More Californians in WA than CA?: Is the influx of Californians beneficial to the state? (Seattle: houses, schools)

[Freebird2007]

Ok, maybe not....but you gotta admit the number of people with CA license plates are staggering. What gives?


Just out of curiosity, why are so many ppl from CA here? The most obvious reason I can think of is high housing prices.

[GameHog9]

Originally Posted by Freebird2007

Ok, maybe not....but you gotta admit the number of people with CA license plates are staggering. What gives?


Just out of curiosity, why are so many ppl from CA here? The most obvious reason I can think of is high housing prices.

Lots here in Tri Cities. Prices here are a lot cheaper than in Cal, so they basically come here to get the price of a 700k home for 200k

[Ultrarunner]

I know several that relocated from the Bay Area to work at Microsoft and 1 to work for Costco...

People go where the jobs are and where they can afford better for their family...

Washington really does have a lot to offer... now if we could only get a handle on outrageous property tax increases... in my case at least... 30% in one year WA truly would be the best!

[nullgeo]

... said it before ... say it again: in the past 30 years western Washington alone has more than doubled population by adding approx. 2.5 Million people to an area of less than the size of Maine. Western Washington (where all the growth is) is now at about 5 million. (Maine has 1.35 million people total. Not New residents — total residents).

It was just recently reported that Seattle city planners are distressed to find that 50% of the growth they projected in their 25 year development plan has occurred in the first 3 years of that plan. (!!!!!!!!!)

When I moved here 39 years ago, the greatest influx was from the mid-west ... notably Minnesota (not surprisingly). For many years now it has been California (not surprisingly). It is not going to stop until we have reached comparable density to the Bay Area. And the rate of change is accelerating. Hang on to your shorts, if you plan to stay.

Sorry.

[athomeinslo]

Originally Posted by Freebird2007

Ok, maybe not....but you gotta admit the number of people with CA license plates are staggering. What gives?


Just out of curiosity, why are so many ppl from CA here? The most obvious reason I can think of is high housing prices.

Hi-I am still in CA & am a native CA which I sure all the WA people are glad to hear! I do have a dear friend who moved to WA. Part of the reason was the high prices in CA and the fact that you have to pay for EVERYTHING here. The school systems are failing. Everything is falling apart. Not enough people paying taxes but enough people using the schools & hospitals. It is breaking down CA. It is horrible.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Just my thoughts~~~~~~~~

[VeronikaW]

We moved here from CA because my husband got a job at Amazon (they recruited him, he wasn't looking). We did think we'd be able to afford a house here (which we couldn't in CA), but honestly, anywhere I'd want to live in WA the houses are just as expensive as CA. In fact, the cost of living is so similar to CA, we'll be moving back sometime in the next 1-3 years depending on how long we can stand staying here.

[GameHog9]

Originally Posted by athomeinslo

Hi-I am still in CA & am a native CA which I sure all the WA people are glad to hear! I do have a dear friend who moved to WA. Part of the reason was the high prices in CA and the fact that you have to pay for EVERYTHING here. The school systems are failing. Everything is falling apart. Not enough people paying taxes but enough people using the schools & hospitals. It is breaking down CA. It is horrible.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Just my thoughts~~~~~~~~

Contrary to popular belief, we do not hate Californians.

The stupid Oregonians started that .

Dont take the above mark seriously by the way. California is not a state, it is an influential power, and by that I mean that whatever gets started in Cali is bound to burst forth and invade the neighboring states/nation.

Example: McDonalds. Apple. Hollywood.

My point is that Californians are a wave of change, and should be welcomed with open arms, especially by a state like Washington which, in fact, is trying to grow.

Unlike Oregon (a quick peek at the forum will reveal that some wish to keep the state in an 'un-urban' surrealism, which is quite difficult in the onslaught of Wal-Mart )

[GameHog9]

There are some that argue that Californians bring bad luck.

I counter that argument.

Opinions?

[nullgeo]

Originally Posted by GameHog9

Contrary to popular belief, we do not hate Californians.

The stupid Oregonians started that .

Dont take the above mark seriously by the way. California is not a state, it is an influential power, and by that I mean that whatever gets started in Cali is bound to burst forth and invade the neighboring states/nation.

Example: McDonalds. Apple. Hollywood.

My point is that Californians are a wave of change, and should be welcomed with open arms, especially by a state like Washington which, in fact, is trying to grow.

Unlike Oregon (a quick peek at the forum will reveal that some wish to keep the state in an 'un-urban' surrealism, which is quite difficult in the onslaught of Wal-Mart )

right ... we don't hate Californians ... we DO hate, though, the loss of what is Washington's unique character to increasingly Californicated lifestyle (and expense!) ... and I am absolutely POSITIVE that most native and long-time Washingtonians do NOT like all the growth and development and "wave of change" from south of us.

What is so great about "Growth"? America is obsessed with "bigger is better" and "development" and "growth" All that mindset has done is foster conspicuously destructive and unsustainable consumerism as a lifestyle. This is one Washingtonian who says you can keep your McDonalds and Apple and Hollywood in California if you love those kinds of things so much. Small and personal with the environment does not mean "stagnant" ... there hasn't been anything "stagnant" about sun and rain showers, flowing rivers full of fish, changing tides, snowfall and snowmelt on the mountains, lushly growing forests, and small communities thriving harmoniously within that natural setting for thousands of years. If you want to talk toxic, talk McDonalds and Hollywood.

[GameHog9]

Originally Posted by nullgeo

right ... we don't hate Californians ... we DO hate, though, the loss of what is Washington's unique character to increasingly Californicated lifestyle (and expense!) ... and I am absolutely POSITIVE that most native and long-time Washingtonians do NOT like all the growth and development and "wave of change" from south of us.

What is so great about "Growth"? America is obsessed with "bigger is better" and "development" and "growth" All that mindset has done is foster conspicuously destructive and unsustainable consumerism as a lifestyle. This is one Washingtonian who says you can keep your McDonalds and Apple and Hollywood in California if you love those kinds of things so much. Small and personal with the environment does not mean "stagnant" ... there hasn't been anything "stagnant" about sun and rain showers, flowing rivers full of fish, changing tides, snowfall and snowmelt on the mountains, lushly growing forests, and small communities thriving harmoniously within that natural setting for thousands of years. If you want to talk toxic, talk McDonalds and Hollywood.

And yet you live in Seattle...