What are the best Areas to Live in The City of Scranton or Wilkes-Barre? (Mountain Top: real estate, crime)

[Magritte25]

Originally Posted by varmintblaster

I am glad you are happy.

However, you painted a very rosey picture for a person seeking out factual information about WB city - and you clearly avoided the crumbling roads and infrastructure, extremely high earned income tax rate (200% higher) than surrounding communities, high crime rate and rampant drug and street gang problems created by NYC and Phila implants.

I speak the truth... If it hurts, so be it.

I painted a truthful picture. We love living here. People who DO NOT live here paint an unfair, ugly picture.

[Mr Yuk]

Originally Posted by varmintblaster

We get our share of visitors staying at the nearby Hickory Run State park and the rafters and kayakers that utilize the Lehigh River. I get to see them from my deck that overlooks the river.
Thankfully come Sunday afternoon they all head back to their city haunts.

The one hooker asked me if I wanted a date....That's how I know she was a hooker. I would not have touched that piece of skank if it was for free and she was the last woman on earth.

Please explain what services WB provides to it's residents that warrant 3% income tax when EVERY OTHER MUNICIPALITY IN THE AREA charges it's residents 1%..

Oh wait - I can offer one up - how about properly paved roads?

Here's another one - how about a functioning water fountain in the downtown Public Square???
(too bad it's broke and WB can't fix it - the derelicts that call it home will be able to bathe!!!).

Keep digging deeper Magritte....

You can choose to look at the bad side of things, but the truth is that Wilkes-Barre, like any city, has its bad areas and good areas. I live in Scranton and am happy with where I live, but you wouldn't catch me living on Capouse Ave in Pine Brook, or certain parts of South Side or the Hill, but that doesn't mean the entire city is bad. Read the local news, there are drug busts, robberies, etc etc, even in the small towns.

And to be honest, even the bad areas around here don't compare to the inner city ghettos of NY, Philly, DC, etc.

[Magritte25]

Originally Posted by go phillies

You can choose to look at the bad side of things, but the truth is that Wilkes-Barre, like any city, has its bad areas and good areas. I live in Scranton and am happy with where I live, but you wouldn't catch me living on Capouse Ave in Pine Brook, or certain parts of South Side or the Hill, but that doesn't mean the entire city is bad. Read the local news, there are drug busts, robberies, etc etc, even in the small towns.

And to be honest, even the bad areas around here don't compare to the inner city ghettos of NY, Philly, DC, etc.

OMG. We agree on this GP! Yayyyy!

[johnqpublic]

Originally Posted by Magritte25

OMG. We agree on this GP! Yayyyy!

WOW!! lets all hold hands and sing Kumbyya !!!!!

[Mr Yuk]

Originally Posted by varmintblaster

Please explain what services WB provides to it's residents that warrant 3% income tax when EVERY OTHER MUNICIPALITY IN THE AREA charges it's residents 1%..

How about police department, fire department, emergency medical service, DPW, parks, etc etc. Not to knock small town police, but most of the smaller towns in the area have police departments made up of low-wage part-timers, and the fire departments are typically volunteer, which I admire volunteer firefighters, but lets be honest, when they get a call, they have to leave their regular jobs and come to the fire, they're not waiting at the station to respond to a call....so I would think you'd get better service from a paid department.

I do think Scranton's 3.4% wage tax is excessive, but the property taxes are reasonable and houses are usually cheaper, so its basically a wash.

And if you live in White Haven or any out-of-the-way rural town, everytime you need to get something at the store, go to a park, go to the movies, pick up a pizza, anything....requires driving a pretty far distance. I pretty much have those things in either walking distance or a very short drive. So you use less gas living in a city, which helps make up the wage tax difference.

[johnqpublic]

Well put!! cant rep.....

[Magritte25]

Originally Posted by go phillies

How about police department, fire department, emergency medical service, DPW, parks, etc etc. Not to knock small town police, but most of the smaller towns in the area have police departments made up of low-wage part-timers, and the fire departments are typically volunteer, which I admire volunteer firefighters, but lets be honest, when they get a call, they have to leave their regular jobs and come to the fire, they're not waiting at the station to respond to a call....so I would think you'd get better service from a paid department.

I do think Scranton's 3.4% wage tax is excessive, but the property taxes are reasonable and houses are usually cheaper, so its basically a wash.

And if you live in White Haven or any out-of-the-way rural town, everytime you need to get something at the store, go to a park, go to the movies, pick up a pizza, anything....requires driving a pretty far distance. I pretty much have those things in either walking distance or a very short drive. So you use less gas living in a city, which helps make up the wage tax difference.

Very good points. And I am not sure but many of the roads in White Haven are state roads, right? So I would assume that is why they are maintenanced more often than say WB.

And right on about fire and EMT services. The little town that DH was born and raised is ALL volunteer and only state troopers patrol their area.

[varmintblaster]

Originally Posted by go phillies

How about police department, fire department, emergency medical service, DPW, parks, etc etc. Not to knock small town police, but most of the smaller towns in the area have police departments made up of low-wage part-timers, and the fire departments are typically volunteer, which I admire volunteer firefighters, but lets be honest, when they get a call, they have to leave their regular jobs and come to the fire, they're not waiting at the station to respond to a call....so I would think you'd get better service from a paid department.

I do think Scranton's 3.4% wage tax is excessive, but the property taxes are reasonable and houses are usually cheaper, so its basically a wash.

And if you live in White Haven or any out-of-the-way rural town, everytime you need to get something at the store, go to a park, go to the movies, pick up a pizza, anything....requires driving a pretty far distance. I pretty much have those things in either walking distance or a very short drive. So you use less gas living in a city, which helps make up the wage tax difference.

Well, I did not intend to make this into a White Haven -vs- WB/Scranton City debate, but since you brought up a few details to compare I will respond:

Fire Protection - I don't really care. I live 2 miles from the nearest hydrant. That is why I carry replacement value home owner's insurance.

Police Protection - White Haven does not need a full time police force because our crime rate is near ZERO - no crack houses, gangs, nuisance bar shootouts, etc,etc,etc. Plus we have no need to fund a bloated public servants pension plan for the donut munchers that comprise the ranks of WB's finest. Furthermore, if some scumbag ever makes the mistake of breaking into my home when I am there, the last sound they will hear is a shell being racked into a 12ga shotgun.

Store - there is a grocery store in downtown White Haven, may not carry the best selection of fruits or veggies, but has most of what the typical household needs. If I need something special I will plan my shopping trips around my daily travels and make a stop at Ahearts' market at Blakelee Corners or Mr Z's in Mountain Top - a whopping ten miles in either direction.

Parks?? - I live on the boundary line of Lehigh Gorge State Park and within 100 footsteps from my deck can be wading in the Lehigh River catching trout. Hickory Run State Park is a stone's throw away. There are 6 streams within a 5 mile radius of my home that supports native brook trout population and a myriad of other wildlife. I can jump on a mountain bike and ride the trail all the way to Jim Thorpe 24 miles away if I chose to, while enjoying the scenery of the Lehigh River.

Sadly, there are no gangbangers carrying rap-blaring boomboxes on their wife-beater T-shirt clad shoulders to break the sound of Nature.

Pizza - 2 local pizza joints. Six local restaurants - two offering the high-priced gourmet varieties you city slickers boast about.

Movies - I don't spend time watching TV or movies. Matter of fact, I don't have cable or satelitte hookup in my home. Too many outdoor activities. The boob tube and the Hollywood crap entertainment does nothing but contribute to the dumbing down of America.

So, let me recap, I can have an additional $1,600 per year removed from my annual income for the luxury of living within WB city limits so I can support early retirement for cops & firemen who I don't need, see movies which I don't watch, or stuff my face with pizza from local joints that are located on every other street corner adjacent to the hookers, crack dealers, and nuisance bars..

That $1,600 can buy alot of front-end alignments for my vehicles - if I needed them - but I don't since our roads do not resemble mine fields.

No thanks, I think I'll pass.

[varmintblaster]

Originally Posted by Magritte25

And right on about fire and EMT services. The little town that DH was born and raised is ALL volunteer and only state troopers patrol their area.

Some folks feel the need to rely on cradle to grave services from the Nanny State.

How sad. That is the mentality that is contributing to the downfall of the US.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by varmintblaster

Do you work for the chamber of commerce?

Magritte does not. W-B Proud does not. I also do not, nor does anyone in my family. I possess no "connections", and I am a native of the Wilkes-Barre area. Some of us just realize that you attract more flies with honey than with vinegar, and by telling everyone "this place sucks" you are NOT going to lure in the fresh blood and new talent that places lilke Wilkes-Barre need to thrive again. Why move to a place like Scranton where everyone spouts out how miserable their existence is when you can move to a place like Arlington, VA, Boulder, CO, or even Pittsburgh, PA for that matter where civic pride abounds?

Originally Posted by varmintblaster

LOL - maybe the city should start patching the massive potholes and the crumbing infrastructure.

As Magritte told you this problem is not unique to Wilkes-Barre. Travel the roads in Scranton, Pittston, Allentown, Hazleton, Reading, Erie, Harrisburg, or any other aging city in the Commonwealth and then tell me that Wilkes-Barre's roads have more potholes than any other city in the state. The infrastructure is crumbling because everyone continues to move out of urbanized areas in our state (against the current national trend) to tear down trees in suburbia for their hideous vinyl-sided tract homes, leaving a blow to the tax base in their wake. Less residents = less taxpayers = less money to maintain infrastructure.

Originally Posted by varmintblaster

Bouncing back strong? - The only new businesses opening are bars to serve the college students..

The mayor's own wife opened an upscale gift shop in Midtown Village called "The Bee Hive." Other newer venues include a womens' apparel store, Tilbury Knob (gifts), a hookah lounge, a busy bookstore, a thriving movie theater, and various restaurants that include Thai Thai, Cafe Toscana, Blue Chip Gourmet, Rodano's, Bart & Urby's, and Bottlenecks, amongst others. The new intermodal transit center is the first step in cleaning up Public Square and getting the "trash", so to speak, to scatter. The city still has a long ways to go, but at its current pace in another 5-10 years the entire downtown business district could be fully revitalized, especially if and when the recession ends in NEPA.

Originally Posted by varmintblaster

Add to that the crackheads and prostitutes roaming the streets at all hours of the day or night..

Complete bull excrement. Sorry. I attended King's from 2005-2009 and very rarely was ever nearly the victim of crime, and I was frequently Downtown at night walking a good long distance.

Originally Posted by varmintblaster

All these wonderful benefits for 3% local income tax rate - when the surrounding communities tax their citizens 1%.

Wilkes-Barre has more professional services and amenities. More stuff = more $$$.

Originally Posted by varmintblaster

To the OP - stay away from Wilkes-Barre - it's a DUMP !!!!

The last time I was in White Haven I seem to remember thinking to myself "look at all of the poverty." Pot calling the kettle black much?