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Old 06-16-2015, 12:53 AM
 
760 posts, read 761,027 times
Reputation: 1452

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Concert D Major View Post
If you work in Downtown Des Moines, is there free parking available, or will employers provide it for you, or are there outrageous parking monopoly fees you have to pay like in big cities?
Well if the magazines and articles keep promoting Des Moines as THE perfect place to be and move to, the more people will be flocking there looking not only for work but housing and parking, city services etc.
Guess what happens when those items become tight- the prices go up, WAY up.

Big or fast growth is never a good thing, the point of diminishing returns is reached quickly, once you start reaching the limits on things like the city water and sewer supply, garbage pickup, school seats, fire and police services, city administrations/customer service and so forth, then the city has to go and expand that infrastructure along with the number of overpaid employees who get pensions, and that costs millions and millions of dollars, you can expect your property taxes to shoot up, you can also expect that to happen when people come blasting in from a place like California and plunk down $450,000 cash on an overpriced house for the neighborhood, and they think they got a great deal because the house they had in California cost them 4 times that.
The result is everyones' property taxes around there increase because a house like the neighbors' $275,000 houses sold for $450,000.

In addition, the more of an influx of "outsiders" you attract in, the faster the number of negative things start increasing, like: burglary, car theft, robbery, rape, gangs, vandalism, drugs, drug dealing, arson, disturbance/domestic violence calls in the middle of the night, shoplifting and all that stuff.

People have have the big city living, I did it for about 15 years, bikes stolen 2-3 times a year, mugged that often a year, apartment broken into, needing 2-3 locks on your door and bars on the windows, when I live now the only crime I remember in 17 years was some out of state visitor broke the glass on the pharmacy one night, and stole the computer and went door to door trying to sell it!
Unfortunately for him one of the doors he knocked on happened to be the postmaster's house and he called the police.
Small town you can walk in any store or the post office and everyone knows you by name, even the post office knows your work schedule and usually know when you come to get mail, and already have any packages ready and waiting for you!

I can go in the hardware store and get something I need and pay for it the next day if I needed to, I can call them for a piece of glass over thw phone and it's ready for me when I go in later.
I can call the lumber yard and have stuff delivered to the house and they just send me a bill, you don't get any of this in a big city like Des Moines!
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Old 06-16-2015, 01:07 AM
 
760 posts, read 761,027 times
Reputation: 1452
Quote:
Originally Posted by ElleTea View Post
It made me realize that Iowa's taxes really ARE high. (and AZ are LOW!)
The sales tax here in Iowa is crazy, it's almost what they charge in New York City, then they add in local "option" tax on top and you just KNOW every little town and city is always going to choose the "option" to get that penny more in tax.

Speaking of taxes, I don't know how it compares to other states but get a load of this, how long the Iowa IRS says it takes for them to process your REFUND once you file, THREE to SIX MONTHS for a personal income tax refund!!
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Can I Find Work In Iowa?-tax.png  
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Old 06-16-2015, 05:58 PM
 
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
2,401 posts, read 4,326,974 times
Reputation: 1464
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sculptor View Post
Well if the magazines and articles keep promoting Des Moines as THE perfect place to be and move to, the more people will be flocking there looking not only for work but housing and parking, city services etc.
Guess what happens when those items become tight- the prices go up, WAY up.

Big or fast growth is never a good thing, the point of diminishing returns is reached quickly, once you start reaching the limits on things like the city water and sewer supply, garbage pickup, school seats, fire and police services, city administrations/customer service and so forth, then the city has to go and expand that infrastructure along with the number of overpaid employees who get pensions, and that costs millions and millions of dollars, you can expect your property taxes to shoot up, you can also expect that to happen when people come blasting in from a place like California and plunk down $450,000 cash on an overpriced house for the neighborhood, and they think they got a great deal because the house they had in California cost them 4 times that.
The result is everyones' property taxes around there increase because a house like the neighbors' $275,000 houses sold for $450,000.

In addition, the more of an influx of "outsiders" you attract in, the faster the number of negative things start increasing, like: burglary, car theft, robbery, rape, gangs, vandalism, drugs, drug dealing, arson, disturbance/domestic violence calls in the middle of the night, shoplifting and all that stuff.

People have have the big city living, I did it for about 15 years, bikes stolen 2-3 times a year, mugged that often a year, apartment broken into, needing 2-3 locks on your door and bars on the windows, when I live now the only crime I remember in 17 years was some out of state visitor broke the glass on the pharmacy one night, and stole the computer and went door to door trying to sell it!
Unfortunately for him one of the doors he knocked on happened to be the postmaster's house and he called the police.
Small town you can walk in any store or the post office and everyone knows you by name, even the post office knows your work schedule and usually know when you come to get mail, and already have any packages ready and waiting for you!

I can go in the hardware store and get something I need and pay for it the next day if I needed to, I can call them for a piece of glass over thw phone and it's ready for me when I go in later.
I can call the lumber yard and have stuff delivered to the house and they just send me a bill, you don't get any of this in a big city like Des Moines!
There is a lot of truth in what you say here but you also paint with a real broad brush.

I'm from small town Iowa originally, so I can appreciate the advantages. That said, small towns are unfortunately dying and thus the advantages that many of us grew up with are vanishing. It doesn't do any good if you're in good with the hardware store owner if the business closes due to population losses.

Also, Des Moines is NOT a big city by most universal standards. It is actually quite small. That is why I like it so much. Can I go into any convenience store in the metro and have the manager know who I am? No, but the one down the block sure does...by first name. If I go to the neighborhood Ace Hardware store (Locally, family owned) vs the big box Home Depot or Lowe's, I can expect some of the same perks you mention with your small town businesses.

I think it can be lost on some that city neighborhoods (if you find a good one) can act like small towns. Interconnected neighbors, businesses, schools, churches, etc....and as a bonus, they are probably growing and healthy as opposed to the fate of so many small rural towns these days.

Finally, growth, if done correctly (i.e....with proper density) leads to more property taxes that help grow the local economy.

I'm glad you love your small town life. I completely understand why. But I just wanted to take a moment to set the record straight on Des Moines regarding some of your broad claims.
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Old 06-19-2015, 05:01 PM
 
Location: Calera, AL
1,485 posts, read 2,229,521 times
Reputation: 2419
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sculptor View Post
The sales tax here in Iowa is crazy, it's almost what they charge in New York City, then they add in local "option" tax on top and you just KNOW every little town and city is always going to choose the "option" to get that penny more in tax.

Speaking of taxes, I don't know how it compares to other states but get a load of this, how long the Iowa IRS says it takes for them to process your REFUND once you file, THREE to SIX MONTHS for a personal income tax refund!!
Oh please. Alabama's sales tax is at least 9% in most jurisdictions. It's 10% in Birmingham proper. Iowa's got it pretty good in that regard.
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Old 06-20-2015, 12:33 PM
 
3,613 posts, read 4,091,039 times
Reputation: 5008
Quote:
Originally Posted by fezzador View Post
Oh please. Alabama's sales tax is at least 9% in most jurisdictions. It's 10% in Birmingham proper. Iowa's got it pretty good in that regard.
Alabama ranks 48th in overall tax burden...

CNN/Money: Taxes state by state
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Old 07-04-2015, 08:45 PM
 
14,221 posts, read 6,899,727 times
Reputation: 6059
But the school systems in Arizona and Alabama are some of the worst in the nation.

Public schools is an investment for the future, and it does require well paid teachers to attract the best to teach the kids.
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