Covid Refugees in Eastern Washington....Thanksgiving Traffic. (stadium, build)

[pnwguy2]

Originally Posted by jertheber

Another example of the rise in extremist views on--Everything. It seems as though many people are triggered to these extreme positions by the slightest annoyance, living in a constant state of agitation and fear. I've lived in Washington for most of my life, raised in Seattle and the north end. I can't think of a time when there was more consternation over, the rise in population, the cost of living, the traffic, taxes, politics, and now someone who wants the freeway closed on weekends in order that--ALL THAT TRAFFIC--isn't an issue for him.

This Thanksgiving I'll be giving thanks for my daughter's recovery from cancer, celebrating the return of a grandson in our lives who suffered through a nasty custody dispute, my neighbor's escape from harm in a bad auto accident, my own good health, and the fact that I lived another year. Life is too short to get so wound around the axle about every damn thing, I hope everyone has a great time this Thursday no matter which side of the state you live in..

I think you are correct on the "rise of extremist views on--Everything." But I will go further to lay some blame. First, we are more divided today than anytime in recent history. Why is this? Two things...first media taking sides, as CNN vs FOX, or MSNBC taking on FOX, or ABC, NBC, and CBS perceived as being too liberal, which really has little merit. Second, Donald Trump. I know half the population will disagree with me here, but he was generally a divider with his rhetoric. He added little to the debate, but that is just my opinion. I don't want to get too deep in this because it just adds to the division.

That said, I am a moderate who mostly votes democratic. I don't like extreme liberal policy. I think most of us are in the middle of the road, either on the dem or GOP side, but few are really extreme. But the media wants to make it out that we are extreme and that is just wrong. Screw them for trying to rile up the electorate. They are damaging society. Don't know what the answer is to this mess, but it must change. I sincerely fear another civil war. Hopefully not anytime soon.

Sorry, back to Thanksgiving traffic...

[PS90]

Originally Posted by pnwguy2

That said, I am a moderate who mostly votes democratic. I don't like extreme liberal policy. I think most of us are in the middle of the road, either on the dem or GOP side, but few are really extreme. But the media wants to make it out that we are extreme and that is just wrong. Screw them for trying to rile up the electorate. They are damaging society. Don't know what the answer is to this mess, but it must change. I sincerely fear another civil war. Hopefully not anytime soon.

Sorry, back to Thanksgiving traffic...

I completely agree with you here. The media has been a big dividing factor with multifocal underlying agendas on both sides.

But I also agree that politicians with extreme agendas are also to blame. For example, and I'm not necessarily saying that this is true, but the rumor was that, when Inslee was running for president, that he was purposely proposing a bunch of extreme left-wing bills and initiatives in order to "impress" the left-wing Powers That Be in D.C. so he became "worthy" of the big-wigs on the left so they would stump for him.

Whether that's true or not, it's a sad state of this country's government, if the people who we have elected on both sides are purposely trying to be extremely divisive in order to further their own political careers.

[509]

Originally Posted by flyingsaucermom

I think you will need to come to the painful realization that more of us evil western WA types have settled down in your area of the state. I know of two families that bought property in your area (or Leavenworth) because their jobs went remote and they were upset about the area school districts. So the traffic every weekend? That's people going back to see family and friends. Or it's tourism. Now you've got both.

And we didn't want either one. The losers are eastern Washington residents. Our way of life is gone drowned in the sea of mass migration.

Curious about your friends. Are they upset with Cascade School District?? You do know that the state of Washington is back to its old tricks of funding wealthy school districts at a higher level, even in spite of the McCleary decision!! The Washington State Supreme Court said all Washington students are entitiled to the same education funding. So the Legislature sent millions of dollars to Puget Sound school districts in TRANSPORTATION funding and the Washington State Supreme Court was fine with that.

If your friends want a good education for their children in a small town or rural setting they need to move to Montana or the Dakota's.

[509]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

It's much like the traffic on the bridges across Lake Washington, which used to be people commuting to Seattle to work from the eastside. Now with Microsoft, some Amazon and Costco Corporate on the eastside the commute traffic (pre-Covid) was going both directions. Now there are people able to work from home moving east of the mountains where the costs are less, and they can buy a nice house rather than pay high rent for a small apartment. One family recently moved to Wenatchee where the median home is still only $492,000, while here in Sammamish it's 1.2 million. Already in Wenatchee home prices have gone up 24.7% over last year thanks to the increased demand from transplants.

Yes, the median home is ONLY $492,000, but the lower half of those home are fruit pickers shacks!! The new subdivisions in my neighborhood....on quarter acre lots with no view, bad winter access, and have poor fire escape routes are selling for $800,000 to 1.2 million.

[Diana Holbrook]

Originally Posted by 509

If your friends want a good education for their children in a small town or rural setting they need to move to Montana or the Dakota's.

Now why would we want to ruin everything for the Montanans and the Dakotans?

[509]

Originally Posted by Diana Holbrook

What? Mandatory GPS mileage unit?

What proposed $20 toll?

Seriously?

I'm sorry there are so many people 509 but I think you're fighting a losing battle with reality.

Couple of years ago I participated in a Washington state pilot where I let the state put a GPS unit in my truck. It was for the purposes of testing a GPS system to replace the gas tax. They sent me monthly messages....this is how you would have paid under the mileage tax and this under current system.

It is also set up for testing in Biden's infrastructure bill.

I need to contact WADOT and see what they did with the data. As you know right now, eastern Washington sends more MONEY in gas taxes to western Washington than it receives in benefits. Not to bad in central Washington, we only send a penny a gallon to western Washington, but far eastern Washington sends HALF the gas taxes they pay to western Washington!!!

The $20 toll on the Cascade passes was studied by WADOT about a decade ago. SERIOUSLY.

It was on their web site, but I tried looking for it a couple of years ago and couldn't find it. WADOT does delete stuff on their web sites on a regular basis, PRINT it out if you want to keep a copy or download it!!!

There is nothing wrong with WADOT doing studies on mandatory GPS or tolls on the Cascade passes. It is what a government agency needs to be doing to determine how to meet future needs of the public.

The decision, however, well that needs to be discussed in a public forum.

It is sad how 206'ers are so mad about Californians moving up to the Puget Sound and destroying the quality of life in the Puget Sound.

Yet, the same 206'ers think that is perfectly fine for them to move over to eastern Washington and DESTROY our quality of life.

Mountain ranges should make for good neighbors as Mr. Frost said. "Come visit on special occasions" as Governor McCall once said.

[Diana Holbrook]

Originally Posted by 509

Couple of years ago I participated in a Washington state pilot where I let the state put a GPS unit in my truck. It was for the purposes of testing a GPS system to replace the gas tax. They sent me monthly messages....this is how you would have paid under the mileage tax and this under current system.

It is also set up for testing in Biden's infrastructure bill.

I need to contact WADOT and see what they did with the data. As you know right now, eastern Washington sends more MONEY in gas taxes to western Washington than it receives in benefits. Not to bad in central Washington, we only send a penny a gallon to western Washington, but far eastern Washington sends HALF the gas taxes they pay to western Washington!!!

The $20 toll on the Cascade passes was studied by WADOT about a decade ago. SERIOUSLY.

It was on their web site, but I tried looking for it a couple of years ago and couldn't find it. WADOT does delete stuff on their web sites on a regular basis, PRINT it out if you want to keep a copy or download it!!!

There is nothing wrong with WADOT doing studies on mandatory GPS or tolls on the Cascade passes. It is what a government agency needs to be doing to determine how to meet future needs of the public.

The decision, however, well that needs to be discussed in a public forum.

Yeah - that's not happening.

It is sad how 206'ers are so mad about Californians moving up to the Puget Sound and destroying the quality of life in the Puget Sound.

Yet, the same 206'ers think that is perfectly fine for them to move over to eastern Washington and DESTROY our quality of life.

What, should we all just offer to jump off a high cliff? It's not sad, it's human nature. We all hate change, but we all have to be somewhere, 509. Happy Thanksgiving.

[509]

Originally Posted by pnwguy2

OP has a history of putting Western vs Eastern. I tend to still look at it as a great State because of our differences.

43 years of living in eastern Washington and watching the WESTERN half of the state literally trash the eastern half of the state does make one VERY TESTY.

It isn't a great state....it is run by the corporate interests.

[flyingsaucermom]

Originally Posted by 509

And we didn't want either one. The losers are eastern Washington residents. Our way of life is gone drowned in the sea of mass migration.

Curious about your friends. Are they upset with Cascade School District?? You do know that the state of Washington is back to its old tricks of funding wealthy school districts at a higher level, even in spite of the McCleary decision!! The Washington State Supreme Court said all Washington students are entitiled to the same education funding. So the Legislature sent millions of dollars to Puget Sound school districts in TRANSPORTATION funding and the Washington State Supreme Court was fine with that.

If your friends want a good education for their children in a small town or rural setting they need to move to Montana or the Dakota's.

Online schools, with curriculum and teachers from some fancy Ivy League school out east.

[pnwguy2]

Originally Posted by 509

43 years of living in eastern Washington and watching the WESTERN half of the state literally trash the eastern half of the state does make one VERY TESTY.

It isn't a great state....it is run by the corporate interests.

I think we look at this differently. I see the glass half full and you see it half empty. A polite way of saying I am more optimistic than you.