If things are so bad in NEPA, why do people stay? (Philadelphia: estate, property taxes)

[FightinPhils]

Originally Posted by 61scout80

In Arizona i can buy beer wine and liquor at walmart and we have very lax vehicle code, and no annual inspection.

So you could buy beer at Wal-mart? Big deal. That's one good thing about the alcohol laws in PA...you have to buy beer from local mom-and-pop businesses...at least it keeps Wal-Mart and other big chains from monopolizing something. I like being able to buy regional microbrews at the local distributor rather than just going to Wal-Mart and probably only be able to buy mass-produced national garbage like Bud, Miller, and Coors.

And is no annual vehicle inspection a good thing? At least I know in PA, other vehicles on the road have to meet basic safety requirements, which in turn makes me and my family safer on the road. Sounds like it would be quite a hazard to drive on the roads in AZ and not know if the person behind you has functioning brakes.

[FightinPhils]

Originally Posted by W-B proud

Hello, I'm brand new to this site. I just found it by accident, but I love sites about local topics, and I hope all you veterans to this site welcome my two cents! Anyway, I was born and raised in Wilkes-Barre. I lived in Scranton for about two years, but I didn't like it, and moved back to Wilkes-Barre. I'm an ex-taxi driver in the city, and Ive seen it all! I love my hometown of Wilkes-Barre and want to see it thrive. In a nutshell these are my feelings about our area. I think W-B has gotten a well deserved bad reputation over the years especially when it comes to crime, drugs and violent crime, and that reputation is the biggest wall in W-B's path to success, but I think the tide is turning in our favor. W-B has been beefing up it's police force, adding survalence cams. to troubled neighborhoods, and it's starting to pay off! A few weeks ago it was reported that crime in the city has finally started to drop off after years of growth. I think the perception is much worse than reality. This bad rep. is what keeps people from visiting our city. and investing in it. City officials need to work on changing the perception of W-B from negative too positive. I think a well run marketing campaign would go along way. Also, I think that Public Square needs many, many more festivals like the fine arts feista. There is no reason why the Square should be empty in the summertime! Our Mayor is simply not doing enough! W-B has the potential to become one of the most beautiful cities in Pa. All the pieces are there, but we need visionary leadership to put them together. And I don't think we are getting it. And while our downtown may leave alot to be desired, let's not forget that the outskirts of W-B offer some of the best entertainment options in the entire region. The Mohegan Sun IS the top grossing entertainment complex the W-B/Scr. area has ever seen, The Woodlands is the biggest and most successful nightclub complex in the W-B/Scr. area, and the Arena has been wildly successful ever since it first opened it's doors! Still selling out hockey games and top notch concerts. So this perception that Scranton is some fabulous nightlife mecca, and W-B is a dumpy ghost-town simply is not true! Our downtown definatley DOES have a long way to go, but I truely think, starting this year, it's going to make some real strides, and a dramatic change for the better is gonna begin. The much anticipated Riverfront Project is supposed to be unvailed this fall, The Hotel Sterling is "getting there" and The W-B Chamber is going to sell the theater complex to that L.A. firm. Once that happens, I think all those empty store fronts in the theater complex will fill up fast. I think once that happens store fronts all over the downtown will follow suit. I think this is going to be the year. I can feel it! Sorry, I know this post was very long and probably put everybody to sleep, but thats how I feel.

Sorry, W-B proud, I disagree. I live in Scranton and work in Wilkes-Barre, and I can attest that Scranton is much nicer, more liveable, and has much less crime than Wilkes-Barre. I couldn't care less about nightlife...I'm in my 30's, married, and have 2 kids....what I'm looking for is safe, liveable, low-crime neighborhoods and good schools, and Scranton has Wilkes-Barre beat in that department. W-B has too many transient, NYC/Philly criminal elements, which is the reason for W-B's decline. The downtown is pitiful, empty storefront after empty storefront....bums and dirtbag druggies hanging around public square waiting for the bus, blowing smoke in people's faces, bumming money and cigarettes off of passers-by, etc etc.

I hope you are right and Wilkes-Barre does make a comeback, because I do have to spend 40 hours a week in the city....but there is still no way I would ever move here....I'll stick to my commute back and forth from Scranton.

[61scout80]

Originally Posted by MrKrabs

So you could buy beer at Wal-mart? Big deal. That's one good thing about the alcohol laws in PA...you have to buy beer from local mom-and-pop businesses...at least it keeps Wal-Mart and other big chains from monopolizing something. I like being able to buy regional microbrews at the local distributor rather than just going to Wal-Mart and probably only be able to buy mass-produced national garbage like Bud, Miller, and Coors.

And is no annual vehicle inspection a good thing? At least I know in PA, other vehicles on the road have to meet basic safety requirements, which in turn makes me and my family safer on the road. Sounds like it would be quite a hazard to drive on the roads in AZ and not know if the person behind you has functioning brakes.

try to find any statistics that prove the annual pa inspection actually prevents accidents. i'd like to see some real statistics that show accidents caused by faulty equipment in states that have no annual inspection vs those in state with annual inspections.

without such strict alcohol laws we actually do have many many microbreweries run by local businessman. its way easier for them to get started since they don't have to jump through so many political hoops. Ask your local mom and pop pa wineries how they feel about the upcoming legislation changes in pa that will be shutting down their small wineries. yep, pa government will be shutting down mom and pop shops.


obviously we have very different political views, where i prefer responsibility and choices be laid on the hands of the people, your prefer your legislators to set up a structured system that tells the people exactly how to live their lives. there is nothing wrong with that, its part of what makes our country fun

[TheHighHat]

Originally Posted by MrKrabs

The gloom and doom part is because the politics are so crooked and corrupt in this area. There is definitely a "good ol boys" network here that makes Boss Hogg and Roscoe P. Coltrane look honest. That said, this area is still a nice place to live for the reasons you mentioned above. Just because some people, myself included, may complain about the crooked politicians, doesn't mean that I am miserable with Scranton or NE PA. Exactly the opposite...I grew up in the area, and moved into Scranton voluntarily and like it here. The good outweighs the bad, in my opinion.

Mr. Krabs, You are right on with this. We were talking about this issue just this morning. Had a lawyer in the Lake area who was afraid to ruffle the feathers of another attorney (now a judge). The orginal attorney will be running for the judgeship in the near future. It really is the good ol' boys club here, but savvy people find a way to get answers.

[weluvpa]

Originally Posted by 61scout80

try to find any statistics that prove the annual pa inspection actually prevents accidents. i'd like to see some real statistics that show accidents caused by faulty equipment in states that have no annual inspection vs those in state with annual inspections.

Your comparing apples to oranges. Mr. Krabs is talking about street vehicles while your talking about modified offroad vehicles that are being driven on the road. NJ used to have a stability test and bumper height requirements for modified vehicles. I had a lifted suburban(6" w/35's) for years here in PA and never got stopped once. If you want a crawler or mudder then get a trailer because they do not belong on the road with other vehicles because they ARE NOT SAFE ON THE ROAD. Sure AZ is less strict with their laws when it comes to that but its different country out there then here and I for one would rather see someone have a LEGAL trail rig or put it on a trailer. There is no place on the road for a shackled up lifted jeep with full size axles and TSL's.

[61scout80]

Originally Posted by weluvpa

There is no place on the road for a shackled up lifted jeep with full size axles and TSL's.

i disagree. if the vehicle is in safe working order and operated in a safe manner there is no reason it shouldn't be able to be used on the roads.

[weluvpa]

There is nothing road safe about about a CJ, YJ or TJ with a lift and dana 44's and 38 TSL's on it. The body roll alone makes it unsafe on turns. They drift all over the place at highway speeds if they can actually get up to highway speeds since they are geared so low and have enormous tires. Last I checked bead locks were not DOT approved either. They are designed to crawl or dig thru mud and because they are modified for that purpose they are not safe on the roads. Sorry but I disagree. If its seriously modified trailer it.

[61scout80]

Originally Posted by weluvpa

There is nothing road safe about about a CJ, YJ or TJ with a lift and dana 44's and 38 TSL's on it. The body roll alone makes it unsafe on turns. They drift all over the place at highway speeds if they can actually get up to highway speeds since they are geared so low and have enormous tires. Last I checked bead locks were not DOT approved either. They are designed to crawl or dig thru mud and because they are modified for that purpose they are not safe on the roads. Sorry but I disagree. If its seriously modified trailer it.

last post from me on this subject, since we are way off course.

there are several DOT approved beadlocks on the market now, google will help you find them.

most people with rigs modified as you described do trailer them, but since the legal wheeling trails in az are state and county roads the vehicles need to be licensed and insured, outlawing these modifications would shut down most legal off road use. while common sense prevails that its impractical to drive a vehicle like you described daily, it by no means should be illegal.

my TJ a 5" short arm lift does just fine on the highway, with no wandering at all. it tracks true and straight, even at highway speed. it has no where near a dangerous level of body roll and never have i felt i was in a dangerous situation while driving it. its built with the proper components and feels a hell of a lot safer than any stock classic car i have ever driven.

sheesh, next thing your going to do is tell me that my neighbor with the street legal quad should have that taken away too, or all the pre-runner full tube fiberglass skinned trucks build for high speeds should be taken off the streets too

but truth is truth, i have never seen a statistic that shows modified vehicles are the cause of more accidents than stock vehicles. i would love to see those stats, especially since it is damn near impossible to buy a pick up or jeep out here without a modified suspension, even from the new car dealer. many go right in for wheels and a lift before the first person has ever purchased it.

[cgraz1187]

Originally Posted by MrKrabs

Sorry, W-B proud, I disagree. I live in Scranton and work in Wilkes-Barre, and I can attest that Scranton is much nicer, more liveable, and has much less crime than Wilkes-Barre. I couldn't care less about nightlife...I'm in my 30's, married, and have 2 kids....what I'm looking for is safe, liveable, low-crime neighborhoods and good schools, and Scranton has Wilkes-Barre beat in that department. W-B has too many transient, NYC/Philly criminal elements, which is the reason for W-B's decline. The downtown is pitiful, empty storefront after empty storefront....bums and dirtbag druggies hanging around public square waiting for the bus, blowing smoke in people's faces, bumming money and cigarettes off of passers-by, etc etc.

I hope you are right and Wilkes-Barre does make a comeback, because I do have to spend 40 hours a week in the city....but there is still no way I would ever move here....I'll stick to my commute back and forth from Scranton.

W-B's problem is the same problem Scranton has had for years, which in my opinion is finally changing. The problem is blighted, run down, deplorable properties which both attracts crime and deminishes property values and pride. Scranton is finally taking the right steps to deter and condemn blight, South Side will take some time, but it will be cleaned up. There are only so mant problems you can fix by having a police presence, at the same time the city must cut down the number of absentee slum lords, blughted properties where the onwers do not take responsibility for maintaining, cleaning, or fixing their own properties.
The citizens of Scranton who have lived here their entire lives, and those who wish to move here, do not want to live next to a house overgrown with weeds, or having cars pull up all night because of drug deals.

I know the political climate on this site is heated at times, but most of the debate seems reasonable, unlike the other site out there.

[Chefkey]

Originally Posted by cgraz1187

W-B's problem is the same problem Scranton has had for years, which in my opinion is finally changing. The problem is blighted, run down, deplorable properties which both attracts crime and deminishes property values and pride. Scranton is finally taking the right steps to deter and condemn blight, South Side will take some time, but it will be cleaned up. There are only so mant problems you can fix by having a police presence, at the same time the city must cut down the number of absentee slum lords, blughted properties where the onwers do not take responsibility for maintaining, cleaning, or fixing their own properties.
The citizens of Scranton who have lived here their entire lives, and those who wish to move here, do not want to live next to a house overgrown with weeds, or having cars pull up all night because of drug deals.

I know the political climate on this site is heated at times, but most of the debate seems reasonable, unlike the other site out there.

I agree too that things are improving in Wilkes Barre. The Mayor is doing a great job trying to fix things. I have grown tired of the negative comments being posted here about the area being bad. You Know Who You Are

This area is going to continue to grow with the overflow flow from NY/NJ/Philly and most of that growth is of the good variety. If we keep working on clearing the blight and policing the area we will start stemming the tide of druggies and prostitutes. The valley is on it's way back to greatness.