If you are, what the h are you doing and can I come along?

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part redneck/part barbie

Sign me up too :)

yes, but it hasnt been easy. the last few months have been real scary. all our work is out of the this area and is all gov work and hardly no private sector work. im seeing competitors dropping like flies all across the state.

that said, i know of lots of private sector work that wants to proceed, but is frightened for the future and holding back. and than there are those who cant borrow money on previously negotiated deals, etc etc etc. small biz needs incentive and tax breaks in the worst way, yet the gov is spending money we dont have thus freaking out investors. and im not talking about wall street either.

Good luck to All Y'all.

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Who is Lynnie?? ~~~~~~~Signed, All Y'all

It depends on what you are physically able to do. If you are seeking white collar work, then there is no decent work around here, and if it does arise, then it pays around the same as McDonalds. Hummm. I decided to do blue collar work and put up with back pain in order to get a weekly pay check with benefits. I am actually still looking for a position as an Executive Administrative Assistant that pays more than $9 an hour. Haven't found it yet and am thinking about returning to a large city up north. Making friends with key people in the community helps you have favor with the local crowd down here but you really have to pursue developing a large friendship network. I am more of a behind the scenes person, so I have a small group of close friends. Good luck with your job search.

I'm thinking that people making money aren't too interested in sharing their secret!

nope, not making any money here..

HMMM Let's see, 20% cut in Salary Jan 1, 2009, new budget for 2010 OH MY Still at same 20% cut.

Can you spell B-R-O-K-E!!!!!

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I know a few foreclosure and bankruptcy attorneys that seem to be doing quite well...

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"You are your choices"
www.lifeonshore.com
http://bobbyjblog.com

The whims of the few have created our tourist industry. Until the voice of many stands up and demands some changes to our local and state policies governing regulations and codes, I suppose it will continue. How many empty buildings before adjustments are made? In fact, I think the answer to our local construction woes could be solved if they allowed industry to come in whereby people could actually earn enough money on their job here, to pay the mortgage!

Healthcare is pretty hot for the area. General business/retail sales though, that's going to be in the dumps for quite some time to come. The amount of available retail space right now is incredible.

Yes, what she said.

uh.. lets see. been in the service industry around here for 20+ years and ...yea.. its a given ..October-March.....no..we are NOT making money.

But hey.. I am one of the few that still have a job.. so I am not complaining

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WARNING: Things posted by this user may offend some people. All things posted above are the opinions of poster and not necessarily the opinions of this site..or anyone else for that matter. They might not even make sense or be suitable for children. Come to think of it, they might be unsuitable for adults or human consumption. Have a nice day.

Amen!

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The politicians are!

They're also the ones w/ health care, pensions, travel allowances.........

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The enemy is ignorance.

Does anyone know what the current unemployment rate is in Walton County or Santa Rosa Beach?

Per the NWF Daily news, Walton County was 6.8% and Okaloosa was 7.2% in September.

A .3% increase over August, but still the lowest in Florida except Liberty County.

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The enemy is ignorance.

2008 year end unemployment rate was 4.4% for Walton.
underemployment rate was 95%
i just made up that last stat but the first line is probably just as useless.

What money? $9 /hr doesn't pay the bills for one person to live decently. If I work three full time jobs then, yes, I have money. If I work one full time job, then no, I have no money just lots of bills I can't pay and barely enough to eat. Hummmm. With all these beautiful homes around here, there must be some money, some where at around $90 an hour. Hummmm. I know my auto mechanic makes $85 hour and the doctor $300 hour, the vet around $266 per 30 minutes. Where is the educated middle class? Sounds like it is gone. The rich become richer and the poor work more and become more poor or die early due to sickness from over work. Paradise has its cost. I would rather move to where the middle class live, a city area or suburbs. My suggestion is to move which I plan to do once my son is out of high school in 2011. There is nothing here for me.

I moved and I really didn't want to. It was depressing and caused me to have a slight nervous breakdown. I've been trying to live in this area most of my life. It is my home. I visited destin as a child and it was our "homebase" since we moved around so much. I've spent most of my life in this area. It is my home. But I just couldn't make it anymore. I have to say..... deeply exhales. Life is much easier where I've moved. I'm in a college town in GA-known for its music scene, so I've still got some pretty neat culture. Rent is a breeze! Jobs are a breeze. And I don't see any foreclosure or for sale signs. The constant negativity down there was killing me.... it is a disaster down there and you all are like the Katrina holdouts. I miss miss miss my water. I cry over it. But I'm starting to get used to "the real world." I'll be back.

Really?

Not saying the cost of living and the job market on 30-a is perfect, but it sure beats other places in the US where unemployment is over 20%.

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The enemy is ignorance.

I think the unemployment rate is misleading for this area. It doesn't include the self-employed, or the people who left the area to find work, or the self-employed who are now just barely hanging on.

This is not a "real" place, frankly. The ups and downs here are different. I am always startled when I go other places to visit family and every third house isn't for sale.

I concur - I wonder what the population is in Walton County today? Not having accurate data will skew the percentages.

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Who is Lynnie?? ~~~~~~~Signed, All Y'all

The powers that be in Walton County do not want any accurate data, that would break the facade of South Walton and what others from the outside looking in might perceive it to be. Some in South Walton are very happy living in their bubble and refuse to let anyone pop it.

I dont think it includes those that didnt work the required 180 days some where and were denied unemployment benefits or the ones that just dont bother to go try to get them. Its kinda hard to work continuously for 180 days when there is only a 100 day "season".

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WARNING: Things posted by this user may offend some people. All things posted above are the opinions of poster and not necessarily the opinions of this site..or anyone else for that matter. They might not even make sense or be suitable for children. Come to think of it, they might be unsuitable for adults or human consumption. Have a nice day.

Very good point. Those are the folks that often just move on to another area.

There tends to be a pretty significant lag time for official census estimates. The July 1, 2008 head count they've got is 53,837 up from around 40K in 2000.

The July 1, 2009 estimate gets released in March, 2010.

One of my sons tried and tried to find work around here and just couldn't seem to get anything going so he went to Canada to visit with a friend and wound up staying. He has plenty of work there and the economy is good and he is thriving. I hate it that he is so far away but I don't have the heart to ask him to come back here right now. It is such a shame that he had to go so far away from this place just to find work and be able to have and do the things a young man should be able to do here. I have another son that is graduating in 2011 and hopefully the real estate market will be such that I can sell my house for some sort of decent price and move elsewhere. This is my home, my mom was even born in Walton county, but it is just no longer viable for my family to be here and this time, I will not be returning. It is a sad thing for me, my Dad is buried in the cemetery across from Crosspoint Church and he loved this place, he would hate to see what is has become. My brother could not do it anymore here either and now lives in Costa Rica.

I came to FL in 1980 to the Winter Park area, it got too touristy and stuffed full of people so moved to Ocala. Then that bloomed into grey golfers and subdivisions. Still wanting to stay in FL I moved up here when life was still enjoyable. Struggling with dwindling pay and stacking part time jobs to make ends meet! Now just give me a shot at moving further north and out of the tourist state. I'll be here until I'm no longer "upside down" and the county flowers (For Sale Signs) aren't so prevalent.

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