| We have seen an increase in Snowbirds from | | | | Northern States increases those residence are |
| Northern States into Southern States. It is truly | | | | interested in moving and staying all year in the |
| phenomenal the difference between now and a few | | | | Southern States which increases needs of those |
| years ago. I attribute this to the mobile nature of our | | | | consumers for service businesses.This will include gas, |
| society, me included and the use of modern | | | | food, services, and even taxes. The tax base to |
| technology, such as cell phones, GPS devices, and | | | | employ the workers and the government dwindles as |
| Internet availability in many places to hook up to and | | | | less goods are bought by the consumers who are in |
| now for the first time we are seeing a proliferation | | | | different states half the year and many choosing to |
| of services in major markets such as LA, Seattle, | | | | stay all year. Especially those in IL, where it is hot and |
| San Francisco, Silicon Valley and Phoenix of Ricochet, | | | | muggy in the summer and ass freezing cold in the |
| Inc. the first main system which came on the scene. | | | | Winter. As taxes increase on sales of goods and |
| Soon as in a few months we will be seeing Internet | | | | property taxes increase to cover needs of local |
| Direct the GM Hughes system similar to the Direct | | | | governments those governments will need to be |
| TV idea for motor homes that you can point at the | | | | looking at hiring part time half year help and trading |
| satellite anytime, anywhere providing clear skies and | | | | with sister cities in other states of the same size, |
| no obstructions, such as buildings, mountains, bridges | | | | same policies and same equipment in operations. If |
| or trees. These systems will be rolled out for use in | | | | government does not do this correctly soon then |
| the Trucking Industry and over the road independent | | | | they will become inefficient and need to disappear. |
| drivers and also to RV whizzes.All these tools will | | | | For instance a small city, which cannot handle its |
| increase the number of snowbirds migrating and | | | | duties should return to County control. Those |
| smart businesses will be taking advantage of this | | | | Counties, who cannot handle their duties for animal |
| location and customer variation to help with not only | | | | control, sewer, sheriffs, etc, need to be gobbled by |
| profit but also skilled labor. Several areas in AZ, CA, | | | | larger counties or the state. Redundancies in |
| NM, and TX as well as GA and FL have areas, which | | | | government are costing too much money to |
| cater to these snow birds and often cannot handle | | | | consumers, and thus effecting quality of life.If the |
| the volume of people every year. We have | | | | populations move around, then so too should |
| witnessed Fed Ex increase route drivers to handle | | | | government resources to cater to the needs of |
| the volume in many cities and even rent additional | | | | those tax payers who are paying into the system, |
| units and then in summer work these drivers doing | | | | where ever they are. Businesses must cater to the |
| other type of work until traffic picks up again for | | | | customers and government should cater to the |
| Christmas. Let us look at this scenario. People live | | | | people. Businesses should be watching all demographic |
| half-year one place and Half year somewhere else. | | | | shifts in population temporary or otherwise; trendy or |
| The customer base also moves half and half.have | | | | cataclysmic. Business should respond to the needs of |
| talked to franchisees of large companies and small | | | | the consumer without hesitation and without excuse. |
| business owners a like who say; I cannot wait until | | | | It should have already been done, but if it has not |
| the busy season again. What kind of statement is | | | | then now is better than never. We must be a |
| that? The busy season is every season if done | | | | metamorphic for the customer, so should any |
| correctly. And why pick a location to run your | | | | business person who cares to prosper in now or in |
| business if every location is more suited? Snow Birds | | | | the future.Government should be no different in its |
| are needing activities to keep them busy and | | | | mission to provide welfare, health and allow each |
| increase in fuel costs to travel to the new winter | | | | American to pursue their American Dream, whatever |
| time area to live increase along with energy costs | | | | that dream might be. As for the government the |
| and food costs (remember even though we | | | | ends are justified as long as the mission is truly |
| supposedly have no inflation, everything we buy will | | | | fulfilled. To find the answer to this question stop any |
| go up due to fuel costs). People in States like OR, ID, | | | | citizen on the street and ask them what they think |
| WA, MT,WY, ND, SD, IA, IL, WI, OH, NY, MA, NH, | | | | and what they are concerned about, after all those |
| RI, CT, VT, ME, MI, and provinces like Quebec, | | | | are your customers.If you tell the customer what |
| Ontario, Manitoba, BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan have | | | | they want in your business, they will only buy it until |
| been traveling to other parts of USA for years and | | | | they find out what they really want. Advertising, PR, |
| the numbers are also increasing. Even though we are | | | | and all the help you can muster from the media |
| in a an interesting weather period and the weather | | | | cannot work forever. Although it is said that |
| has been relatively nice in WA, OR, ID, MT, WY | | | | perception is reality; think to yourself, is it reality? NO, |
| snow birds is on the increase. Well they predict | | | | perception is perception; that is a reality. But reality is |
| another 2% in 2005 and 2% more in 2006 and we | | | | truth and that only changes with the relativity of the |
| just came from a 3% increase in 2003-2004. So we | | | | situation and the proximate of one dimensional time |
| now see 2+2+3=7 and that is 7% in only three | | | | and their desires at the moment of payment in the |
| years. Now in the future as fuels to heat increase | | | | case of a consumer. What does all that mean? It is |
| and jobs decrease all those people will migrate South | | | | simple, it means that the customer will buy what |
| again choosing to stay. Also we have had an increase | | | | they want when they want for the reasons they |
| in Hispanic over the border crossing from the South | | | | want and if they later feel they have been tricked |
| into states such as IL, NJ, GA, FL, TX, AZ, CA, NM, | | | | they will stop buying and be angry and not return if |
| NV. As many as 600,000 permanent new residence | | | | they can get a better substitute elsewhere. A |
| per year. You would think that this labor would be | | | | government who is not reasonable and responsive to |
| sufficient to handle the increase in the snowbird | | | | her clientele will find those customers and consumers |
| traffic, but it is not. Also as the population of | | | | unwilling to support her in heart, body and soul. |