What does "turning WA into CA" mean to you? (Seattle: how much, houses)

[Jiff]

"Why would Californians come here if they really want California?"

Good point. I think most of the ones that have moved here like WA for what it is, or was, when they got here, more than CA. Other than increasing the population here, I don't know of any other negative influence they've had, CA centric or otherwise. Perhaps natives are, or were, concerned about suburban sprawl back in the 80s and 90s, when Californian hostility was most prominent. Sprawl being more common to CA metro areas back then. Had the primary influx been from Texas, the slogan might have been "don't Texicate WA".

I suppose the Indians in the 19th century were thinking "don't white-icate our land". My forefathers arrived here between 1870 and 1890 to build a better life in the wide open spaces, certainly not to spread their New York or Arkansas cultures. At that point the whites were happy to see more settlers conquer the land and sea and its endless resources, and further dominate the Indians. Likewise, Washingtonians with deep roots are being dominated by newcomers. In 2010 only 47% of WA residents were born in WA.

[Ira500]

Turning WA into CA means taking away a W, and replacing it with a C.
It didn't take me long upon arriving here in 1977 to hear the phrase "Californication".
California has a huge population, so whatever Californians do, it's going to have an impact.
We can't really help where we are born. I didn't choose to be born in New Jersey( which is leading the United States in people leaving. Fortunately, very few of them are coming here). Should there be some rule, forcing people from California to stay there? It wouldn't be fair to them, especially if California is going to fall into the ocean or dry up, or whatever. If it's going to happen, it's going to happen to California. Some people love California, and plenty of people are still moving there. Maybe those are the ones we force to stay there, but not the folks who have lived in California for a while, and are ready to leave.
Where are they supposed to go? Why shouldn't they want to go to a nice place like the Seattle area?
I know, part of the reason home prices are so high is the influx of Californians with too much money. There was also a big influx of Californians with very little money. They're everywhere. They live amongst us. They've been coming here since the 1850's. As big an influence as Scandinavians and Asians have had on the Seattle area, Californians are right up there. No reason to hate them. They are us. For the record, I think Californians are swell. Wait..., there's 39 million people in California? And they're all alike, hellbent on destroying our sacred way of life up here?

[jdhpa]

Originally Posted by Ira500

Wait..., there's 39 million people in California? And they're all alike, hellbent on destroying our sacred way of life up here?

Yes, that's The Plan. And you'll be eating alfalfa sprouts, too - check out page 43, paragraph 5

[mkarch]

This type of stuff:

California Proposition 13 (1978) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Hemlock140]

Originally Posted by mkarch

This type of stuff:

California Proposition 13 (1978) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yes, good old Proposition 13, which is a great help to people moving here with cash to buy a house. We have friends that bought their CA house in the late 80s for 185k, and are still in it. Thanks to Prop 13 their taxes are about $2,000/year, despite a value of 1.3 million. Our house is a little bigger but only worth about half of that, and our taxes are $6,000.

Are there really any Seattle natives? Of all the people I have met, friends and co-workers, the closest to a native is one employee of mine from Arlington. everyone else I have met here in 20 years has been from another state or country, other than one from Moses Lake and one from Pasco.

[Ultrarunner]

Originally Posted by mkarch

This type of stuff:

California Proposition 13 (1978) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Washington Voters approved I-747 along the lines of Prop 13...

[umropantelija]

Speaking for myself only Washington can not ever be turned into California. There is nothing like waking up in the morning to fresh, clean ocean air and crisp, bright invigorating Cali sun. Or occasional fog in the morning to wake up your spirits. Golden yellow colors in the evening and warm and dry shirtless summer nights. Hollywood or Nob Hill, concrete surface freeways with everyone going 90 in calm and orderly ways. Warm California coast cosmopolitan glamor versus rainy poverty hippie-redneck Washington coast, very different. Not to mention Oakland nothink like that here.
Now Washington has its natural beauty but it is very different. You have to like dark deep colors, furry forests, moss and moisture, arid landscapes of the east and you have to be more temperature resilient and like short winter days. I like both places, moved here in 1994 and I would like to move to California once again during my life time.

[Olympian2]

Originally Posted by angelenogirl

I came for Washington.

Your passion seems to be for Seattle, not Washington. Certainly, you would receive more diverse and appropriate responses by posting in the Washington forum.

[Cinema Cat]

Originally Posted by umropantelija

Hollywood or Nob Hill, concrete surface freeways with everyone going 90 in calm and orderly ways.

You're not talking about Los Angeles, are you? Its freeways are legendary for being parking lots during "rush" hour -- which begins before 3 p.m., and lasts till almost 8 p.m. No one in L.A. goes 90 on the freeway, except perhaps in the wee hours of the morning.

[HuskyDawg]

It's ironic that people move here to get a break in the cost of living, as Seattle is well on it's way to being one of the most expensive areas in the country. Your reprieve won't be too long.