25 DEC 2017 (05:37 UTC-07 Tango 06) 04 Dey 1396/06 Rabi ‘ath-Thani 1439/08 Ren-Zi (11th month) 4715

What’s wrong with this pic? Where are all the Xmas lights in the Cotant Park area of ‘christian’ dominated Chubbuck, Idaho?

About 15 years ago 90-95% of the homes around Cotant Park were blazing with Xmas decorations, now 90-95% are dim throughout the end-of-year holiday season.

Most people can’t afford the electric bill, and many residents today are recent arrivals with most of the neighborhood homes now being owned by absentee landlords.  About 15 years ago most of the homes were owned by the people living in them.  This is called gentrification.

The ‘elected’ leaders of Chubbuck, and neighboring Pocatello, constantly claim economic growth, this is because officially gentrification is considered a sign of growth.  According to Wikipedia: “Gentrification is a process of renovation of deteriorated urban neighborhoods by means of the influx of more affluent residents.”

In the United States home ownership was long touted as a sign of economic prosperity, but when most of the homes in your neighborhood become rental units you know the economy is in trouble.  The reality of gentrification, for most neighborhoods throughout the United States, is that rents get jacked-up so high that most Middle Class workers can barely afford to rent them (let alone buy them in competition with elite minority buyers whose sole purpose is to use them as rentals), belying the claim that the average American has become more ‘affluent’.

Here’s some more examples of Chubbuck Gentrification at the hands of ‘elected’ leaders: In 1997 (when I moved here) the deposit for city utilities was $30.  In Summer 2016 I was told by city employees it’s now $350, that’s a 1066% increase!

In the late 1990s the average residential basic water/sewer/trash rate (not including the per thousand gallons water usage rate) was $38 per month.  Now it’s about $98 per month, a 158% increase, and we got no improvement in services (in fact, one year we had to petition the city, twice, over sloppy trash collections)!

Things are only going to get more expensive as in 2017 the city started a Property Improvement Project paid for by $3-million USD in bonds (debt financing), which will be paid back by all you happy taxpayers (somehow).

Small sample of Idaho news sources proving most Idahoans are not ‘affluent’;

Idaho State Journal: Pocatello family of five survives boiler explosion, now homeless

KMVT: Idaho Housing and Finance Association trying to raise half-a-million-dollars in 20 days, to deal with growing homelessness

KIFI: Help save homeless East Idaho animals with your pocket change

Coeur d’Alene Press: “Nationally, transitional housing is going away. Our transitional program has been cut down, so we’re trying to get people into permanent housing so they can have independence. I’d rather deal with a cure than deal with a Band-Aid.”-Jeff Conroy, Saint Vincent de Paul North Idaho homeless program

Idaho Press-Tribune: Boise Rescue Mission prepares to serve nearly 2K meals at Christmas

Idaho Foodbank reports it needs at least 3-million meals this end-of-year holiday season!   Interesting as Idaho’s official population is 1.6-million, proving that most people in Idaho don’t have enough money to buy food!

Idaho Statesman: Boise’s vets home needs more women’s items for its clothing drive

Small sample of news sources proving ‘gentrification’ is a scam to take your property and create a massive poverty class;

Bridge Michigan: What gentrification? Much of Detroit is getting worse.

Forbes: “Gentrification has two faces. There’s an upside that brings in new business, people, and energy, and a higher quality of life, including improved public services. But it’s impossible to overlook the invasive cloud that forces up rents and marginalizes and pushes out locals…”

The Atlantic: The Criminalization of Gentrifying Neighborhoods,  “police actions have coincided with increased gentrification.”

Wall Street Journal:  Gentrification Provokes a Coffee Clash in Denver’s Five Points

The Denver Post: “Gentrification moves fast”: A hard look at economic displacement

Cleveland Scene Weekly: Gentrification: What it Means in the Context of the Rust Belt

PRI: Miami residents fear ‘climate gentrification’ as investors seek higher ground

The Guardian: Nomad stores: the latest sign of gentrification

BlindBatNews;

IDAHO’S ECONOMIC DESTRUCTION 2016: “WE PLAN TO SELL IT DOWN TO THE BONES.”

MY IMMIGRANT IDAHO: FEDERALES (pronounced the Spanish way) SAY IDAHO DOMINATED BY POOR IMMIGRANTS!