I don't get all the hate (Denver, Colorado Springs: condo, how much, attorney)

[lovecrowds]

Originally Posted by DoodlemomCoS

Where did you find debt to income ratio for CoS?

http://www.urban.org/sites/default/f...in-America.PDF

[davebarnes]

Originally Posted by TCHP

Comparing restaurants to Denver isn't really fair.

I think it is fair.
COS is 500K people.
DEN is 650K.
I am not saying that Colorado Springs should be equal, but just do a quick Yelp comparison.

[BornintheSprings]

Originally Posted by davebarnes

I think it is fair.
COS is 500K people.
DEN is 650K.
I am not saying that Colorado Springs should be equal, but just do a quick Yelp comparison.

There's good food in the springs certainly not in the league of Denver however. Also service is generally better in Denver.

[smdensbcs]

Originally Posted by davebarnes

I think it is fair.
COS is 500K people.
DEN is 650K.
I am not saying that Colorado Springs should be equal, but just do a quick Yelp comparison.

That's not realistic. Denver metro is 3.5 million people, all seemingly on whatever street I happen to be driving on whenever I have to be in Denver. Downtown Denver swells with tens of thousands of people every weekend from the vast and endless sprawl surrounding the city. Downtown COS swells with at least several dozen people every weekend from the sprawl surrounding the city. The fancy restaurants are obviously going to be different in scale. That being said, I have 6-8 favorite COS places that are gastronomic delights. I had about that many in Denver when I lived there. Never heard of Yelp, sorry. I just go places. If I like, I go back. Very reliable technique.

[A1eutian]

From Albuquerque to Colorado Springs is definitely a step up. But someone moving from within the state to that area may not think so.

I lived in Albuquerque for 6 years and that city has its pockets of dangerous territory as all cities in the great ole USA. The only things I experienced there were some vandalism to my house, and getting into a shouting match with a cholo while driving home from work. No gunfire was involved, but I probably should have not responded to his original insults. There are a lot of bald headed dudes wearing no shirt or white tank tops and lots of neck tattoos.

I have never lived in COS, but I have heard the occasional news story. What comes to my mind about the area, it's the academy, biker gangs, and the fact that it is the home of a few large Christian political organizations.

The backdrop of the academy is one of the most beautiful landmarks in the state, and it's a outdoor playground for all ages. It's just a perception problem. I'm sure that 99.99 percent of people never have to concern themselves with serious crime in Colorado Springs. The news focuses on the negative, so a lot of people think it must be a dangerous place. You can find something bad to say about any location, that's most of the forums. ;P

[orngkat]

I recently told a Colorado relative that we were considering COS for our retirement spot. She immediately said, "you know, it's a very conservative town in all ways. Are you sure you want to be in a place like that?"

[otowi]

Originally Posted by orngkat

I recently told a Colorado relative that we were considering COS for our retirement spot. She immediately said, "you know, it's a very conservative town in all ways. Are you sure you want to be in a place like that?"

That's is the reputation, yes. Is it conservative? Yes. But as much as people think? Probably not. Yes, Republicans clearly have the majority here, but Dems are a BIG minority here - which means there are more Dems here than in almost any other county in the state. Colorado Springs is by no means the most Republican-registered county in the state: http://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elec...artyStatus.pdf

In local elections, Colorado Springs/El Paso County is red. But when it comes to national elections, it is definitely purple.

As for religion, although there have been a few notable groups who put headquarters here, their religion has little to do with the actual religious make-up of the people who live here. Colorado Springs is actually not a particularly religious area and does not hold particularly conservative religious views. Poll: Colorado Springs not so religious after all | Colorado Springs Gazette, News

As for fiscal conservatism, unfortunately this area is indeed the former home of TABOR creator Doug Bruce and has had more than its fair share of anti-tax sentiment. But many here have thought TABOR was a horrible idea from the start and have long wanted it to go.

In other words, stereotypes are almost always wrong or at least exaggerations.

[smdensbcs]

Originally Posted by otowi

In other words, stereotypes are almost always wrong or at least exaggerations.

Having lived on the "liberal" west and southwest side of COS for 15+ years and loved (mostly) everything about it, I've pretty much decided CO Springs is the most stereotyped population center in Colorado, maybe the entire western US.

I'm not registered in either party but trend progressive (spouse and I are both artsy tree-hugger overly-educated types, very similar to dozens and dozens of our neighbors here). Living in this part of Colorado Springs is utterly fantastic. We send Democrats to the state house and state senate. Yard signs during election season are very mixed. For people to insist "everybody" here is Conservative with a capitat C is just blatant ignorant stereotyping and so wrong I don't even know where to begin.

It's like:
"I'm thinking of moving to California."
"Oh, be careful with that, everybody there is a blond haired surfer who smoked dope and talks funny."

Or:
"I'm thinking of moving to the South"
"Oh, be careful with that, everybody there lives in a trailer park and marries their siblings and shoots black people for fun."

I mean, come on, the stereotyping of Colorado Springs by people who don't live here aren't much less extreme and ridiculous. Is there a tiny grain of truth to those stereotypes? Sure, there's a tiny handful of Californians and Southern WT racists who fit those descriptions but to label the whole region as adhering to the cartoonish stereotype is beyond asinine. The fact that people do it is understandable because people can't seem to thing for themselves but it's still rubbish.

[lovecrowds]

Originally Posted by smdensbcs

Having lived on the "liberal" west and southwest side of COS for 15+ years and loved (mostly) everything about it, I've pretty much decided CO Springs is the most stereotyped population center in Colorado, maybe the entire western US.

I'm not registered in either party but trend progressive (spouse and I are both artsy tree-hugger overly-educated types, very similar to dozens and dozens of our neighbors here). Living in this part of Colorado Springs is utterly fantastic. We send Democrats to the state house and state senate. Yard signs during election season are very mixed. For people to insist "everybody" here is Conservative with a capitat C is just blatant ignorant stereotyping and so wrong I don't even know where to begin.

I mean, come on, the stereotyping of Colorado Springs by people who don't live here aren't much less extreme and ridiculous. Is there a tiny grain of truth to those stereotypes? Sure, there's a tiny handful of Californians and Southern WT racists who fit those descriptions but to label the whole region as adhering to the cartoonish stereotype is beyond asinine. The fact that people do it is understandable because people can't seem to thing for themselves but it's still rubbish.

Colorado Springs is not that conservative, it just has very little sense of community.

I think alot of the anti-tax mentality comes from the fact so many residents worked for the federal government before and has seen the waste that happens and are very reluctant to approve tax increases.

Many residents are also have lots of debt as the city has one of the highest household debt to household income ratios in the nation.

I also have noticed that the El Paso County assessors office seems to be overvaluing properties for extra tax revenue. I don't know what the formula is but some of the assessments are a bit high in my opinion. When people see their tax statements and it looks like the assessors office is playing tricks I think they think more about voting for tax increases.

The residents were fine with street lights turned off in bad neighborhoods, parks not being cleaned amongst other political gimmicks.

Those type of political gimmicks would not happen to Boulder, Fort Collins or Denver.

Colorado Springs is not a civic-oriented city like say Fort Collins or Boulder. Most of the residents up in cities like Fort Collins and Boulder seem to really, really like the cities they live in and will approve taxes.

I personally don't mind higher taxes if the city spends it wisely but I don't trust the politicians in Colorado Springs.

[BornintheSprings]

Originally Posted by lovecrowds

Colorado Springs is not that conservative, it just has very little sense of community.

I think alot of the anti-tax mentality comes from the fact so many residents worked for the federal government before and has seen the waste that happens and are very reluctant to approve tax increases.

Many residents are also have lots of debt as the city has one of the highest household debt to household income ratios in the nation.

I also have noticed that the El Paso County assessors office seems to be overvaluing properties for extra tax revenue. I don't know what the formula is but some of the assessments are a bit high in my opinion. When people see their tax statements and it looks like the assessors office is playing tricks I think they think more about voting for tax increases.

The residents were fine with street lights turned off in bad neighborhoods, parks not being cleaned amongst other political gimmicks.

Those type of political gimmicks would not happen to Boulder, Fort Collins or Denver.

Colorado Springs is not a civic-oriented city like say Fort Collins or Boulder. Most of the residents up in cities like Fort Collins and Boulder seem to really, really like the cities they live in and will approve taxes.

I personally don't mind higher taxes if the city spends it wisely but I don't trust the politicians in Colorado Springs.

Colorado Springs is run in a absurdist kafka way I agree.