Looking to move to Utah (Ogden, Logan: power lines, insurance, lawyers)

[isakswings]

To be perfectly honest, you will get many different replies to your question. I personally feel that no matter where you live, you are always going to risk moving to an area where you might feel out of place. There will always be the risk of having unfriendly neighbors or people who for whatever reason, decide they don't like you. I have heard that many people say to investigate the area you want to move to before moving there. Walk around the neighborhood, talk to people and try to get a feel for the how the people are. I live in Layton, which is north of Salt Lake. I find it to be very nice here. I also think the LDS/non-LDS population is pretty even here. I worked at Target here and I would say more then 1/2 of those I worked with, were not or are not practicing. Since we rarely dicussed religion, I am basing that on my observations. I am LDS, but I also have non-LDS friends and neighbors. In my own neighborhood there are a wide variety of people who live here. Some are LDS, some aren't. My 9 y/o daughter's best friend is not LDS and there has never been a problem with that. Yes, I can guarantee you will find people who WILL judge you based on what you do or don't believe, but you find that everywhere. I've had people shun me and my children BECAUSE we are LDS. I've had people tell me I'm going to hell because of the religion I practice and my son had a friend at school who wasn't allowed to be friends with him because we are LDS. Heck, when we lived in WA, I had people who WERE LDS shun me. So it really varies from person to person.

Quite honestly, when I meet someone, religion is not the first thing to come up in conversation. I am sure some will flat out ask you about your religious choices, but most people don't and just ask the typical things you expect people to.

My husbands uncle moved his family here 13 yrs ago and they love it here. They have not had a lot of problem not being LDS. Their oldest children both have boyfriends and they are not LDS either, so there are pleanty who are and are not LDS. I think a lot of it is your own attitude about it. Sometimes I know that doesn't matter and no matter how hard you try, things won't work.

I DO think if you move somewhere likeUtah Valley there will be a higher concentration of LDS people there then in the Salt Lake Valley and north of it. With Brigham Young University there, I think it helps to keep the population more dense. It's not bad, it's just if you want more diversity, I would not move to Utah Valley(Provo, Orem, Lehi, American Fork, Lindon, Spanish Fork, ect.). I'd also watch out for really small towns. We live right by Hill Air Force base which I feel brings in more diversity. I like UT, but if I had the choice I would move back to WA. That decision has nothing to do with UT but everything to do with the fact that my entire family lives in WA. We lived there for 10 years before moving back here. Unfortunately the real estate prices keep us here. Buying a house in WA just is not in our budget. Utah is pretty and has a lot to offer.

I am sorry I got so long winded. If you do decide to move this way, just make sure you make a trip here and investigate the areas you are interested in first. Do your friends live here or do they live where you currently live? If you already know people here, that might make finding a good area easier. Good luck to you!

[RP116]

Hey utah is a great place to live if your mormon. jus being honest but if your like the honest people in this world who can freely admit that you think about sex and the other various sins in the bible and your basically an open minded person. i would suggest living on the west side of salt lake its a place of variety and diversity. many religous practice and ethnical backgrounds. its a first hand experience if your open minded and curtious

[britty753]

To dadof2:
It depends on the area... Salt Lake Sugar house area would be good. I live in a new neighborhood in Lehi with people from all over the country. (Came for school and stayed, etc) Way more open minded than those whos families have lived here for 8 million generations.

[britty753]

We live in Lehi and love all the areas you mentioned! Northern utah county is nice.

[The Casselli's]

Dear Dad of 2:

WAIT BEFORE YOU MAKE A MISTAKE!!! I moved from Los Angeles, CA 3 yrs ago with my husband and my 16 year old daughter. In 2004 the houses were cheap and we got a great deal and bought a brand new home for only 175,000 with a lovely view of the canyons. The subdivison was perfect.. just 2 blocks away from a new high school.

Here is the worst mistake of my life and I want to be perfectly honest with you. First of all, Utah is a MORMON STATE! I moved to St. George, Utah (southern area of UT) just 5 to 6 hrs drive to Los Angeles. All my friends and family live in Los Angeles. We did not know anyone here in ST. George, UT.

Let me just advise you that first PLEASE do your homework. Check out the job market in St. George, Provo, SLC, Ogden, Cedar City, UT! The wages are extremely low. I have been in a professional field for over 20 years and left my good paying job in Los Angeles and make nothing here in Utah.

St. George is growing and growing because of the new relocators from California, Nevada, New York, and I can go on and on but the only real reason why St. George, Provo and all the other cities I mentioned seem to be a perfect place to raise your family and THINK that your going to get a good paying job and your happy ever after is a BIG MISTAKE!

We have met very nice people that are LDS but they mind their own business and NEVER invite you to their home. They may be your co-workers but they are not to make friends with your family especially if you are not LDS or planning to convert to LDS. The only ones that make high income are the LDS (MORMONS) that own their own business or are LDS physicans, dentist, lawyers, construction builders, and they all are members of their ward (parish/church) and you will get referrals for your business and make the money otherwise, if you are not LDS you are lucky to find a job making 10.00 per hour! The Police, teachers, nurse aids, legal secretaries, paralegals, city or county employees start 9.00 per hour to 12.00 per hour. Utah hospitals are short of professional help. They need more nurses with experence. God forbid you go to ER cuz you'll be sent home or die while your waiting to see a doctor. There are excellent doctors in SLC but good luck trying to get a specialist to see you....unless you are LDS, then you will get treatment right away, other then that you'll be seen by a PA and just release you to go home and wait to die. All of us that come from California, New York, northen states, east coast states are non LDS and your children and you will suffer from the discrimination that the Mormon employers and neighbors get away with because UTAH IS A RIGHT TO WORK STATE! JUST BECAUSE IT'S A RIGHT TO WORK STATE THERE ARE LABOR LAWS THAT NEED TO BE OBEYED AND SINCE THE LDS EMPLOYERS KNOW THE JUDGES AND THOSE WHO WORK FOR THE STATE, THEY ALWAYS WIN AND YOU AND YOUR WIFE AND CHILDREN WILL HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO ACCEPT OR MOVE AGAIN.

My teenage child was not accepted by her LDS classmates. She was singled out, eat lunch by herself, was not invited to any school dances or other school activies. The LDS girls and boys will make sure that your kids feel not wanted and the teachers will not help. I had to return my teenager back to Los Angeles to her father so that she can finish high school after seeing her extremely depressed and crying every night as to how she was treated by these LDS kids. The same thing happens at the job place. It makes no difference if your an adult...they will offer you low wages and at the end of everything, you will be replaced by a LDS family member to take your job and pay them a higher wage. There are better places to raise your family and live the American dream in the U.S., but not in Utah.

Please before you sell your home or move out of your place, do your reseach and go to the website at careerbuilders.com or The Spectrum News in St. George, SLC Newspaper or Provo and check out the job market and you will see what a joke the employers offer as far as wages and by the way, I have always had blue cross insurance with my employer in California for over 15 years and this is the first time in my life that I do not have health insurance. The utah employers do not provide health insurance and if they do you will end up paying about 700.00 per month just for your family coverage. There is also no state disability in Utah. So if you become ill or need surgery or cancer treatment or whatever makes you become disabled "GOOD LUCK" cuz there is NO state disability benefits while you or your wife is recovering. You must seek your own disabilitiy insurance which is called AFLC and it is very expensive to purchase. If you get a job with the city, county or big employers such as well known hospitals or large companies, some do provide disability insurance, health insurance and employee benefits but your wages will still be not enough to survive especially with children. Also, groceries is expensive, gasoline is higher then in California & Nevada ( i don't know why) but the gas is still over 3.00 per gallon while in CA and NV it's under 3.00 per gallon. There is no summer school and there is no after school programs. It's not like California where there are many free after school programs and child care. Also, the education here in Utah is NO GOOD! Many of the high school graduates are programed to get married at age 19 years old and begin to have a family ASAP! Therefore, the schools do not provide support especially to young women to get in college and seek a professional career. The young men are the ones to go to college (BYU or SLU or JC college) and they are the ones to provide. The divorce rate is very high and mormon couples have been remarried at least 3 times or more. It's just so strange here and I am a very open minded person. I don't care about your religion faith but I do care if I or any of my family members are discrimated due to religion, race and sex. However, if your heart is still set to move to UT, I would chose SLC. I've visited SLC and it is much more liberal and much more diverse with all races and culture....but the Mormons still have the upper hand and you don't. That's the bottom line. I am presently, selling my home and moving out of here. I've had enough and can not waste my life here. There are bigger better things besides Utah. I just don't want your children to suffer due to the lack of education and morals the LDS parents teach their children. It's a shame but it's the truth.

Oh and another thing....here in St. George can you believe that there are no female judges or female attorneys? The same goes to Cedars city, provo and Ogden...you have a better chance moving to SLC but there is high crime and it's over crowded. The real estate is expensive and it's get extremely cold in the winter below 30 degrees, YIKES! Us californians are not use to cold temps. However, in addition to make this just a little more on the positive note, Utah is a very beautiful state. There is Zion, Bryce Canyon, the lakes and the red rock canyons in the desert and the beautiful green trees in SLC...YES, Utah is a beautiful place to live. That's why I moved here and wish that I didn't have to sell my beautiful home and leave my new friends, but I still have to work and I'm not ready to retire, but by staying here, I will never be able to make a good income for myself in order to retire and help my high school graduate who is now going to university and will need my financial help. If you have any quesitons, please feel free to ask. I will tell you the truth and help you seek the facts of what I have just stated to you.

[coolcats]

Originally Posted by The Casselli's

There are excellent doctors in SLC but good luck trying to get a specialist to see you....unless you are LDS, then you will get treatment right away, other then that you'll be seen by a PA and just release you to go home and wait to die.

That is absolutely the most ridiculous statement I have read on this forum, and I've read a lot of silly things. What do the receptionists do when you call up for an appointment? Tell by the tone of your voice that you aren't LDS?

Originally Posted by The Casselli's

...the lack of education and morals the LDS parents teach their children. It's a shame but it's the truth.

Also a laughable first I've seen on this forum. People may not like what the LDS teach their children, but I've never seen them complain about the LACK of teaching.

Originally Posted by The Casselli's

the Mormons still have the upper hand and you don't. That's the bottom line. I am presently, selling my home and moving out of here. I've had enough and can not waste my life here. There are bigger better things besides Utah.

Lady, your anti-Mormon bias is showing. You have mixed all sorts of location complaints (gas prices, low wages, too few doctors), with some sort of false correlation with religion. I think both you and the state of Utah will be better off with you gone.

[Blondie-Rabbit]

Casselli you are so far off base it is not even funny. First Cedar City has a female judge. There are several femal attorney's in both St. George and Cedar City. Surprise even one in Hurricane. As to knowing what your religion is when you go to an ER they don't ask. I've got friends who are ER doc's in St. George. That whole contention is so much BS. Yes the wages suck here. Yeah it is some old line families that run most of it, and don't want to pay. Yeah the insurance benefits are almost non existant if you are a part timer. But no one pays $700 a month for insurance. That is more BS. The thing about being divorce 3 times is more BS. A few are divorced, but most are not. Most have had long term marriages. I just celebrated 27 years. On our street there are around 20 homes. of those 20 homes, 18 have been married for more than 10 years, and it is their only marriage. It is pretty indicitive of the rest of So. Utah. Depends on the day what places has higher gas, Vegas or St. George/Cedar. Groceries are high. In fact higher than SLC and they have to truck the stuff past here to get up to SLC. Again old line families and those new companies that take advantage of the old practices of not paying for labor, and charging higher prices to maximize their profits. That is the only part that is truthful in your diatribe. As to your daughter being shunned by Mormons, funny at least 25% of ths schools are non LDS student filled. Of those remaining 75% a lot of them come from inactive families. So when it comes to shunning, is it the Mormon's? or is it something like being the new kid in a new place? We all think our kids are perfect. New places do not fit into what we are use too. Children are more suseptible to being oustricized because they are new. Your rant is so full of inaccuracies. I'm in Leeds. I moved here from San Francisco. I came with no assumptions I was going to make the prevailing culture fit what I w3anted it to be. In fact I found California to be colder with the neighbors ignoring you and never talking plus the fact if they don't talk to you, how would they ever invite you to something. Utah if you put out the effort to be friendly and not hostile like you come across, will accept you. It is give and take on both sides.

[chazcrew]

ROFL! That was a hilarious post. I'll have to tell all the female attorneys and judges around here (Utah County) that they don't actually exist. And next time I go to the specialists in SLC (of whom I've seen several) I'll emphasize that I'm MORMON, so I can get in. I wonder why they've agreed to see me up to this point? You know, since they've never asked my religion or anything. Must have been a clerical error.

[Blondie-Rabbit]

Originally Posted by chazcrew

ROFL! That was a hilarious post. I'll have to tell all the female attorneys and judges around here (Utah County) that they don't actually exist. And next time I go to the specialists in SLC (of whom I've seen several) I'll emphasize that I'm MORMON, so I can get in. I wonder why they've agreed to see me up to this point? You know, since they've never asked my religion or anything. Must have been a clerical error.

Don't forget you are on your third spouse as well. Opps I can't count, if you are divorced three times that would make it your forth spouse. Oy Vey!

[NearlyNative]

Attention all Mormons, the jig is up.The Cassellis have figured us out. My bishop of a congregation of 700, manages me and my families jobs, health care, doctors, disability insurance, lawyers, raises, marragies and divorces, law enforcement, judges, home prices, rent control, school friends and teachers attitudes, gas prices and the temprature. I'm sure your bishop also manages all of you, too. They network to keep all the non-Mormons down. Good thing mine is retired. Alot of work for an older man, though. Casseslli's, who do you think works all of those low paying jobs? Lots of Mormons. Divorced, stupid, brainwashed Mormons.... But seriously, the first thing you said was true and so was the last. Do your homework before you sell your house and move to another state. Utah is an expensive state: high cost of living for EVERYTHING. Utah is what I call a 'right to work (for less) state.' Utah is also beautiful. I don't know of anyplace that has better scenery that is so close to St. George and is easy to get to. I suppose it's all a trade off. All of these things are obvious by reading most threads in the Utah forum. Nearly every one touches on the same themes in some way. Hopefully the Cassellis have made a nice profit on their house they bought in 2004, before the bubble, and can take their money back to California and be happier. I have nothing against Californians, because I are one. I hope you will all see my humor in this post, no offense intended. I'm sorry that my fellow Mormons and I didn't make you feel more welcome, but it sounds like you did make a friend or two. I wish the Cassellis happiness in the future.