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Hi,
I lived my entire life in Salem so I can give some advice. After living here almost 40 years were leaving. Here is some information that many do not know.
Salem houses the state, county, and city corrections facility, state mental hospital, and state drug rehab centers. Not only does this bring in the criminals but also their families. Those committed and incarcerated tend to stay in the area. Crime is getting worse.
We have also seen a huge influx of low income Hispanics. Many of the grade schools consist of 80-90% Hispanics. Predictions are by the year 2020 whites will be a minority in the school system. I'm not white or racist. A huge immigration of poor and uneducated people negatively impacts any community's resources, crime, and economy. Ask the Salem PD, Hispanic gang violence is rapidly increasing.
Many people's posts are fairly accurate. Salem's dinning is weak, not a lot to do unless you want to travel an hour (beach, mountain, hike, city life.)
Life is to short to stay. It's time to find some fun.
Salem houses the state, county, and city corrections facility, state mental hospital, and state drug rehab centers.
This is true.
Quote:
Originally Posted by salemborne
Not only does this bring in the criminals but also their families. Those committed and incarcerated tend to stay in the area. Crime is getting worse.
Actually crime has been dropping steadily in Salem Oregon, but people can see the crime stats themselves on the police department website. Salem actually had a lower crime rating than Eugene. It used to be that criminals stayed in Salem, BUT a law was passed about 7-8 years ago that once released, criminals HAD to go back to their home county. That's why crime has dropped so much in Salem over the past few years. Criminals from other counties can't stay in Salem upon release.
Quote:
Originally Posted by salemborne
We have also seen a huge influx of low income Hispanics.
Oregon has had an influx of Hispanics. I haven't seen any stats on their income levels but they might have that at the Census Bureau for interested parties.
Quote:
Originally Posted by salemborne
Many of the grade schools consist of 80-90% Hispanics.
This just isn't true. A few of the schools have probably a good 50% of kids being Hispanic, but it's hardly most. Not sure where you are hanging out but Salem is predominantly Caucasian. That is reflected in the schools as well. Salem Keizer keeps demographic information for people that really have to know.
Quote:
Originally Posted by salemborne
Predictions are by the year 2020 whites will be a minority in the school system. I'm not white or racist. A huge immigration of poor and uneducated people negatively impacts any community's resources, crime, and economy. Ask the Salem PD, Hispanic gang violence is rapidly increasing.
Hispanic gang violence has been the same since I've lived here (10 years). Over 40 years living here though, absolutely it has increased from that perspective.
Quote:
Originally Posted by salemborne
Many people's posts are fairly accurate. Salem's dinning is weak, not a lot to do unless you want to travel an hour (beach, mountain, hike, city life.)
There is plenty to do you just have to go do things in town. Salem has always been a sleepy town and probably always will be.
Quote:
Originally Posted by salemborne
Life is to short to stay. It's time to find some fun.
I wish you the best of luck in finding a happier place for you.
Salem, Oregon is a wonderful place to live. It's more affordable to buy or rent here than in Portland, which is 30 minutes away. It's the quiet, there's very little traffic. The air is clean. There's very little theft, from what I've experienced. The dining opportunities are getting better and Salem, Oregon has the friendliest people of any place I've ever lived and I've lived all over the west.
Also, Salem is just the right size that anyone can actually make a difference in this community.
For one who has spent over a generation in Salem I suppose the party has a right to complain about a crime rate on the upswing. I have lived here for close to five years and I would say crime is low compared to other cities. However, expect a total train wreck elsewhere in city, community life. The town is packed with state workers. Most of them have been as entitled as the inmates and mental patients they work with. A big hit will be had by all come July as the fiscal year starts and union contracts are realigned. Housing values are plumetting and have more to fall. The city has been propped up by federal cookie dough grants ladled out by the Mayor and County Commisioner's henchmen to their select butt buddies. This has stopped and the past few years' follies are standing empty and crumbling with less than a decade of age.
As to Salem being "sleepy," imagine a town of nearly 180000 with an IHOP that does not stay open 24/7. They only started staying open 24/7 on Fri and Sat a few months ago. I have travelled this continent and have counted on 24/7 IHOP service everywhere but not here. Also understand that Oregon waitstaff are all paid the state minimum wage of over 8 bucks an hour and it seems the ones in Salem are content with that. Tips are only left by submissives and Stockholm Syndrome sufferers. Service is very poor in Salem when an establishment is open.
The state itself has one of the three highest income taxes in the country and yet counts COPs and GO bonds as income! In other words, close to a billion bucks come off the top of the budget just for interest. It will get worse as interest rates spike. If you plan to come to Salem, a home will be even cheaper in a year. Reality will hit the dreamworld of Oregon and its capital city as inevitable cuts come in the form of lowered pay to the Kremlin like workforce of SO-LAME.
Actually crime has been dropping steadily in Salem Oregon, but people can see the crime stats themselves on the police department website. Salem actually had a lower crime rating than Eugene. It used to be that criminals stayed in Salem, BUT a law was passed about 7-8 years ago that once released, criminals HAD to go back to their home county. That's why crime has dropped so much in Salem over the past few years. Criminals from other counties can't stay in Salem upon release.
Oregon has had an influx of Hispanics. I haven't seen any stats on their income levels but they might have that at the Census Bureau for interested parties.
This just isn't true. A few of the schools have probably a good 50% of kids being Hispanic, but it's hardly most. Not sure where you are hanging out but Salem is predominantly Caucasian. That is reflected in the schools as well. Salem Keizer keeps demographic information for people that really have to know.
Hispanic gang violence has been the same since I've lived here (10 years). Over 40 years living here though, absolutely it has increased from that perspective.
There is plenty to do you just have to go do things in town. Salem has always been a sleepy town and probably always will be.
I wish you the best of luck in finding a happier place for you.
I must agree. And there is a lot to do in Salem just minutes away. If you need a party town, move to Vegas.
For one who has spent over a generation in Salem I suppose the party has a right to complain about a crime rate on the upswing. I have lived here for close to five years and I would say crime is low compared to other cities. However, expect a total train wreck elsewhere in city, community life. The town is packed with state workers. Most of them have been as entitled as the inmates and mental patients they work with. A big hit will be had by all come July as the fiscal year starts and union contracts are realigned. Housing values are plumetting and have more to fall. The city has been propped up by federal cookie dough grants ladled out by the Mayor and County Commisioner's henchmen to their select butt buddies. This has stopped and the past few years' follies are standing empty and crumbling with less than a decade of age.
The recession has hit hard everywhere. I heard this week that 18% of the homes in Florida are vacant. People are doubling up because they can't afford to maintain a separate residence. Just about all Oregon towns have a high vacancy rate.
State workers have already taken a 10% pay cut, via a mandatory 2 day a month unpaid furlough, and many jobs are going unfilled as a cost saving measure. It's a good bet that there will be actual layoffs in July.
Quote:
Originally Posted by FrankMayo405
As to Salem being "sleepy," imagine a town of nearly 180000 with an IHOP that does not stay open 24/7. They only started staying open 24/7 on Fri and Sat a few months ago. I have travelled this continent and have counted on 24/7 IHOP service everywhere but not here. Also understand that Oregon waitstaff are all paid the state minimum wage of over 8 bucks an hour and it seems the ones in Salem are content with that. Tips are only left by submissives and Stockholm Syndrome sufferers. Service is very poor in Salem when an establishment is open.
I can't say that I have ever been inside an IHOP, which may be part of the problem. Oregonians have different food preferences that foreigners. I have always found wait staff to be friendly and engaging, but we obviously eat at different places.
If you think $8.50 an hour is high pay, you obviously haven't tried to live on that in the last few years. If someone is lucky enough to work where they get tips, they might actually be able to buy new clothes instead of shopping at Good Will.
Quote:
Originally Posted by FrankMayo405
The state itself has one of the three highest income taxes in the country and yet counts COPs and GO bonds as income! In other words, close to a billion bucks come off the top of the budget just for interest. It will get worse as interest rates spike. If you plan to come to Salem, a home will be even cheaper in a year. Reality will hit the dreamworld of Oregon and its capital city as inevitable cuts come in the form of lowered pay to the Kremlin like workforce of SO-LAME.
I can see your objection to the income tax if you have more income than you can spend. For most people, the lack of a sales tax is a real benefit. Plus, you get all your tax deductions, so the income tax rate on taxable income is only about 6%. For most people, Oregon's tax burden is low compared to other states.
Oregon COP bonds really are revenue sources, like Veterans Loans. The state borrows money cheaply and makes a profit loaning it back out. GO bonds are for capital improvements that would sink the state budget if they tried to pay for them in one year. An example is building new state prisons. The voters passed mandatory prison sentences, so the state had to find someplace to put them. The state would not have willingly issued those bonds, but had no choice. There are also revenue bonds that are repaid out of program fees, and pass-through bonds that the state doesn't pay for at all, like the one that built the Rose Garden arena in Portland. The state put up the financing, but the Trail Blazers make the payments.
For one who has spent over a generation in Salem I suppose the party has a right to complain about a crime rate on the upswing. I have lived here for close to five years and I would say crime is low compared to other cities. However, expect a total train wreck elsewhere in city, community life. The town is packed with state workers. Most of them have been as entitled as the inmates and mental patients they work with. A big hit will be had by all come July as the fiscal year starts and union contracts are realigned. Housing values are plumetting and have more to fall. The city has been propped up by federal cookie dough grants ladled out by the Mayor and County Commisioner's henchmen to their select butt buddies. This has stopped and the past few years' follies are standing empty and crumbling with less than a decade of age.
As to Salem being "sleepy," imagine a town of nearly 180000 with an IHOP that does not stay open 24/7. They only started staying open 24/7 on Fri and Sat a few months ago. I have travelled this continent and have counted on 24/7 IHOP service everywhere but not here. Also understand that Oregon waitstaff are all paid the state minimum wage of over 8 bucks an hour and it seems the ones in Salem are content with that. Tips are only left by submissives and Stockholm Syndrome sufferers. Service is very poor in Salem when an establishment is open.
The state itself has one of the three highest income taxes in the country and yet counts COPs and GO bonds as income! In other words, close to a billion bucks come off the top of the budget just for interest. It will get worse as interest rates spike. If you plan to come to Salem, a home will be even cheaper in a year. Reality will hit the dreamworld of Oregon and its capital city as inevitable cuts come in the form of lowered pay to the Kremlin like workforce of SO-LAME.
So what is it you're trying to say?
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