positively perplexing news
Here is an article in the Times-Picayune about revenue in the City being at near pre-storm levels. It is rather confusing on some levels I suppose. While the article points out that there is a large hispanic population that is spending cash in the Parish, and that hotel rooms were occupied by aid workers for a few months, there are other factors I feel that are not paid the attention they deserve.
For example: the cost of everything in this city has increased. It isn’t just that people are buying all sorts of stuff to replace what they lost. I didn’t lose much and I still spent more money last year than I ever have in this city. I spend more on groceries because there are fewer options available, and it is harder to get to different stores. I spend more on housing because rents increased phenomenally. I spent more on my car last year because the roads have been chewing up tires like they were made of marshmallows. I am happy that revenue in the city is higher than what was expected. But I am also cognizant of the fact that this is no longer an inexpensive city to live in. Has anyone seen any studies that come to this conclusion? I wonder if I am just fooling myself to believe this so that I don’t have to tell myself that I simply spend a lot of money without much to show for it, or if my suspicions are justified.
Related posts:
There’s also the possibility that the 50% of the people back in the city are actually contributing to the economic engine while other non-contributors haven’t managed to return. given the level of poverty pre-storm and the higher cost of living post storm it isn’t as easy for someone of limited means to survive here. The big Easy just isn’t anymore. It’d be nice to see how those financial numbers compare to the amount of cultural equity the city holds now as compared to before the storm.
Of course, it could be that the politicians are just skimming less than they used to…but I’d hate to sound like a conspiracy theorist.
You aren’t imagining that things are more expensive. Groceries, gas, clothing, dining out, rent, car repairs, ENTERGY…all of it has gone up a whole lot.
I don’t need a study to tell me everthing is costing more, I just have to open my wallet and look inside.