Letter: Vail’s labor debacle
As I flip through the Vail Daily, it’s hard to deny —
The demand for homes far exceeds the supply.
Except of course if money’’s not an object;
For $2M you can have a remodel project.
Living in Vail is not good but GREAT!
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Those of us with tenure can surely relate.
But for the vast majority who supply the hospitality —
Living in the valley is hardly a reality.
The population of recent has seemed to double,
But the lack of workers is making double the trouble.
While COVID has become the undeniable excuse —
Lowering expectations is a thought we must refuse.
As I look at the math of the average employee,
Why we have no help is quite easy to see.
At 20 bucks an hour we used to live rich —
Now at that rate all we do is bitch.
When my 13-year-old makes $18 an hour,
It’s hard to teach her about money’s lasting power.
Not quite sure where we go from here —
Might spend the last of my tips on an ice cold beer!
Our valley is working on affordable housing —
Not sure it’s affordable, but at least it’s housing.
Success in community is about sharing common ground,
But for our NIMBY’s I know — this thought is profound.
For a community whose pillars are excellence galore —
We should come together to discuss the core.
Because our core is disappearing right before our eyes,
But the great movement to the valley is on the rise
The problem cannot be put on the shelves,
If so all the work will be done by ourselves.
So let’s make it a win-win for all those involved
Before our fragile labor market is totally dissolved.
Jeff Kennedy
Vail
