Feeling the pains from unbridled growth
For over 130 years since Idaho's induction to the United States, it has maintained a growth in population in balance with the environment surrounding it. Generations of Idahoans found a way to co-exist with the native tribes, survived the harsh wilderness of the seasons and its inhabitants.
North Idaho's population grew organically literally. As the agriculture, timber and mining industries' need for labor increased, so did North Idaho. Up until 34-40 years ago everything in North Idaho was built around those three industries. Heck, the 1-90 connecting Spokane to Missoula, Montana was not built until 1957.
At no other time in North Idaho's history have Idahoans going back 4-5 generations watched their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren forced to move elsewhere due to the influx of out of state money, developers, realtors/brokers and community leaders' lack of forethought.
According to Pay Scale, the average pay for most North Idahoans was $14.58/hour in 2012. Over the next eight years, the average pay increased 8.5% to $l7.21/hour. Here's what else happened in those eight years:
Residential resale real estate rose approximately 195% from a median price of $224,000 to $438,000 in Coeur d'Alene. (Source: Redfin)
The burdening of uncontrolled impact tax costs of the new subdivisions, i.e. $300M for Huetter/Mullan road project. If not by a new DMV tax, it eventually will happen through city, county, and state services tax in providing additional fire, police, sheriff personnel, along with new schools.
Coeur d'Alene's rental market has seen a 60% increase on one-bedroom apartments rental pricing from July 2017 to today, with no parking. (Source: Rental Jungle)
A byproduct of this influx of out of state transplants is they brought the "Nanny State" and "fear" culture with them.
130 years of "open carry." Referring to Idahoans as racist militia, drunken gun slingers, and redneck gun freaks. Telling the press and television network affiliates how afraid they are of generational Idahoans versus a movement less on peaceful demonstrations and more on looting, causing property damage, and battling law enforcement in Seattle and Spokane with enthusiasm at the time.
Describing our Independence Day celebrations as living in a war zone or how ignorant Idahoans are of possible wildfires. You do not see our state constantly burning, Californian transplants. Idahoans know how to manage our properties and forest lands, along with our fireworks.
Idahoans understand the repercussions of a pandemic beyond us. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the coronavirus is costing the government $3.5 trillion and individual states tens of billions of dollars without enough tax dollars coming in from U.S. citizens. Not enough individual tax dollars equal how many of your neighbors defaulting on their mortgages. Right now, $1.5 trillion in payroll losses will be recognized by the CBO at year end. Here is the reality of science and statistics.
Statically, the United States is the third most populated country in the world with approximately 330.5 million people. The United Kingdom has a population of around 66.8 million people. According to the World Health Organization as of the week of Oct. 18-24, the United Kingdom had 917,579 confirmed cases with 45,365 deaths. The COVID-19 death rate in Great Britain and Northern Ireland is 4.9%. For the United States, the confirmed cases are 8,611,256 with 224,178. The COVID-19 death rate of the United States is 2.6%.
There are many more countries with higher coronavirus death rates than the United States. So, the United States is not leading the way in confirmed cases versus its total population or death rate versus its confirmed cases. France's coronavirus death rate is 3%, Italy's is 6.6%, Spain 3.3%, Canada 4.5% and Mexico 9.9%. Nor is Idaho leading the way in confirmed cases or deaths of the coronavirus. Shame on those living in fear and attempting to cause fear in others. This Idahoan lives with several underlying issues and sits in the middle of its target age of the coronavirus.
Idahoans understand the common cold, flu and coronavirus are all contracted in the same way. For hundreds of years people have lived with little droplets floating through the air or on physical surfaces in catching the common cold and flu. Both can cause death depending on underlying health issues and age.
Example being a cold progressing into pneumonia and the flu's symptoms of dehydration, fever, inflammation of heart and brain. For years, tens to hundreds of thousands die from underlying issues of both the common cold and flu. Were their lives not just as important? How many did you kill by not wearing a mask last year or in your own family over your lifetime? How about you give a year's worth of income to your neighbor with kids and a mortgage?
Well, this Idahoan has to help load his nephew's moving truck.
Joseph Smith Tate is a Rathdrum resident.