European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 4, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Continued from Page 15 crime deteriorating social services and fear of earthquakes and other disasters. For the first time since these figures have been tracked More Young people from the age of 30 to age 44 left California for other states than moved in dirring the 12 months ending june 30, based on figures rpm the state s department of finance. Among them were Robert and Mara Shlachter who recently pulled up their roots in los Angeles took a Cut in income and moved to Portland Ore. Quot we wanted to be in a smaller Community Quot said Shlachter a 44-year-old lawyer. Quot we wanted to get around More easily see friends More easily and enjoy the outdoors  the loss of such families is stirring deep concern among California s leaders. Quot it s troubling when it s people in their productive years Quot state treasurer Kathleen Brown said in an interview. Quot but it s not surprising Given the problems California faces that have not been solved she added though that the state could Benefit from a pause in immigration to allow it to Quot catch up Quot in rebuilding roads and schools and other needs. In addition the outflow of such younger people comes As a growing number of companies Are relocating to other states galvanizing officials and business leaders into trying to retain jobs. Despite the slowing of Domestic migration the population of California continues to grow substantially because of a High birth rate and foreign immigration. The lure of California has not always been irresistible to other americans. During two other recent recessions in the Early 1970s and Early 1980s, the flood of migrants narrowed to a trickle and then rebounded with a vengeance when the Economy improved. But some economists see the current shift As part of a broader and More enduring movement of population and economic activity inward away from both the East and West coasts to the Rocky Mountain midwestern and Southern states where the costs of living and doing business Are radically lower. If so the Validity of numerous forecasts of continued swelling of the California population May be called into question with implications for politics schools and Many industries including housing and retailing. A slowdown Wilt be welcomed by Many californians especially environmentalists who believe that uncontrolled population growth has caused traffic congestion pollution and other problems that have ruined a state that Many once considered something of an earthly Paradise. On the other hand numerous business and government agencies like Home builders and school districts have drawn plans based on the Assumption that the states population would continue to grow at extremely High rates. The new trends emerge from shifts of Driver s licenses Between states which demographers say offer a More current picture of Domestic migration than the decennial census. According to data compiled by analysts at the California department of finance the number of licenses that were changed to California from the 49 other states and the District of Columbia has dropped from a Peak of 437,000 in 198889 to 376,000 in 199091, while the number change readers action Lin email without ap0 a aet Likely will be delayed in the recent Apo system change our zip code was not changed. What will happen to our mail next year if we do not Send changes of address to our Many correspondents and to publications is the Quot a Quot instead of Quot by Quot that important for our purposes i ask because we have changed our address five times in the last 3vfe years. Every time we seem to lose something. Also will the military be contacting the Large Magazine subscription services to inform them of these changes so we can limit the number of changes we need to make Many of them have Quot by Quot come up automatically when they punch in the zip code. This should be easy to fix. Victoria Hirschland Haas Bonn Germany a Barbara Lutz postal service analyst . Page 16 b the stars and stripes growth slows Down Chart shows net change in the number of persons holding California Drivers licenses. Demographers estimate that each shift in a Driver s License is equal to a shift of 1.5 people. 150.000 100.000 50,000 81 s3 85 87 89 91 the age Factor net change by age group for the 1990-91 fiscal year. 18-24 448,000 25-29 421,500 45-64 -1,700 f 30-44 .20,000 65 and up 1 -11,000 source California state department of finances amps s. Kilday to other states has increased even faster. Demographers estimate that every change in one License corresponds to a shift of 1.5 persons in population if so the net movement of americans to California dropped to about 55,500 during the last fiscal year from 208,500 two years ago. This does not suggest that the state has stopped its rapid growth. Even with no Domestic migration California s Quot natural increase Quot the term demographers use for the excess of births Over deaths continues to outpace the National average because of the Large population of hispanic residents and other minorities in the state whose birth rates tend to be High. In addition there is immigration from foreign countries both Legal and illegal. Recent data from the immigration and naturalization service show that Legal foreign immigration to California has remained constant since the current recession started at a rate of about 185,000 a year. According to Tho 1990 census the state registered a staggering 26 percent increase in population in the last decade from 23.7 million in 1980 to 29.8 million in 1990. That was More than twice the National average and gave California seven new seats in Congress. Of that 6.1 million growth natural increase accounted for about 3.4 million foreign immigration 1.9 million and migration from other states 824,000. While Domestic migration represented about 13 percent army postal group Europe replies you be asked three questions to your letter and i la address each one. E what will happen if you Don t change your address since your Apo number does not change your mail will still toe delivered to you although it May be delayed. If your Apo had changed your mail would not be forwarded overseas by the United states postal service uses after july 15,1992. A is changing from Quot by Quot to Quot a Quot that important yes it is our new state code. The new uses automated mail sorting equipment will be programmed to accept a state code of Quot a Quot and May reject Apo mail which is addressed to  if the mail has to be sorted by hand because of an incorrect state code it will take longer to arrive. A will the military be contacting Large mailers to inform them of these changes uses has accepted responsibility for informing All civilian businesses of the new military addresses. To be honest the word has not gotten out to everyone and we have informed uses that a More aggressive publicity Campaign needs to be conducted in conus Continental United states. We ask that anyone having problems changing their of this growth that portion was important politically because unlike newborns and foreign immigrants most of these new residents could vote almost immediately. The slackening of Domestic migration comes against a backdrop of deepening economic troubles Here. Even As the National unemployment rate dipped slightly in september to 6.7 percent the California rate Rose to 7.7 percent and to 9.3 percent for los Angeles county the most populous county in the United states. The county has been hard hit by layoffs in the military and aerospace industries banking and retailing. As a whole the state lost 240,000 jobs during the last fiscal year according to a Survey for the California business round table a group of corporate executives 14 percent of californians business leaders said they planned to relocate outside the state and 41 percent said they planned to expand operations out of state. The population data suggest that los Angeles county which has 8.8 million people nearly a third of the entire state accounts for the bulk of the change in migration patterns. For some years now the net migration from other states has been slowing and in the last year the flowed turned negative for the first time. Quot people Are leaving Quot said professor James p. Alien a geographer at California state University at Northridge. "l.a. Used to be a Mecca for people seeking climate and Job opportunities. It has lost that Rosey image. That a quite realistic Given problems of crime pollution congestion housing costs and Lack of funds for an increasing number of children Quot the Drivers License records show that californians Are migrating mainly to Nevada Washington state Oregon Arizona and Florida in that order. California remains a net importer from most other states mainly from new York Massachusetts Texas Michigan new Jersey and Illinois. While older retired people have been leaving California for cheaper climes for some years the loss of younger families is new. Shlachter the lawyer who recently moved to Portland with his wife and two children Ages 6 and 10, said the family has been pleased by the move. Quot when i told people that i was leaving the typical comment was congratulations you be got a lot of guts. In be been thinking about something like this for a Long time a Quot he said. Quot at least 100 people have told me  Many others leapt at the Chance to leave when it came. Last october smart telecoms inc., a Small company that makes optics and Stobe lights for the military moved from Orange. Calif., to Reno. The company s Plant manager 28-year-old Kenneth j. Miner ii married with two children did not hesitate for a moment. He had been commuting to Orange from Riverside about 50 Miles and the drive often took two hours each Way. In March he bought a 1,800-Square-foot Home in Sparks. Nev., just a five minute drive from work for $98,000. A similar Home in Orange county would have Cost three times As much. Quot we love it up Here a Miner said by Telephone. Quot there s not the traffic. There s no smog. I Haven to been on the freeway in  address Contact their Community postal officer whose name and Telephone number Are posted in every army Post office and give them specific information on the problems they Are having. We will then Contact uses with that information and they will Contact the company. If we can be of further assistance please Contact me at ets 379-7837/7643 or write to commander . Army postal group Europe attn Teupe Page Ops unit 29301, Apo a 09186. To write us readers1 action line is the readers Quot court of last resort Quot striving to answer some of the questions about life overseas in a military environment or questions about policies and guidelines when other avenues for answers Are not readily available. If you have a question and Don t know where to turn for the answer write to readers action line co the stars and stripes Apo 09211-4211. All letters must be signed and preference will be Given to those seeking information of general interest to our readers. Monday november 4, 1991