California? is it even worth it? (Huntington Beach, Fontana: home, neighborhoods, cabinet)

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Don9

I'm born and raised in California. When I was in the military I couldn't wait to get back. We raised our children in California. I always wanted to spend the rest of my life in California but in the past 10 years that has changed. California is being destroyed by corrupt politicians and unions. Their actions have bankrupted our state and now the already high cost of living will skyrocket and the quality of living will plummet. Crime is getting much worse and once good neighborhoods are being overrun with illegal’s and gang activity. The only thing that has kept me here over the past decade is my job but even good paying jobs are leaving California. When my job ends in California I will pack up the truck and move to a better place.

Aside from the huge economic changes we're all familiar with and feeling the pain from, how much change is due to corrupt politicians and unions? Also, is it significantly better in other states? In other words, will the economic benefits to you moving exceed the cost and stress and losses of moving itself? Are the benefits of moving away from family and friends really worth it? That's a big move. I can sort of see moving for a job but if retired, what's the big benefit?

I thought (you wrote) housing prices were going to crash and that would necessarily lower the cost of living.

Crime has gotten much better.

[Vascodagama]

Originally Posted by Charles

Aside from the huge economic changes we're all familiar with and feeling the pain from, how much change is due to corrupt politicians and unions? Also, is it significantly better in other states? In other words, will the economic benefits to you moving exceed the cost and stress and losses of moving itself? Are the benefits of moving away from family and friends really worth it? That's a big move. I can sort of see moving for a job but if retired, what's the big benefit?

I thought (you wrote) housing prices were going to crash and that would necessarily lower the cost of living.

Crime has gotten much better.

Our state, counties and cities are in a very bad economic situation because of the corrupt politicians and unions and they continue their corrupt politics now, in a time when they should be cleaning up their past corrupt actions and fixing the problems. This will guarantee the tax payers will feel much more unnecessary and undeserved financial pain for decades to come. If crime has gotten better you can't tell by the local news and city crime statistics.

I have been doing research on potential locations to move. I use City-Data to get information from the locals. Yes, there are much better places where the cost of living is much lower and the quality of life is much better. I'm looking at beautiful recently built homes, over 3,000 sf on a 1+ acre lot for under 200K in a city with very low crime, very nice and friendly people ... and no state income tax!

My family is also leaving California.

[Ceece]

I have been doing research on potential locations to move. I use City-Data to get information from the locals. Yes, there are much better places where the cost of living is much lower and the quality of life is much better. I'm looking at beautiful recently built homes, over 3,000 sf on a 1+ acre lot for under 200K in a city with very low crime, very nice and friendly people ... and no state income tax!

My family is also leaving California.

I notice when people make posts like this, about these fabulous places they found to live, they rarely say where they are. I guess they don't want to invite comments about the negative aspects of their new homes while still being able to be critical of CA. It's interesting to me is all.

[Snort]

I'm looking at beautiful recently built homes, over 3,000 sf on a 1+ acre lot for under 200K in a city with very low crime, very nice and friendly people ... and no state income tax!

Inquiring minds want to know.....

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Snort

Inquiring minds want to know.....

States with no income tax are in red:

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Don9

Our state, counties and cities are in a very bad economic situation because of the corrupt politicians and unions and they continue their corrupt politics now, in a time when they should be cleaning up their past corrupt actions and fixing the problems. This will guarantee the tax payers will feel much more unnecessary and undeserved financial pain for decades to come. If crime has gotten better you can't tell by the local news and city crime statistics.

I have been doing research on potential locations to move. I use City-Data to get information from the locals. Yes, there are much better places where the cost of living is much lower and the quality of life is much better. I'm looking at beautiful recently built homes, over 3,000 sf on a 1+ acre lot for under 200K in a city with very low crime, very nice and friendly people ... and no state income tax!

My family is also leaving California.

So how big a deal is no income tax if a person is retired?

$66/sqft is cheaper than Huntsville, Alabama ($75-$120/sqft).

Are the politicians in your destination state less corrupt? Is a state's lack of unions going to make it worth it to move there (in retirement)?

It just seems like such a big move to make.


Crime down in Los Angeles, other parts of Southern California - latimes.com

Police: Overall crime rate down in Los Angeles | 89.3 KPCC

//www.city-data.com/forum/los-a...own-1950s.html

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by Ceece

I notice when people make posts like this, about these fabulous places they found to live, they rarely say where they are. I guess they don't want to invite comments about the negative aspects of their new homes while still being able to be critical of CA. It's interesting to me is all.

Or perhaps they don't wish attract others to it for fear that it, too, will become Californicated.

[mstnghu2]

Originally Posted by Don9

I'm born and raised in California. When I was in the military I couldn't wait to get back. We raised our children in California. I always wanted to spend the rest of my life in California but in the past 10 years that has changed. California is being destroyed by corrupt politicians and unions. Their actions have bankrupted our state and now the already high cost of living will skyrocket and the quality of living will plummet. Crime is getting much worse and once good neighborhoods are being overrun with illegal’s and gang activity. The only thing that has kept me here over the past decade is my job but even good paying jobs are leaving California. When my job ends in California I will pack up the truck and move to a better place.

While I can mostly agree with the comment about corrupt politicians and greedy unions, where is the evidence for the rest of this?

People always spout off on this board about crime and gangs and illegals and act as though California is turning into the wild west.

The reality is most people throughout CA don't worry about dealing with crime an gangs in their normal day to day lives. Of course gangs do exist and bad things can happen anywhere, but really how many people are living in neighborhoods that have been taken over by gangs? Most areas where crime is bad today were areas that were never very good to begin with.

The root of many of California's problems can be blamed on the state's unfriendly business regulations and its inability to spend money frugally. It's pretty ridiculous that the state leaders can't agree on a budget that will get us out of the financial hole were in. I'm sure that if I got to look at a copy of the state's budget I could take a red sharpie and cross off loads of idiotic stuff that taxpayers are stuck wasting their money on and this state would probably have a budget surplus. There's really no logical reason why this state should be so financially upside down given how much revenue it actually takes in. It's like there's a black hole that sucks all the money away.

[Vascodagama]

Originally Posted by Snort

Inquiring minds want to know.....

I'm looking at several areas. For example, Cookeville Tennessee is a location of interest.

[Fontucky]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

Or perhaps they don't wish attract others to it for fear that it, too, will become Californicated.

Like SW Missouri?