boom and bust

[mranderson]

Actually, you are a bit off.

There are 2080 hours in a work year. 40X52=2080.

There is no way a person can survive on 20,800.00 per year. No way.

[Shake2005]

You're right, typo and I haven't had enough coffee yet, thanks

[JOHNINSOKC]

Apparently, there are quite a few people making good money because there wouldn't be all the upscale housing and other developments going up if the income wasn't there to support everything. It's doubtful if we actually get the real income figures since it's all based on estimates anyway. I see a whole lot more expensive cars driving around here these days than there were even five years ago. I really believe there is more disposable income in the OKC area than what we here about.

[mranderson]

Apparently, there are quite a few people making good money because there wouldn't be all the upscale housing and other developments going up if the income wasn't there to support everything. It's doubtful if we actually get the real income figures since it's all based on estimates anyway. I see a whole lot more expensive cars driving around here these days than there were even five years ago. I really believe there is more disposable income in the OKC area than what we here about.

There may be people who earn large salaries, but most of those people are the workaholics I am against. If you broke down their salary, they actually make that 10.00 an hour or less.

[Patrick]

I actually disagree that you can't live on $10 an hour. I'm in medical school and making zero, and my fiancee is making $10 an hour. We seem to be doing okay....paying rent and maknig the bills. But, I gues I see what you mean, because we are stretched pretty thin, and if we had 1 kid, that would ruin our whole budget. For a family of 3, we couldn't survive off $10 an hour.

Actually, teachers make more than $10 an hour. I think the average starting salary in Oklahoma is now over $30,000 a year. Still, that's not a lot, but it is over $10 an hour. Also, one thing you have to consider, many teachers get summer jobs as well....my brother is a teacher in El Reno, and every summer he gets a job.

Although I think it would be great if both parents could stay home, when you're talking about $10 an hour jobs, I just don't think it's feasible in today's society.

[Patrick]

Anyays, back to topic, I think higher salaries would definitely improve our chances of returning to a boom period....but higher salaries will require more big corporations locating here, and I don't mean call centers either.

[NewPlains]

my fiancee is a teacher at taft, and while we're hardly starving, that money only goes so far. I think just getting teachers salaries up to the regional average will be a good step towards stopping the brain drain out of Oklahoma.