Family-Run Towns

[skinsguy]

I hope my title made sense..lol! I'm only on my first cup of coffee! Do you any of the rest of you guys live in a town where you have one or two families that own the majority of the land?

In my area, this is the case. What is sad is that the families (there is about three) who pretty much owns this area have banded together in the past to keep out any new businesses from coming into the area. Why would they do this you ask? Because they wanted to keep the average family incomes low. I guess they felt by keeping the salaries low in this area, it keeps the cost of land low, which means these families are able to purchase more land.

The outcome is basically a monopoly of one family owning it all now. This family will not sale any land to new companies wanting to come into the area. They will lease the land out, and if the company is doing well, it will raise the rent to the point where the company can't stay in business in our area. This has also happened to our "mall". The rent on store space in the mall is so high, that none of the stores can stay in business.

It's really sad, but what can you do to stop this? They have ran this area into the ground! This used to be a booming place in the late 70's and 80's! Now, since most of the factories have closed up to outsourcing, they family has refused to change their ways in order to bring in new companies. They are unwilling to sale off some land for the good of the entire area. I believe their mindset is still in the 1950's!

I'm an I.T. professional in the area (one of the few IT jobs here,) and I make probably half as much was what someone else would be making doing the same job in another area. I'm leaving just ok as a single person, but I have no idea how I would be able to support a family on my salary. Still, I'd hate to move out of the area, because even though this area is being crippled by stubborn rich folk, it's an overall nice area to raise young kids in, and to retire to.

Is there anybody else going through something similar in your town?

[gmc]

Originally Posted by skinsguy

I hope my title made sense..lol! I'm only on my first cup of coffee! Do you any of the rest of you guys live in a town where you have one or two families that own the majority of the land?

In my area, this is the case. What is sad is that the families (there is about three) who pretty much owns this area have banded together in the past to keep out any new businesses from coming into the area. Why would they do this you ask? Because they wanted to keep the average family incomes low. I guess they felt by keeping the salaries low in this area, it keeps the cost of land low, which means these families are able to purchase more land.

The outcome is basically a monopoly of one family owning it all now. This family will not sale any land to new companies wanting to come into the area. They will lease the land out, and if the company is doing well, it will raise the rent to the point where the company can't stay in business in our area. This has also happened to our "mall". The rent on store space in the mall is so high, that none of the stores can stay in business.

It's really sad, but what can you do to stop this? They have ran this area into the ground! This used to be a booming place in the late 70's and 80's! Now, since most of the factories have closed up to outsourcing, they family has refused to change their ways in order to bring in new companies. They are unwilling to sale off some land for the good of the entire area. I believe their mindset is still in the 1950's!

I'm an I.T. professional in the area (one of the few IT jobs here,) and I make probably half as much was what someone else would be making doing the same job in another area. I'm leaving just ok as a single person, but I have no idea how I would be able to support a family on my salary. Still, I'd hate to move out of the area, because even though this area is being crippled by stubborn rich folk, it's an overall nice area to raise young kids in, and to retire to.

Is there anybody else going through something similar in your town?

We used to have something similar it was called feudalism. I just can't imagine something like that. Do you not elect local councils with powers to compulsorily purchase land or state government that determine land ownership?

[skinsguy]

Originally Posted by gmc

We used to have something similar it was called feudalism. I just can't imagine something like that. Do you not elect local councils with powers to compulsorily purchase land or state government that determine land ownership?

Ya know, that's a very good question! I don't believe our local government has even tried to do such! I suppose it's a fine line between someone being free to own land if they purchased it, but you would think that if their ownership become detrimental to the area, that the government would step in. So far, hasn't been the case for good ol' Martinsville and Henry, County VA.

[gmc]

Originally Posted by skinsguy

Ya know, that's a very good question! I don't believe our local government has even tried to do such! I suppose it's a fine line between someone being free to own land if they purchased it, but you would think that if their ownership become detrimental to the area, that the government would step in. So far, hasn't been the case for good ol' Martinsville and Henry, County VA.

It's what anarchists were talking about when they coined the phrase property is theft. It's when property ownership is used to deprive or exploit others it becomes questionable.

It's no different from the likes of walmart buying up out of town sites to prevent a rival getting a foothold in an area. (don't know if they do that in the states but their equivalent do it here. )

[oscar]

Gypsy's

[skinsguy]

Originally Posted by gmc

It's what anarchists were talking about when they coined the phrase property is theft. It's when property ownership is used to deprive or exploit others it becomes questionable.

It's no different from the likes of walmart buying up out of town sites to prevent a rival getting a foothold in an area. (don't know if they do that in the states but their equivalent do it here. )

Walmart is about the only thing that is doing well in our area, unfortunately!