We have all heard of Trickle Down Economics. But, there is another concept called “Trickle Up Poverty.” In Trickle Down Economics the concept is that the rich and/or the government basically spend or invest their money. That in turn allows development to occur where people get employed. Thus the money trickles down to others. But, what is Trickle Up Poverty? That is where there is no investment by the rich or the government and no jobs created. Poverty, which is a creation of the government, becomes more prevalent.
Of course, there is a glass ceiling to Trickle Up Poverty. Heaven forbid that the Elite should suffer in poverty. So, where is trickle up poverty practiced? Plenty of places–North Korea, Venezuela, and the United States of America. Socialism is a good example of Trickle Up Poverty. Everyone suffers together, except for the few at the top.
What? This could not happen in this country, no way we would do that!!! But it is happening right here in Jefferson County. Yes, right here.
Why would anyone want to promote poverty? Simple, it drives out the lower classes of people. Take any place here in Jefferson County and gentrify it. What do you get? Higher property values that translate to higher revenue for government and more income for the few that can afford to buy out the poor. It is happening right now. People with money are moving in and buying out those that either die, want out of the socialist mecca in process or are forced to leave due to no jobs and unaffordable taxes. The policies imposed on the county by the elite are having the intended effect of making Jefferson County the very sort of Carmel North, Aspen-by-the-Sea and Martha’s Vineyard West those same elites constantly doth protest too much.
Look at what they’ve done with the power they’ve had for two decades. That says it all.
Trickle Up Poverty is not new. It has been practiced in many parts of our country. Typically, the elite and the politicians they control create a dying economic model, usually by restricting property development. Once the local people have no jobs they are forced out and their property becomes available to gentrify. At one time, back as far as the 60s, Port Townsend was a working town where the working class stood a chance at upward mobility and better lives for their children. No longer. In fact, given enough time the last remaining larger employer, the pulp mill, will likely be forced out. Then the cycle will be complete.
[Editor’s Note: According to the Economic Research branch of the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank, the overall poverty rate in Jefferson County climbed more than 10% between 2016 and 2018, to 13.3%. That is 33% higher than Washington’s statewide poverty rate. The overall poverty rate hides an even uglier story. The census tract for Port Townsend has a poverty rate of 16.2%. The census tract for the southern and western county has a poverty rate of 16.5%. These figures come from the Census Bureau’s latest American Community Survey The poverty rate for the areas immediately south and west of Port Townsend and around Discovery Bay stands at 14.3%. The considerable wealth of households on Marrowstone Island and in Port Ludlow pulled those census tracts down to 7.8% and 10.9%, respectively. The extreme poverty in Irondale and pockets of the Tri-Cities was masked by the extreme wealth a few miles west on Marrowstone Island. Likewise, the surprisingly high poverty rate within Port Townsend city limits, with its million dollar homes and exclusive neighborhoods on Morgan Hill and near Fort Worden, reveals the severe economic divide in our community. Lastly, the Census Bureau’s latest employment data shows the job base for Jefferson County shrinking, not growing while at the same time the cost of housing continues to increase.]
When my Mother married a paper machine tender at the mill in 1957 we moved here. The 1950’s were a great time. Port Townsend had a complete town with everything it needed to survive. A few businesses have not moved on or sold out. I could go down a list of what was here. Port Townsend thinks it’s a tourist town. It’s not by a long shot. Why you ask? There’s not enough hotels, motels or B&B’s to house very many people. So, if you live within round trip driving range it makes it easy to come for a few hours and leave in the same day. Port Townsend also hasn’t got a Community Center that can handle large crowds for a variety of events that would come. Then, compound the Homeless Camps and people walking around town who make the town uncomfortable. As far as these homeless situation is concerned. Port Townsend had better get a grip on it or loose the quaint warm, friendly, little town. I could go on for more, as there are many things that are not being addressed. Thank goodness this publication is fighting to right some of the wrongs. Good luck ,Port Townsend Free Press. You’ll need it.
what does this mean to you?
“ Poverty, which is a creation of the government, ”
It is Government that makes the regulations.
wouldn’t unregulated development end up creating the same situation regarding housing/poverty.
Is the area a “socialist mecca” because you can’t turn your chimacum valley properties into strip malls or a big box store?
Trickle down economics is a failed “experiment”.
Sometimes we forget that some of the problems and realities here, are most everywhere these days. This area, including the County and Port Townsend have the mixed blessing, and curse, of relative geographic isolation that has prevented larger scale development.
This is why we are not strip mall after strip mall divided by housing developments. One person I know with a large construction company was investing in trucking. That had to be out of this area due to needing to be nearer to major road systems. Similarly any industry here has to have materials trucked in and finished items trucked out. That distance costs money and will always be a factor in this area having lots of high paying jobs where people produce real things.
The new trend of working from home will take more housing with those having high paying jobs in tech able to live the dream here. They are moving here along with comfortable retired folk daily. I mentioned in another comment that fixing things back to affordable for those already here may be too little too late with the influx.
I do vividly remember my dad exclaiming one day while reading the Seattle Times in the late 60s “they say it is going to be an information economy. You can’t eat information”. Like Mark Twain said “When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years…..” In my case it may have been when I was 40.
Hopefully we are all learning as time goes on. It seems farms and producers of real things have growing value that is understood more and more. In my time here I saw dairy farms in Chimacum go away. I have also seen other farming related businesses seeming to succeed. The people pioneering that trend are to be valued and all of us should see that many small scale producers add up to a big economy. If we are waiting for a large employer to fix everything, go to Renton or Redmond or similar and see how that is working out.
We will always have those in need, those who chose easier parasitic lifestyles usually related to addictions to deal with. That issue needs to be understood and addressed if we are to realistically build a better place. Few have done that. Who reading this has a model to point us towards?
Jobs aside, there is affordable housing. The proposed $22,000,000 sewer system in the Port Hadlock area is a start, keeping in mind the influx of new folk. Here are the numbers I come up with.
$22,000,000 divided by 5,000 homes is $4,400 each. That is good value for the buck relative to septic system costs in the County. Still, you add half the population of Port Townsend to the Port Hadlock area. Does it then need City Government? Dealing regularly with PT I know it is a nearly lost cause with the No Term Limit City Council and Appointed Mayor with a City Manager this Free Press found to be very compromised and under qualified. The performance review of this tool has been put off. Why?
So be careful what you ask for. Know the bigger picture of what you ask for. We, like Native Americans before us may eventually see a way of life going away. Hell, it is rapidly going away now. I saw it go away and be eaten by “prosperity” in Redmond where I grew up and gentrification ate the quiet life for lunch. The huge horse pasture at the edge of town is an exchange for 520 that conveniently dumps Seattle into Redmond. Except for the traffic. All we need is the next Bill Gates or similar to eye this area to infuse us with “success”.
We stand on the shores seeing the waves grow. The tsunami we have little control over. Perhaps the powers that be are controlling the tsunami with density zoning as it is. It is always good to plan wisely and understand forces we can’t control.
The pendulum does swing. I always tell younger folk I speak regularly with at my business to wait a while. We boomers are on the way out. The economy never stays up. One day those McMansions in Sequim and those newly restored Victorians in PT which were once converted to rooming houses will again perhaps be affordable rooming houses and the like. “Success” is relative.
Careful what you ask the Genie for. Get it exactly right.