[Dave1215]

Originally Posted by NebraskaNative

--There is NO natural scenery here, the closest natural scenery are the hills in Southern Missouri (6-8 hours away), or the mountains in Colorado (6-8 hours away).

To get some perspectives on what the state has to offer check out:
Nebraska State Tourism - good photogallery and scenic tour recommendations
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission - poke around their site awhile
Sarpy County Tourism

Mountains? No, but we aren't talking Colorado, Nebraska has unique geography and folks need to get out, seek it out, appreciate it... there are scenic places in this state that you will not find anywhere else in the nation. The Plains of Nebraska is very diverse geographically.

Here is a nice guide on the Metro area put together by Nebraska Tourism... the whole 2008 guide is on the Nebraska Tourism site link above.

[star_gazer]

Thank you, star_gazer, it looks like most ever city that you named is at least 100,000 or larger in size

Here's just the ones under 20,000... and with few exceptions... these are isolated communities not associated with larger MSA's. No one is safe Kosnebbear! Lock your doors! Get your grandkids inside after dark! Or...wait... maybe it's just that in NEBRASKA towns... everyone knows each other... and they're all immune from crime/violence.

Edinboro: 6,950
Fayetteville: 6,994
Springfield: 52,864
Conyers: 10,689
Deming: 14,116
Fort Gibson: 4,054
Mount Morris: 3,194
Granite Hills: 3,246
Caro: 4,145
Red Lion: 6,149
Cold Spring: 2,975
Red Lake: 1,430
Jacksboro: 1,887
Essex: 18,626
Nickel Mines: 4,064
Bailey: 14,523

[Steve_W]

Here's a little something about Omaha.

Best Cities For Jobs In 2008 - Forbes.com

[downthathighway]

Originally Posted by Dave1215

As I mentioned in an earlier post, looking purely at taxes, yes they can be a little of a shock to some folks depending on where they come from; HOWEVER, when you look at it holistically (income, cost of living, and taxes) Nebraska has a fantastic cost of living.

Also, in Nebraska the property taxes are a sum of a number of taxing authorities, but the 3 big ones are School tax, County tax, and city or SID tax. The sum of these is the total mil levy and that mil levy can vary greatly depending on where you live in the metro.

While your specific levy is 2.9 mine in Papillion is 2.0 and that has dropped every year but 1 since 2003. My 2.0 levy means $3,000 on $160,000 house.

When someone is shopping for a house, they definietly want to consider the County/School/Town-SID due to the big variations in the levy. Papillion (within city limits) is one of the lowest in the metro.

Well, I do wish I had checked more carefully before transferring back home to Nebraska. However, if noone posted honest experiences, I would still not have known. I have said it before, yet it has been implied what I posted about taxes should be ignored. Quality of life is good here, but economics are an important factor considered before a move.
In my case, my salary is near what I earned in another state. The cost of housing was less there, though I do not consider Omaha expensive. I know there are also higher cost states, sheesh. In the last state I resided, my property taxes were about .075 of the houses value and we had no income tax there. Yes, sales taxes were higher, 9%. But ours in Omaha will also be 9% for dining out under the plan to pay for the new stadium. Effectively I DID take a pay cut to move here. I do pay a little more for housing, now pay an income tax, and was forced into a higher cost health insurance w/ my employers plan, due to moving here.
It appears the only 2 ways to come ahead economically here are to be paid a higher salary and/or find the cheapest housing possible. I know of no tax savings and see very few improvements that justifies that higher taxation.
Economically, living in Nebraska has cost me more. And that is with a similar size home, and with the same job.(a transfer here).

[downthathighway]

Originally Posted by kosnebbear

As someone who went to one of these less superior smaller schools in Nebraska than they are in Omaha, all I can tell you is that I am glad that I attended a smaller school where the teachers were not overloaded with students and where they took the time to help you even after school one on one. I also had the chance to play in sports. where in a bigger school I would not have had the that great of a chance. As it turned out I was rather good at sports in my school as a matter of fact we won several championships during my time in a smaller school. Everyone knew each other and we all shared like we were one big family.

I personally agree with you about the benefits of a smaller district and town. But I guess its not for everyone. Some of my family still in a small town despises that school and 'small-town politics' within the school.
"The teachers are less educated, smaller budgets" (condensed from someone else's post) Not true,the degree requirements are the same to be certified in NE. And the higher degree, the more pay. Thus ALL districts prefer to hire teachers at the lowest minimum ed. requirement(Bachelor degree) to save on payroll.
Alas, my parents both had the benefit of attending one room schools. They managed to get accepted in universities despite their 'inferior schooling' Side note- I sure never considered their schooling inferior. Alas, we no longer have that option easily available for our children, despite a vote of the people.
The academic achievement tests and ACT's are uniform, either a student passes or not, but all curriculum is targeted to acheive the highest scores now, no matter the size of the school.

[star_gazer]

Here's a little something about Omaha.

Best Cities For Jobs In 2008 - Forbes.com

For those keeping score at home... Omaha placed #8.

[mattpoulsen]

Downthehighway,

I completely agree. I actually attended a one room grade school when I grew up. It was an education that would beat the pants off of anything you could achieve in Lincoln or Omaha. The idea that smaller school district provide a lower level of education is just silly. Yes, there are small schools that aren't up to snuff, but there are large schools that stink too.

On a whole, a small school district gives you a much better grounding in the basics. Often, the plethora of "advanced placement" courses that are taught at the larger metro schools are nothing more than what a student SHOULD be learning in a normal course. For example, as a senior in high school I took the only physics course that was available. I did well and once I got to college I realized I knew much more about physics (and chemistry and biology for that matter) than students who took the supposed AP courses at the larger class A schools.

I taught physics at the University of Nebraska for several years and that experience only solidified my opinion about the inefficiencies of larger school systems.

In addition, the average ACT scores at my high school were significantly higher than what you see at larger schools. Plus, and this is the real "proof", 19 out of 20 student in my graduating class went to college and out of those 19 there are about 7 of us received advanced degrees.

In a nutshell...I wouldn't trade my "backwoods redneck edukashun" for anything!!

[star_gazer]

Oh brother... I don't know what started this... but isn't there a separate Nebraska forum section for giving one another 'small town' Nebraska warm fuzzies.

This is the Omaha forum.

That said... I can't help but find a statement (especially coming from a Physics PhD) arbitrarily suggesting that an education acquired in a one room grade school... 'beats the pants off of anything you could achieve in Lincoln or Omaha'... every bit as naive as someone suggesting that a 'big city' education is superior to that of small towns. Give me a break.

Drop it people... this discussion is about Omaha... not a big city vs small town education. Sounds like great material for another 'Nebraska' thread though. Go to it...

[downthathighway]

Originally Posted by corel

I would like to hear from the people that love Omaha: What is the downside to Omaha? I'm sold on the good things I've heard and seen. My husband and I are going to be making a trip out there this month or next, what should we look into while there, not the tourist things but things that would be important for someone looking to relocate?

Apologies for getting off topic in my last post- post #10 referred to education as a whole in this state, and went from there....
You posed a question starting this thread I wish I had also done before relocating here last year. I did hear all the positives, chamber-commerce tourist-type what Omaha had to offer and all that is true and then some.
All I can add for a downside in my case is the taxes here. And all you need do is compare the salary offered, housing chosen and review what your taxes will then be. What I hear of California, you're bound to find great housing at a much lower price than there. In my case, I now spend just a little more for similar housing yet much more in taxes than before. But I came here from a state in SouthEast U.S.
Upside-One relative of mine is retiring to AZ soon. His house in NW Omaha was on the market 2 weeks and sold for asking price. Some other parts of the country housing prices are dropping fast.
....What to look into- Obviously the housing desired and its costs. Most areas in and around Omaha have good schools, safe living and stable if not rising housing. The only area of Omaha I would advise against is the NorthEast, and by the airport, more crime there. Like most cities, some good, some bad areas. I once lived in Detroit and avoided living inside city living for a long time. My house is 'Aksarben, Midtown', in Omaha. A safe, walkable neighborhood, family friendly. Can't be too bad- Warren Buffett lives less than a mile away.
Driving/Commuting: If you're driving around while here: I rarely need a map in the car or GPS, it's easy to learn the street/address system here. Most N-S streets are numbered, lowest starting at the Mo. River, going up past 200th. About 12 streets per mile, so 108th St is about 9 miles from the river,etc. On E-W roads, the first few #'s on address tell what #street are nearby. For instance my office address 10828 --- St indicates it is near 108th St. All you need know is where that E-W road is, between what main streets. Omaha runs for many miles E to W, not too many N to S.... Addresses on the N-S Streets : I live on a # street, address is 1204 S. (#) Street. That means it is about exactly one mile south of the divider road, Dodge Street. (1200 per mile, so 3600 S is 3 miles S of, 3600 N is 3 miles North of Dodge,etc) I still need GPS when I go into Council Bluffs or to Lincoln, haven't learned their street systems yet.

[Steve_W]

Originally Posted by star_gazer

Oh brother... I don't know what started this... but isn't there a separate Nebraska forum section for giving one another 'small town' Nebraska warm fuzzies.

This is the Omaha forum.

That said... I can't help but find a statement (especially coming from a Physics PhD) arbitrarily suggesting that an education acquired in a one room grade school... 'beats the pants off of anything you could achieve in Lincoln or Omaha'... every bit as naive as someone suggesting that a 'big city' education is superior to that of small towns. Give me a break.

Drop it people... this discussion is about Omaha... not a big city vs small town education. Sounds like great material for another 'Nebraska' thread though. Go to it...

I guess I don't see what is so "arbitrary" about comparing Omaha school systems to that of the rural communities. That is a pretty important issue when considering relocating. Maybe that's just me?