LETTER: Why I left California, and want Montana left alone...

In response to Francis Johnson as to who gets to be the last in the “Last Best Place”:

I left California for four big reasons: 1) It is the most “liberal state” in the Union. 2) It is now a suburb of Mexico City. 3) Unless you have a six-figure retirement, you cannot afford to live in California. And 4) unless you are making at least $150K a year, you cannot afford to pay property taxes or afford a house.

I retired from law enforcement with a retirement of $2,400 a month and moved out of Southern California to Northern California for 13 years and I could no longer afford to live in the state because of the high cost of living.

California today is losing about 5,000 people a month and most are going to Texas for jobs and a lower cost of living. But these are young people with families who are moving to the major cities or suburbs of Dallas, Houston or Fort Worth, who can now afford to buy a home and pay reasonable property taxes. But they are living in the major commerce areas of the country where capitalism has access to major highways and waterways for shipment of products.

Most people who are coming to Montana are people like myself; retired and looking for a place where they can afford to live a reasonable lifestyle, providing they enjoy the harsh winters. So you see, Francis; we are not looking to change Montana into a concrete and black-top paradise as the politicians of today are spouting with higher paying jobs, etc.

We’d like to leave it just as it is. —Jim Garvey, Kalispell