Originally Posted by wildcat2004
As a Tucson native of more than 25 years, I can tell you that many of the negative comments made in this section are true, others not so much.
I haven't seen much of the gang violence some forum members have mentioned (at least not in the past 10 years), but I can assure you that racism and hostility toward Latinos and Mexican immigrants is still pretty much alive and well. It's not widespread, but you will encounter it from time to time. If you want a good example, go to the Arizona Daily Star or Tucson Citizen website, look for a story related to immigration, open the comment section, and spend some time reading the posts. People write some ugly things.
I also understand the gripes about traffic problems. It's not like L.A., New York, or Boston, but commutes do seem to take longer than they did a decade ago. The local population has grown without expansion of roads, a decent public transportation plan, or a freeway system. Drivers seem rude and stressed out and will tail you incessantly if you follow the speed limit.
Affordable housing is a joke if you're a young professional. Baby Boomers who bought their houses in the mid-90s for $150,000 have jacked up the price to twice that much, which means you have to make at least $60K a year if you want to have any hope of ownership, and an income like that is hard to come by in Tucson unless you have an advanced degree or a spouse. There was an article in the Tucson Citizen a while back that said home ownership is unlikely for local firefighters, teachers, and police officers on their own because they simply don't make enough money to stay afloat. I'm going to have a graduate degree soon, and I would barely be above the threshhold for buying my first home.
Personally, I've come to the realization that beyond all those problems, I'm simply bored with the place. After two and a half decades, I've pretty much been to every restaurant, shopping mall, and sports venue. Even the natural landscapes have lost their charms because I've hardly any place new to hike.
Don't get me wrong, I won't go all Linda Ronstadt on you and say Tucson is awful, because after all it is my hometown and I will always love it. However, I'm just ready for new horizons and a change of pace.
If you are considering relocation, I would say choose wisely.
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10-11-2007, 07:35 PM
And I'm not a fan of Tucson by any means! As far as I know everybody's trying to get the h*** out of there.
Excuse Me But Your Very Wrong Sandoval
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