A realistic look at SoCal for those planning a move here (San Diego: condo, low crime)

[LagunaLady27]

Originally Posted by Electrician4you

Nobody is denying that this state has a high cost of living as compared to other states, but most will NOT make the same amount of money there as they do here. It just doesn't work that way. If everybody lived in say Colorado and had high wages, then everything around them would cost more. Look at North Dakota. It's booming people are making money hand over fist, but everything they buy or rent has sky high prices. Why? Because they have high wages. And its due to the oil boom. So they have roughnecks making 100k a year. Hats great but rent there HAS DOUBLED on two bedroom apartments going for $1600 a month or MORE. So you are making money like Bernanke with QE but you're spending it as fast as you get it.
OP has a advantage that he can go and make the same money as here in another state. I wish him well in his endeavors. I truly do. California is THE MOST POPULATED state in the union. Just that alone will create densely populated areas. We also hav a metric ton of freeways and streets to accommodate that amount of people. And with that amount of people you are gonna get the criminal aspect and the poor and the rich and everything in between.
Ok so we reduce class size but how? The only way i know is to build more classrooms/schools and hire more teachers. So where is all this money gonna come from. I just got done building a science building again local school. It's just a building in a high school campus. Cost was 19 million. It was built to replace a old building.

Another way is to stop giving the State unions free reign on the taxpayers checkbook. That will take care of a lot of problems

You are ALWAYS gonna have panhandlers, Christ ma'am panhandlers were begging in Rome back in the Roman Empire days why do you think 2000 years somehow changed that. The only difference between us and them I we have better technology.
I agree we have problems. And lots of them.

In the last forty years, California has shifted where we spend our tax dollars. Even though the state constitution, (and several laws enacted because the constitution was being ignored) requires the state to fund education before spending money elsewhere, somehow more money goes to prisons than schools. It is a growth industry. As money is shifted from the classroom, class size increases. There is a weakening of the bond students make with schools and the success rate drops. At the same time, there is a similar increase in the prison population. I don't believe in coincidences. Someone is making big bucks on this; and this person does not have a teaching credential.

[Electrician4you]

Originally Posted by LagunaLady27

In the last forty years, California has shifted where we spend our tax dollars. Even though the state constitution, (and several laws enacted because the constitution was being ignored) requires the state to fund education before spending money elsewhere, somehow more money goes to prisons than schools. It is a growth industry. As money is shifted from the classroom, class size increases. There is a weakening of the bond students make with schools and the success rate drops. At the same time, there is a similar increase in the prison population. I don't believe in coincidences. Someone is making big bucks on this; and this person does not have a teaching credential.

Well you can thank the prison guard unions for their great lobbying. And you can thank the idiot voters of California for voting the WRONG people in office. There are people who have absolutely NO idea what they are voting on or for. But they are voting. Schools get PLENTY of money from states or bonds. They just manage to **** it away like every other state or government run entity.
People hear that cops or firefighters or prison guards are underfunded and crime will be rampant or its for the children they will cut their own throats (financially) to make sure the coffers stay filled.
You can also thank the various state unions for their take me out of this world wages deals and retirement funds. They are SOAKING the taxpayers but the taxpayers are too cow like to realize it. And the ones that do are the minority.

[dexter14]

Originally Posted by DSLGal

OP, let us know how it works out after you've settled in for awhile.

I'm a California native (Los Angeles), and currently live in the SF Bay Area. Aside from all of the pros and cons of the states that you've mentioned moving to, have you considered whether you'd actually enjoy living in Dallas, Phoenix, etc.?

Ive spent plenty of time in both Vegas and Phoenix. Only thing I really dont like with those areas are the summers. Ive been to Dallas for several days, great city and people. My main wants are easy, less expensive rent and cost of living, less traffic, less people and a state that isnt controlled by liberal pieces of garbage infringing on my 2nd amendment rights. Any of the states on my list fit the bill.

[Kurinji]

Originally Posted by mbell75

Ive spent plenty of time in both Vegas and Phoenix. Only thing I really dont like with those areas are the summers. Ive been to Dallas for several days, great city and people. My main wants are easy, less expensive rent and cost of living, less traffic, less people and a state that isnt controlled by liberal pieces of garbage infringing on my 2nd amendment rights. Any of the states on my list fit the bill.

Fair enough, thanks for the response . I've also considered moving to the areas you've listed, and was curious to hear your thoughts.

[Lola The yorkie]

Originally Posted by mbell75

Ive spent plenty of time in both Vegas and Phoenix. Only thing I really dont like with those areas are the summers. Ive been to Dallas for several days, great city and people. My main wants are easy, less expensive rent and cost of living, less traffic, less people and a state that isnt controlled by liberal pieces of garbage infringing on my 2nd amendment rights. Any of the states on my list fit the bill.

Dallas in the summer is like living in a sauna!! Heat and humidity worse than Florida where at least you have beautiful ocean water...We have friends that are Texans and say Dallas 4 months of the year is literally indoor time...

Phoenix and Vegas also veryyyyyy hot 4 months of the years..tho not so humid..again...in all three states your A/C bills will be sky high or you will literally get sick..

but whatever floats your boat

[dexter14]

Originally Posted by Lola The yorkie

Dallas in the summer is like living in a sauna!! Heat and humidity worse than Florida where at least you have beautiful ocean water...We have friends that are Texans and say Dallas 4 months of the year is literally indoor time..

Ummm, no its not. I have been following the weather in Dallas this summer. While the temps have reached 103-105, the humidity has typically stayed between 40-50% with a dew point between 55-65. I live 14 miles from the ocean and the humidity here is typical higher than that with a dew point very close. Obviously, our temps dont get into the triple digits but the humidity in Dallas is overrated by so many. Its nothing compared to FL where humidity will climb well into the 80% range and the dew point will push 75 or more. Heck, even Houston is much more humid than Dallas. We actually have worse humidity here closer to the ocean than Dallas does. I consider Phoenix indoor weather in the summer. While its very dry, temps 110-115 and getting into a car thats been sitting in the sun thats 150 degrees inside it will make you wish for 95 and some humidity.

[Lola The yorkie]

Originally Posted by mbell75

Ummm, no its not. I have been following the weather in Dallas this summer. While the temps have reached 103-105, the humidity has typically stayed between 40-50% with a dew point between 55-65. I live 14 miles from the ocean and the humidity here is typical higher than that with a dew point very close. Obviously, our temps dont get into the triple digits but the humidity in Dallas is overrated by so many. Its nothing compared to FL where humidity will climb well into the 80% range and the dew point will push 75 or more. Heck, even Houston is much more humid than Dallas. We actually have worse humidity here closer to the ocean than Dallas does. I consider Phoenix indoor weather in the summer. While its very dry, temps 110-115 and getting into a car thats been sitting in the sun thats 150 degrees inside it will make you wish for 95 and some humidity.

ahhhh...so my friends who have spent their entire life..7 decades ...living in Dallas are wrong?? And you are right?? oh..so dumb of me to count on them instead of you Having been to visit them many times..August is about the worst time EVER...

Obviously less humidity than Fl...but I don't recall anyone thowing that into the comparision..

We also live 14 miles inland (OC)...and this has been the coolest summer since 1976...our electric bill tells that...

Perhaps you need to read up on global warming...this has been a way unusually more pleasant summer in most everywhere..

Better yet...why don't you just pack up your guns and LEAVE this evil state...bye bye..and give us a break from your continual whining of why you hate it here..

good luck

[taraox]

I live in TX and I find it extremely hot and humid (San Antonio). Maybe the weather is better in Dallas or maybe it was good weather when you went, but trust me, it gets HOT. Like stepping out your door into a warm-steamy-shower-feeling hot. Not every single day, but definitely depends on the weather and whether it's rained or not. Sometimes the rain cools it down, but most of the time it just makes it feel like a sauna. And it doesn't cool down at night like desert regions do. I've gone out to grab my mail at 11pm at night in the dark and it would still be 90 degrees out. I used to live in Santa Margarita (inland OC but not too far) and it would reach the 90's sometimes but never ever this hot and humid (and I'm not a heat sensitive person generally, I prefer hot weather and until I moved here, I never ran my central air the entire time I was in CA). I think if you can handle it, go for it.. but I moved here fully expecting hot and I got more than I bargained for in the humidity department :P I would be able to handle AZ much better since at least it's a dry heat and for me, that's more tolerable. To be honest, what you save on cost of living here in TX, you definitely pay back having to run your a/c well into October.

[dexter14]

Originally Posted by Lola The yorkie

Obviously less humidity than Fl...but I don't recall anyone thowing that into the comparision..

LOL. Read the second sentence of your post again

[dexter14]

Originally Posted by taraox

I live in TX and I find it extremely hot and humid (San Antonio). Maybe the weather is better in Dallas or maybe it was good weather when you went, but trust me, it gets HOT. Like stepping out your door into a warm-steamy-shower-feeling hot. Not every single day, but definitely depends on the weather and whether it's rained or not. Sometimes the rain cools it down, but most of the time it just makes it feel like a sauna. And it doesn't cool down at night like desert regions do.

Yes, San Antonio is quite a bit more humid than Dallas due to it being closer to the gulf than Dallas. You guys do understand geography and how it effects weather right? I lived in Palm Springs, CA for a good 25 years. What makes you think the desert regions cool down at night? I worked for a radio station there KPSI FM 101. When the temp hit 101, they would give away tix to the water park. In July and August, it would hit 101 by 9am, sometimes earlier. It would be well over 100 at midnight and many nights, would only "cool off" down into the 90s. The LOWS would be what the highs would be in a place like Dallas. I'll take 90s and 40-50% humidity over 115-120 heat any day of the week.