Cd'A: The value of living here

There seems to be a lot of comparing going on between North Idaho (Coeur d'Alene) and other places when it comes to incomes and benefits. Not to single out any particular area, we hear that someone in Spokane or some other state doing the same job as someone here can make more money.

Yes they can. So can you and so can I if we want to live where they do. But what is it worth to live here? I know people and you probably do too who live somewhere else and make twice what we do here. But they don't have what we have.

What is it worth not to have to fight traffic for three hours each way just to get to work like in Seattle or LA? What is it worth to be able to see the mountains and trees everywhere you look? What's it worth to live everyday in a place where those people making twice what we do only get to come for a week or so on vacation? What about the people?

This is a good place and we have lots of good and nice people here. They really care and try to do their part to make and keep our community the best place it can be. If you offered me double what I am able to make here to go someplace else to work it would not be worth it to me. What about you?

JIM VAN SKY

Coeur d'Alene