by Travis Mateer
This week’s episode of Zoom Town is a continued conversation about the Reserve Street homeless camps and how this community flashpoint could impact local elections.
Here are some of the recent posts about this fresh, new political season in Zoom Town:
A Closer Look At City Council Wannabe Jennifer Savage
On Outsider Jabs And Hometown Claims
JC
Here are some fun facts about our “Hometown Mayor’s”experienced, trustworthy leadership over the past 15 years…..(these figures came from or were linked from US HUD).
From 2006 until now the City population has increased about 12,000 people (about 16%). Our homeless population has doubled (or more by some estimates) over that time. (Over 100%)
In 2006 the median household income was about 32K. Now that is around 58K/yr. Doesnt seem too bad right? Well, In 2006 the median home was about 212K. Now the median home is 419K and rising. What is readily apparent is that income inequality has exploded.
Missoula finds itself with a higher % of poverty and lower % of household income than not only the National average but also the State average!
These things (and more) are very inter-related.
This is what Engen’s leadership has produced (among other things).
There used to be a stock question at election time “Are you better off than you were 4 yrs ago?” In this case, are you/is Missoula better off than it was 15 yrs ago? Depends on if you are “hometown” or just arrived w/$$$ to your ZoomTown mountain paradise.
One last thing – the City planners have been throwing around the term “work force housing”. That term originated in Aspen/Telluride CO. It involved providing low rent housing to low wage service employees that were being exploited to service the needs of the monied elite. Given the above and knowing what Aspen/Telluride are,I would say the Missoula is following closely to that example.
Well done.
Now the answer why it took the Keystone Cops in Missoula almost a month to start looking for Jermain Charlo