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Old 05-13-2008, 09:35 AM
 
Location: Wisconsin
746 posts, read 2,168,926 times
Reputation: 436

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My husband is considering a well paying tech job in Sparks. I've been reading the posts about the area, they all seem to talk about Reno, not much about Sparks. I'm concerned about the schools in the area. We have 3 kids in elementary and middle school. We want to make sure they get a quality education in a safe environment. We're from the midwest and we would like the family to experience different parts of the country, but I want to make sure of the area. Of course we will visit before jumping into anything. We will be looking for a house to rent. Any advice would be appreciated.
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Old 05-13-2008, 11:05 AM
 
Location: Omaha, NE (the O-N-E)
226 posts, read 1,005,258 times
Reputation: 80
My honest advice is... well... This place is beautiful and intriguing especially with all the recent Earthquakes, but honestly you are probably better off where you are in the Midwest.

I can offer you a very good comparison since we moved here to Reno, NV from Omaha, NE.

The public schools in both Reno and Sparks are under the Washoe County School District. The K-12 schools here are ranked 47th or 48th so in other words they are the 2nd or 3rd worst schools in the entire nation!

Part of this is due to lack of funding. The state is currently facing a billion dollar deficit and the snazzy Republican governor would rather cut funding to education than raise a few taxes!

The reason why you hear more about Reno than Sparks is because they are virtually the same city! Sure they have different mayors and city council but thats about it. Where Reno ends and Sparks begins is sometimes vague at best, the streets are all intertwined.

I'm glad you brought up the cost of renting a house because out here housing costs are astronomical compared to that of the midwest! A decent 3 bedroom house in a good area will cost you around $1500 a month. Apartments are more affordable here than houses but still cost more than their Midwest counterparts.

The economy here is sluggish at best, many people think they can just move here and then find a good paying job (like you can in a lot of the midwest) but that simply isn't true here; many people move here and then have to move back because they couldn't attain employment. So if you do move here make sure your husband likes and doesn't lose his job!

Food also costs more here, but that may be due to inflation, but none the less there aren't any ALDI's out here!

Oh yea and don't let me forget, people here CANNOT DRIVE I am dead effing serious, I have been cut off, almost sideswiped, bumped into, etc so many more times than in Omaha that it isn't even funny. People here think that checking your blind spot is optional! I don't know if the DMV just gives anyone a license or what but please take caution while driving here!

There is also a large influx of illegal immigrants here, perhaps that is what's driving down the wages here! Seriously, I made $12/hr in Omaha and came out here and got a ****ty job in a sheet metal factory that only paid $9-- the economy here is bad! Every other day someone is knocking on my door trying to sell me tamales!

You would think since the cost of living is so much higher than in the midwest that the wages would compensate for it but its actually the exact opposite, the costs go up and the wages go down... But my wife got on at West Corp. doing telemarketing and they seem to go against the Reno grain and pay pretty well.

You will have to weigh the pros and the cons for yourself and make your own decision. I really can't argue either way because while the economy and the gov't aren't the best here, there is awesome scenery, awesome weather (its gonna be 90 this weekend), and awesome culture here! And day trips to California are always fun!

You may want to read my other thread entitled My Take on Reno

http://www.city-data.com/forum/reno-...take-reno.html

to get some more detailed information, my views have changed somewhat since then as our financial situation has changed and I have come to appreciate Reno more but as I said it is the economy and the government that are holding this place back... It is beautiful here and I am glad to call it my home for now!
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Old 05-13-2008, 11:32 AM
 
Location: Lovelock, NV - Anchorage, AK
1,195 posts, read 5,398,197 times
Reputation: 476
I have a few friends that retired to Reno and absolutely love it, even thou they didn't have to work four found job immediately, ver good paying jobs. So I guess if you have a skill to offer you can get a high paying job, for myself when we move to Nevada we will also be retired. For my husband and myself we make in excess of $10,000 monthly so it would be very tough to accept such a lower paying job, currently I make $29.75 hour as an Admistrative Manager when I inquired about pay scale in my area down there was told to cut my pay by third and then I could find a job for that. Nope not goin do that, so I continue to have a seasonal job here in Alaska.

Anyways my point is if you have a professional skill that's needed you will be paid well, if you have a blue collar skill the pay is poor as in all states but some worse than others, even though the blue collar are some of the hardest working folks and they do indeed deserve more. Without the blue collar worker we wouldnt need any white collar workers.

I have a great deal of respect for the blue collar worker and they are over looked way too many times. IMO
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Old 05-13-2008, 11:48 AM
 
Location: Omaha, NE (the O-N-E)
226 posts, read 1,005,258 times
Reputation: 80
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tressa View Post
I have a few friends that retired to Reno and absolutely love it, even thou they didn't have to work four found job immediately, ver good paying jobs. So I guess if you have a skill to offer you can get a high paying job, for myself when we move to Nevada we will also be retired. For my husband and myself we make in excess of $10,000 monthly so it would be very tough to accept such a lower paying job, currently I make $29.75 hour as an Admistrative Manager when I inquired about pay scale in my area down there was told to cut my pay by third and then I could find a job for that. Nope not goin do that, so I continue to have a seasonal job here in Alaska.

Anyways my point is if you have a professional skill that's needed you will be paid well, if you have a blue collar skill the pay is poor as in all states but some worse than others, even though the blue collar are some of the hardest working folks and they do indeed deserve more. Without the blue collar worker we wouldnt need any white collar workers.

I have a great deal of respect for the blue collar worker and they are over looked way too many times. IMO

Wow! So in Alaska you can make 33% more than what we make here. And you guys don't have a state income tax either right? or a property or sales tax for that matter if you live in the right part of Alaska right? Doesn't the state even cut you a check too? From surplus oil taxes? Wow, maybe we should all move to Alaska!

BTW I'm not really a blue collar worker, I am a 22 year old college student in transition, lol
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Old 05-13-2008, 07:33 PM
 
Location: Lovelock, NV - Anchorage, AK
1,195 posts, read 5,398,197 times
Reputation: 476
I guess that I do make 33% more than you but I have over 30 years experience in the field. Your right we don't have income tax and most of the state doesn't have a sales tax except for the Kenai Peninsula and the Mat Su Borough. How ever you are a bit incorrect when you talk about property tax if that is real property we pay 1.1 percent of the value of our home in property tax. Additionally I can guarantee you won't find a place to live in Anchorage for $500.00 per month not even a room in a house and it's very tuff to get food stamps up here as well. My daughter tried with 2 small children, if you can walk and talk you can work.

Yes we do get a check from the pfd each year and it's getting bigger all the time. But the cost of living up here is much higher than the cost of living down there especially for housing. and with the 9 months of winter up here not sure it's worth hanging around for the check.
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Old 05-13-2008, 07:40 PM
 
Location: Lovelock, NV - Anchorage, AK
1,195 posts, read 5,398,197 times
Reputation: 476
And one would think with the PFD check and all that oil money our schools would be well funded but unfortunately they're not. The roads are falling a part, parks and rec are not funded very well either. Although we do have a multi billion dollar gov't and I might say the prettiest Govenor too.

But Alaska is very beautiful and if you have an opportunity to visit or move up give it a shot you only have to live here 2 years before you can qualify for that big fat check.

We have a home, property and our family's up here so we will be back often.
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Old 05-14-2008, 12:17 AM
 
34 posts, read 242,300 times
Reputation: 36
Part of this is due to lack of funding. The state is currently facing a billion dollar deficit and the snazzy Republican governor would rather cut funding to education than raise a few taxes!

Governor Gibbons ran on a platform to not raise taxes and he's kept his word. His predecessor (Governor Guinn) had a huge tax increase 3 years ago of 800 million that all parties agreed (including education) would "fix"the education crisis in Nevada. A lot of Nevadans were upset at the size of the increase and voted that way in the next election. The simple fact of the matter is that Nevada is a boom and bust state. We rely on sales tax and gaming tax revenues, both of which are flat. The teachers union is suing to get a ballot intiative to raise taxes on casinos, so we'll see what happens. Gibbons could not raise "a few taxes" to fix a billion dollar shortfall. It is especially tough to justify raising taxes in a state that is essentially in a recession. Remember--businesses don't pay taxes; they are ultimately shifted to the consumer. I've lived here for 30 and will leave in 2 years and never come back. This is no place to raise children. The schools are a mess, there are few careers for college grads and Washoe county has a huge (albeit hidden) Meth problem. The Sierra's are beautiful and you do have good access to the main sights in California. However,expect to pay $ 4.00 for a gallon of gas and spend at least $ 1500/month to rent a decent house. One of the things I notice about people relocating from the midwest is the sticker shock for real estate. Many times, employers will offer a "bonus" increase which would be huge in the ones' local market in the midwest, but is actually a net loss when taking into account the increased cost of living. You need to do the math and figure if it's worth it...and good luck.
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Old 05-15-2008, 03:19 PM
 
Location: Omaha, NE (the O-N-E)
226 posts, read 1,005,258 times
Reputation: 80
Quote:
Originally Posted by proxima View Post
Part of this is due to lack of funding. The state is currently facing a billion dollar deficit and the snazzy Republican governor would rather cut funding to education than raise a few taxes!

.
Were you trying to quote me or plagiarize me?
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Old 05-16-2008, 04:25 PM
 
Location: Spring, TX
142 posts, read 997,181 times
Reputation: 79
I have to agree with Society's REbel. I am from Chicago and lived in Sparks for 2 years. I just recently relocated to Texas. Everything he or she says about the school's is true. I didn't realize it so much until I moved. My daughter was getting straight A's in second grade, reading at a 6th grade level(so her teacher said) and a model student. She is lagging behind here in Texas and even bringing home some "D" papers. I am hoping she will improve and it is mainly due to the adjustment. I would hate to see what would happen to an average student from Nevada moving into a much better school system. Reno/Sparks is way overpriced and for what? It is not even a nice city. Reno is basically a dump. Needless to say, I am glad we got out of there when we did.
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Old 05-20-2008, 02:10 PM
 
Location: Lovelock, NV - Anchorage, AK
1,195 posts, read 5,398,197 times
Reputation: 476
Well I guess we are glad you are gone as much as you are. As far as your daughter goes possibly the transition could be the reason she is doing poorly right now, a co-worker had her son in a school across town that he was the top student in, they moved him to another school closer to their home and the first semester he did very poorly but has since stepped up to the plate.

As far as the Soceity's Rebel he is only 22 years old does not have a child in school so don't really think he would be a good judge of the system.

Sorry just tired of people trashing the city, I have plenty of friends living there that are very happy.
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