In case you missed it or are fortunate enough to be outside of the Phoenix area, a local Arizona news station ran a piece last week about how life out in Arizona might be portrayed to the rest of the country. Viewers were left to ponder the question of whether or not the state of Arizona has a national image problem. Surprisingly enough, this is a great example of the typical Arizona attitude for you – instead of considering what the necessary steps are to begin fixing the multitude of problems currently plaguing the state and its millions of residents, even the news stations out here are more concerned with only how Arizona and its people LOOK to the National eye. With that being said, it is pretty clear to most people these days that Arizona does have an increasing image problem because the truth about Arizona has been exposed as the population growth went way up in recent years, and also as a result of the mortgage fraud and subsequent real estate meltdown out here in the last few years. Here are just a couple of Arizona’s many problems grabbing attention in the national spotlight:
Worst school systems in the country – that’s right, every single other state around the country outranks Arizona when it comes to public schooling. Education is not valued in Arizona and this certainly affects all facets of life out here from the workplace to the grocery store to eating out at a restaurant. You can continue to make excuses, move your children to another Arizona school district, or even continue lying to yourself – it does not matter though – you are putting your children’s safety and future at risk by sending them to any of Arizona public schools. If you have kids or plan on having children, you really should re-evaluate settling down in Arizona at least until your children are in college.
Increasing violence and hate crimes – every single year, the violence in Arizona seems to be getting worse and increasingly more violent. Nobody wants to admit to it, but these crimes are increasing and becoming even more commonplace – and don’t think you can escape it by moving to a supposedly higher income zip code or to a gated community. Arizona boasts some of the craziest, most unbelievable crime stories that you could not even make up if you wanted to. Watch just one day of the local Arizona news and you will never want to step foot in this place again.
Weather – the one problem that can never be fixed, but it is still important to continually point out how dreadful and depressing the summers can be out here. You know the weather in Arizona is terrible when even people who are just quickly passing through on a cross-country road trip still feel the need to complain about how high the temperatures are out here. It’s never going to get any cooler in Arizona, so stay far away unless you are prepared for month-after-month of the extreme heat, and the famous Arizona dry heat argument goes right out the window when the temperatures are over 100 degrees.
Economy – what economy? Arizona population growth is dwindling, construction is way down, there were never any great jobs in Arizona, and now we have a surplus of houses and commercial buildings. How is Arizona going to turn it all around this time? Can Arizona rely on its economic growth strategy with such a poor national image? Probably not – Arizona is a retirement and winter golf state, at best, and that is all it should have ever been provided there was enough water for all this grass out here.
What it really comes down to is what does the state of Arizona have to offer you? Is it the comparatively warmer winters? Or is it all the congestion, pollution, violence, and blowing dust storms? What does Arizona offer you that you can’t find anywhere else, except for those 4-5 months of temperatures over 100 degrees? Don’t wait for Arizona to try and fix its deteriorating image – get out while you still can and still have your sanity.
I love your blog! I can’t stop laughing at how true all this stuff is!
I was unfortunate enough to move to Arizona a few years ago. I was lured by ASU and it’s supposed high ranking in my field of study (I am fairly certain it was a typo, though).
I was lucky to escape Arizona this past June, just as things were starting to get unbearably hot. I could not have been happier than that moment I got on I-10 west and left Phoenix for good!
Keep up the great blog!
Hey, don’t forget about our knight in shining armor, Sheriff Joke Arpaio… and of course, the way that EVERY governor since Evan Mecham, has had a recall petition filed against them… some pass, the others….we wish they did.
Then, of course, there’s “good ‘ole boy” (yavapai) county… which was, and in fact, still is… the inspiration for “Boss Hogg” on the “Dukes of Hazzard” (or is that Hazmat?)
Let us not forget Tucson, the land of brown yards, Mesa (Salt Lake City Jr.), Tempe (the only place higher in housing cost than New York City), Gilbert (the town that outgrew its self), Queen Creek (the town that actually sprouted up under a barrel cactus), and the rest of the state… which is famous for….um…..something.
I could go on… and most likely, I will at some other time…until then, just check any form of media about our glorious little chunk of heaven… It’s not hard to keep up to date on the hyjinks here. We’re the laughing stock of the U.S.A.
At least someone gets it – somehow there are a ton of people in Arizona who think we are the envy of the rest of the country for some reason.
I’m so glad I’m not the only person who sees it and this is from someone who was born and raised here. I’m currently languishing in Tucson, where I’ll probably die here, cause I’ll never get paid what the rest of the country does.
I have never understood why people my age or younger come here. Yes, the cost of housing is cheap. THat’s because we’re the lowest paying state in the country. I lucked out by having at least an awesome band director in which I actually learned something.
Don’t even get me started on the U of A. I really should think about suing them for the immense amount of debt I acquired for the six years I was there, in which of course I didn’t graduate or get a degree. Why? Because I couldn’t take learning about nothing any longer.
“So why didn’t you go to another college?” Excellent question and here’s why -
1. Did I mention we’re a low paying state? The job I had a one of the bookstores paid over the minimum wage while I was in college. A whole $5.50, which was about 2002 or so. THe minimum wage at the time was $5.15.
2. What other choices did I have? Pima CC? Or how about UA rival ASU, which has the worst instrumental program. Or how about NAU? What’s that? Never heard of NAU? Did you know they have a football team? Yeah, me either until ours played against them and had a marginal victory. Did I mention our footballers practice on a 90 foot field?
3. I’m sure you know that in state tution is much lower than out of state tution. My $5,000 vs. $10/15 elsewhere.
There’s another article that says we are a retirement/golf state, which is exaclty right. This state should ONLY be for those retiring or who want to golf. I may be used to 102 degree weather; doesn’t mean I enjoy it. And the economy now is making it so f*cking hard to move, I feel like I’ll never leave.
I can’t stand Arizona myself. I live in central Arizona. Been here ten years too long. I am hoping to get back home someday but with the cost of living it is possible I will die here. I am an outdoors man, always have been. I can’t even go hunting or fishing very easily. I have to drive a million just to get to a lake that actually has fish in it. I had to end up paying 1200 a month for a run down pile of garbage. I actually hope it follows California into the ocean! Every job I have ever had only paid 10 an hour. College…I had to quit. It cost too much to pay rent, eat, go to work, and get everything else for daily life. This state does not want to pay its employees. Even after college there is more money to made elsewhere. I don’t see how a person can live here especially for ten years. I have seen so many people come and go it isn’t even funny.
I am certified as a plumber, welder, carpenter, and I can do electrical work. I also teach wilderness survival and primitive technology. I still cant seem to get anywhere in this state. I even have kids, That is a nightmare. The schools suck and they don’t care about anything. This state really does suck. Back home I was able to make a living. That is the big difference between here and there I guess.
Arizona the right to be poor state, here you never make enough to get ahead so you can leave, I am saving every penny so I can tell this state to kiss my ass. Kind of reminds me Phoenix should be called Far East LA with the crime and traffic and just plain ignorant people here.
“4-5 months of temperatures over 100 degrees”
CORRECTION:
that should be 6-7 months of temperatures over 110 degrees
My cudos to the Deer Valley people who thought they could actually fight the Morg (Mormons) and not get there temple built. The politicians here who are good old boys that will always back the church because they are part of the church. The church knew they had won even before it started the battle so be prepared for an ugly ass square building that looks more like a bunker and traffic that will be noisy and block your quiet roads. You have my sympathies.
Ok, Arizona has a trailer trash problem. At the grocery store, a whole bunch of tattooed jackasses in sandals looking clueless, fat chicks who think everyone should worship them, half good looking ones thinking they’re goddesses, and every guy trying to be some tough guy/independent rock band drummer/hot shot. Like it’s fuc*** cool to be ignorant and stupid. And to think the educated professional people have to pay the price, watching the rest of this shithole unwind into third world. Go a bit north and everyone’s all of a sudden a multi-millionaire in Scottsdale, where’s the middle ground? Call me stupid, but a large part of this place is either bum trash or uppity over compensated materialists, and you’ re not sure if they really are as rich as they appear. I swear to god, if most of these people moved to the well off parts of Louisiana or Texas (as few as they are) they’d shit themselves and shut up, you ain’t that tough or beautiful or rich, sorry. People like myself don’t need to worry because we don’t really posture all these things to begin with. I’m sure there’s some middle ground somewhere around here, some nice people who aren’t full of themselves and attitude, they probably just stay at home as much as they can.
If you’re smart, run. This place hates intelligent, competent people, unless they own their own business and boss other people around. They’ll compensate you as far as you can be an asshole, modesty does not exist over here nor respected in the least, you’re better off looking ridiculous to those who know better in order to keep fooling the other 98%.
I’ve talked to several professional people who have moved from somewhere else, they have personally told me it’s one of the weirdest backwards places they had to move to in order to have a job. When they moved here, they weren’t cracking some middle school joke or all hyped up over baseball or quads or video games, and yet they have changed. This place will change you, turn you into a fuc**** middle school kid all over again.
If you are seriously looking to move here and you have some real talents, please look around elsewhere first. You’re going to regret it, guaranteed.