would not have returned. There would be no Ground Round, and fewer restaurant options than there are now. The downtown would be as dead as it was in the early-mid 90′s. The schools would be smaller, competing in lower athletic divisions. Armour/Swift/Monfort/JBS would clearly not have grown because there would be no work force. This would mean area pork producers would travel further to deliver product to Market. There would be fewer gas station options.
The reality is, as our economy as moved away from one of manufacturing and agriculture, there have been fewer reasons for us to stay around. And I mean by, “us,” the younger white residents of the town that pursued education and have professional careers. The reality is, without immigration, Worthington is a dying, sad, pathetic town grasping on to the glory years of the Baby Boom. If I remained there, I would be thankful for what the growing population has brought to Worthington and allowed it to keep. You only need to go to “da range” on the other end of the state to experience the alternative.
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I’m not sure why you think what you think. The population has grown only a little so basically we have just swapped the whites for lower wage workers, who are heavy on the social services. The big boxes you mention also relay on customers from the smaller communities around us, so they might well be here either way. The catch is that these corporate leaches are just that, they provide very very few gainful jobs while draining the wealth from the community.” Armour/Swift/Monfort/JBS would clearly not have grown because there would be no work force.” That’s just plain wrong! They had no trouble keeping a work force; in fact people were standing in line every morning for a job there. UNTIL, in 1983 they closed the doors for no known reason. Then they reopened paying 1\3 of what they were paying and starting recruiting people from the southern border. That was\is how that worked. Remember? The reality is, Worthington might well be a dying, sad, pathetic town with or without immigration. It might look a little brighter on the surface but the average people of all races are struggling. I suppose we should be thankful for what we have but it’s hard to see the light here.
There are better alternatives. If it comes down to, it’s either Worthington or the range, well that needs more thought!
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It’s not a matter of swapping. It’s either maintaining population or declining population. The reality is we all like our $3/lb pork chops and are unwilling to pay the prices for all food products that would come with increased labor costs. That’s kind of besides the point and nitpicking. The reality is without maintaining population or growing (as I recall the population fell below 10,000 in the 1990s) Worthington would have less amenities than it does now. The trend for lower average wages (related to expenses) is not only regional, it’s a national problem and I don’t believe we can pin this predominantly on an influx of immigrants. Furthermore, you may be spot on regarding potential negative impact of immigration. However, that does not mean that many of your identified negative problems would not have occurred in the absence of immigration. Crime, increased need for subsidized healthcare, food assistance, etc… is the result of poverty, inequality of wealth, lack of opportunity, the high expense of secondary education, loss of a manufacturing-based economy, etc… Yes, those that arrive here from less prosperous countries (or even other areas of the US for that matter) will fill those lower paying jobs. Where you appear to direct blame is what I take issue with. I’ve thought about this a lot. Frankly, we could all blame ourselves. If we were willing to pay higher food costs, home construction costs, etc… companies would likely be more than willing to pay higher wages. Or, we could blame the corporations for attempting to maximize profit at expense of the greater society. Or, we could blame those attempting to create a better life for themselves and their families. This issue is so large and complex, that taking an overly simplistic and short-sighted view does not lend to a thoughtful discourse; it does little to promote solutions. I’ve had the opportunity to live in several different regions of this country, including areas that had little to no new immigrants and those that have high rates of immigration. Certainly, the less diverse areas had fewer concerns of cultural conflict/misunderstanding, but most were struggling with the same economic and crime/drug issues that are so often the focus of these discussion boards. These issue pervade most similar-sized cities. It so much greater than immigration. I’m afraid you’re missing the benefits Worthington has seen from immigration. Worse yet, you come across as bitter and hateful.
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I fully understand that the country has a much greater problem with the outsourcing of jobs and the creation of jobs in china, manufacturing as you call it. I do not seek to pin all our financial problems predominantly on an influx of immigrants. Yes some of the negative problems may have occurred in the absence of immigration. But they certainly did occur with it, we know that. “Furthermore, you may be spot on regarding potential negative impact of immigration.” Thanks for that! I do believe that the influx of immigrants only adds to the greater problem and when laid down as thick as it is in Worthington even more so. I’m not bitter at all at the people except maybe the business leaders that came up with this ill-conceived idea to enrich themselves at the expense of the both the immigrants and the citizens. That doesn’t mean I don’t want our laws enforced. The in-ability to control the border only makes us weaker. Believe it or not I still have some Mexican friends and they understand the same thing I do. That is, that without control there is nothing to stop business from doing the same thing to them, bus in another work force that will work for 1\3rd of their wage. Can’t be good for anyone! Immigration is not the only problem but is a real problem not some perceived problem that may or may not be or have been. I hope this doesn’t sound hateful, it’s not meant to be. I continue to point to the problem for those that think is not…
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Instead of outsourcing jobs the politicians and businesses are insourcing labor….immigrants are pouring into our country at their invitation further shrinking the middle class. They offer them J1 visas and disguise them as students. State and Federal taxes are withheld from their paychecks but not SS and Medicare….which is a huge savings for businesses since they don’t have to pay their share of SS and Medicare on these workers.
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