Sick of all the Albuquerque and New Mexico bashing... (Las Cruces: relocate, property taxes)

[Towanda]

I grew up in New York. I know about crime.

I live in the Kansas City area. Our local news if full of crime stories, too.

I have lived in San Antonio, Texas and near Detroit, Michigan. Good grief there is lots of crime everywhere in our American cities!!!

Also, I must respond to the Midwest friendliness comment. I have lived in Kansas for quite a few years, and yes, we have very friendly people here. BUT....I have been visiting NM for oiver 35 years .... and I have always found people in NM to be very friendly. I can't think of a single rude person I have encountered in NM.

I am intrigued by your Tucson remark. Are you saying people there are friendlier.....crime there is less? No bad drivers? No DWI?

[EnjoyEP]

Originally Posted by designer

I agree that Albuquerque and NM takes a lot of bashing but I think a lot of
it is well deserved. Might want to turn on the local TV stations to check out
the crime there. Albuquerque is right up there with the big boys not to mention all the corruption in the state and local government. I think the state and Albuquerque has a lot of problems and some of the drivers there
in Albuquerque need to go back to drivers ed. Of course I rarely ever see
any cops patroling the freeways so why shouldn't they do what they want.
And lets see there are the DWI's. They are top notch at that one. You have
to admit NM and Albuquerque has a lot to be proud of. They are right up there on top. Also many of the people in Albuquerque are polite but I don't
feel they are as friendly as the midwest folks. I guess I wouldn't be either
if I always have to look over my shoulder to see whos trying to do me in.
Good luck with your move to Albuquerque. Might want to take a look at
Tucson first.

You knock ABQ for things like your perceived notion of "high crime" and yet you then suggest Tucson...TUCSON??! Are you serious?

Hey, I actually like Tucson alot, but comeon, if you are going to bash ABQ for crime but then suggest Tucson, you discredit the point.

Then you knock ABQ as not as "friendly" as Midwestern folks, or bad drivers. Well, last time I checked, cities like Chicago, Detroit and St. Louis are in the Midwest. I have sure seen a whole lotta non-friendliness and bad, bad driving in those cities as well.

"I guess I wouldn't be either if I always have to look over my shoulder to see whos trying to do me in."...ummm, may I ask where you live??? I have been in ABQ for 3+ years and never once have had even the slightest urge to "look over my shoulder" to see who might "do me in"...gee whiz. Yeah, those crazy neighborhoods in the NE Heights, the Westside, the North Valley, just full of hardcore crime!

[MichelleAZ]

Thank you guys for your comments. I just joined this chat forum stuff a week or so ago. I have to admit, it's been fun reading everyones comments.
I am still very excited about my move.
Now that I think about it, I DO remember when I moved to Albuquerque (from Tucson) as a teenager, I had to walk to school as a freshman, we lived in the NE Heights (went to El Dorado). Although we didnt have an expensive home or live in the BEST neighborhood at the time, I do remember loving our neighbors and having lots of BBQ's. Feeling very safe.
However,
I will also say that I had (on more than one occasion- three times total--over a four year span), been walking to school and some loser guy (or I should say "MAN") would drive up and call out/ whistle or whatever so that I could see in his car while he did sick things. to himself. --Maybe it was the blonde hair--who knows-
I was shocked the first time (and quite innocent). The other two times happened after I got my first car (age 16) and they pulled up beside me. (also in ABQ).

As far as Tucson goes, when I was around 10 years old, while staying at my Grandparents home, we all left one evening to get ice cream, only to come back to the house to find a man INSIDE OUR HOUSE , trying to rip us off! My Grandparents had a home in an extremely nice part of town (Sabino Canyon), on the top of a hill, so driving back from DQ, we could see the lights were on, so thankfully ,we had fair warning. Plus the Community security was already on top of it. Turns out the guy was carrying a gun.

I dont know why I am sharing this, I guess because it is interesting how losers are everywhere. I still must say that I feel all-in-all, Albuquerque and Tucson offer so many good things also. The friends I have made while in ABQ , are still friends today and are loyal, funny, quick witted and wonderful. Anyway, theres my two cents.

Michelle

[finmqa1]

Crime statistics according to the FBI list both Tucson and Phoenix with higher crime rates, including violent crimes. I love both cities and have thought of moving to either on several occassions, and I certainly would lead people to believe they are crime ridden dumps! If you're going to knock ABQ be sure to get your facts straight.

[designer]

You are right about crime in Phoenix. It is terrible but if I remember correctly
the metro area is 3 to 4 times larger than Albuquerque. It is rediculous
there as well. I know I lived there for years before moving to New Mexico.
I'm not saying that Albuquerque is the worst place in the world but some of
the people on this forum are looking for a place to retire and I for one would
rather have a lower crime rate city or town to retire in. I don't care what
race is shooting at what race I just don't like getting caught in the crossfire.
And also comparing the crime in NYC to Albuquerque is also not real. I worked
in NYC for a long time as well and it has a lot of crime but over the years
it has been greatly reduced. It is also much larger than Albuquerque.
I expect to turn on the evening news in a larger city and hear about a lot
of crime but, let's see isn't Albuquerque a whopping 750,000? I think I heard
a few nights ago (Albuquerque news station) that Albuquerque was one of
the top crime cities in the US per capita. Check out the stats or maybe
carry a gun. Now for Tucson. I'm sure it has a lot of crime as well but I
personally just like the way the city is landscaped better. Different climate
might make some of the difference.

[MichelleAZ]

Originally Posted by finmqa1

Crime statistics according to the FBI list both Tucson and Phoenix with higher crime rates, including violent crimes. I love both cities and have thought of moving to either on several occassions, and I certainly would lead people to believe they are crime ridden dumps! If you're going to knock ABQ be sure to get your facts straight.

Wow. I certainly didn't intend on knocking ABQ. I love it there. Nor did I intend to knock Tucson. Just making conversation. And yes, I can assure you, my facts are straight.

[6/3]

Originally Posted by MichelleAZ

Wow. I certainly didn't intend on knocking ABQ. I love it there. Nor did I intend to knock Tucson. Just making conversation. And yes, I can assure you, my facts are straight.

Michelle i found your posts were just fine. You even titiled your post heading ''Albuquerque is a Wonderful place to live''. Although i will not answer for other posters as i'm not a mind reader i believe most were taking issue with ''Designer'' but if i'm wrong then i'm wrong.

[MichelleAZ]

Originally Posted by harry o

Michelle i found your posts were just fine. You even titiled your post heading ''Albuquerque is a Wonderful place to live''. Although i will not answer for other posters as i'm not a mind reader i believe most were taking issue with ''Designer'' but if i'm wrong then i'm wrong.

Thank you for that Harry

[nmguy]

They say a picture's worth lots of words. This is why I like NM:

[AndyJ]

Originally Posted by designer

Might want to take a look at
Tucson first.

I just moved back to ABQ from Tucson. Yeah, there are some good things about Tucson, but I had more bad experiences there (car broken into, shootings in my neighborhood, meth labs EVERYWHERE, etc.) in two years than I had in Albuquerque in about 12. Luck of the draw I guess, but I think that most people who have spent considerable time in both cities would give ABQ the upper hand. Tucson is also a lot more frustrating to drive around, IMO, and I personally feel people in Albuquerque are far more friendly, altough I would stress that that is only my opinion.

All in all, I would only look at Tucson if you had some connection to the University of Arizona, Raytheon or one of another handful of tech businesses there, Davis Monthan AFB, or simply had family there. Albuquerque has a lot more to offer, IMO.

Awesome pic, nmguy. One of countless reasons I love living in NM, as well.