How would you describe Bellevue? (Seattle, Renton: crime rate, houses, employment)

[ILI.EB]

Thank you for that information. I've been searching for something along the lines of the map that you have linked me to with little success.

That was a very helpful post - so thanks again.

[limeyx]

Originally Posted by BellevueNative

The City Manager form of government seems to work well. I will not live in the city of Seattle because of its crazy taxes,

Do you have any good comparisons of the various taxes in Bellevue compared to Seattle ?
I am interested as I am classified as a Sole Proprietor and wondering if there would be a difference in tax obligations between the two (or maybe those differences are in other kinds of taxes ?)

[BellevueNative]

I don't know anything about business taxes. However, I know that Bellevue has some of the lowest property taxes in the state due to its large tax base of businesses in the city. The taxes I was referring to are for things like the tunnel they're building on the Seattle waterfront, replacement of the sea wall on the Seattle waterfront, the monorail tax the city collected for years (even though the monorail never got built), the amusement park-like redevelopment of the waterfront, and lots of other things. Meanwhile the city streets are inadequate to handle the volume of traffic generated by the businesses, streets like Mercer are filled with potholes that take years to repair, and the city's schools are overcrowded and underperforming.

[Hemlock140]

i had a business in Bellevue for years, and you do have to pay the state and the city of Bellevue B & O taxes based on gross sales, profit or not. Seattle also has a square foot tax based on the size of business space. Both require a license to do business there whether your actual establishment is in their city or not, as do most cities. That would apply to companies that go to the customer to sell, deliver, or install.

[Powder4life]

Originally Posted by Freebird2007

Better than Seattle

If you like no culture.

[angelenogirl]

Originally Posted by ILI.EB

Thank you to everybody who has replied.

Bellevue sounds like a great place (so far) for us - so what's the catch? What would you say - if anything - would keep you from living in Bellevue? I am asking from the angle of actual cons of the city, not personal preferences such as "it's too suburban" or "its not worth the cost."

Thanks again!

I've only been to Bellevue a few times, but it struck me as very new. Lots of chain restaurants and big brand shopping. I'm also looking to move to Seattle, and feel like I prefer the charm of the older areas and access to mom and pop establishments. With its new, mass-planned construction, Bellevue reminded me of any city, anywhere. Perhaps there are unique, charming spots in or near Bellevue, but I didn't see them.

[wutitiz]

I have lived in Bellevue for the past 10 years and love it. Crime is ultra-low. In the Jennifer Dunn days it may have been conservative, but I don't think that is really true anymore (although I wish it were). True there are a ton of Lexuses but I drive a pickup truck (and motorcycle), am blue collar, and don't feel 'out of place.' But I tend to figure the place should adapt to me, not the reverse, lol.

One thing to keep in mind is that there is a light rail project coming to Bellevue in the near future. I expect that while they are building it it will be incredibly disruptive. I had to drive to South Seattle once when they were building the Seattle leg of this line, and traffic was so terrible that I swore I would never go there again till it was done, and I didn't. As far as I know they are still debating the route. If they go down Bellevue Way (downtown Bellevue), as I think the transit agency prefers, it's going to be a nightmare while they're building.

[JesseJB]

More bland than a dinner at the Cracker Barrel.

[Apathizer]

Originally Posted by ILI.EB

I apologize if my post wasn't clear.

I am very aware that Boise is nothing like Bellevue - or similar to any city that I would prefer to live in for that matter. I am definitely not enjoying my time here.

I was asking for a comparison of the downtown of each city strictly in terms of size and the realistic walkability of each. If Bellevue's downtown is roughly the size of Boise's and I can realistically eat out, go grocery shopping / buy necessities or have a night out at a lounge and walk back home to my downtown condo from each of those then I will be perfectly satisfied as long as the core city is within 15 minutes of home.

Does the downtown section of Bellevue fit that description at all? I don't care about the rest of the city much as once I'm in my vehicle, I can go anywhere else I need.

I spent a few hours in downtown Boise, so my experience is limited. That said, my impression is that Boise is much more pedestrian/bike friendly than Bellevue. Realistically, Bellevue isn't pedestrian friendly at all, unless you stay in the immediate downtown area - even then about the only grocery shopping option you have is Safeway.

Bellevue is a fairly generic business-oriented suburb. As others have said, most store and restaurants are the same chain places you see in virtually any other suburb anywhere else in the country. For that reason, I don't like it, but that's me.

On the other hand, it has great schools and is generally very safe, so if you have a family and can afford it, these are major +s. As someone who is car-free, single, and childless, Bellevue doesn't appeal to me at all.

[ILI.EB]

I wanted to say thank you to everybody who has replied - regardless of how little or much was said, it was all very very helpful.

I am gathering that it is very nice, but very dull. Can anybody recommend a suburb that would be just as nice and as safe, but a little more unique and oriented toward young(er) professionals rather than families?

My ideal city would be a suburb that is close to the core city and has a lively, entertaining downtown with many great unique dining options.