Alaskans with lots of questions (Spokane: sales, rent, credit)

[AmandaL]

Hello!

The husband and I are planning to move from Fairbanks, AK to Spokane within the next year. We are both born and raised in Alaska so we don't know what it's like to live anywhere else. Spokane is about 5 times bigger than Fairbanks so it will be a big place to us.

1. Are there tint laws on vehicles? My SUV has rather dark tint.
2. How often do vehicles need to be reregistered? Here it's every 2 years and a flat $100.
3. Is pest control needed there? Here we have no need for pest control.
4. Do pets need monthly pet meds (heart worm, fleas, ticks etc)? Again here that is not needed.
5. I know there is sales tax but is anything exempt from sales tax?
6. I hear alcohol tax is 36% is this true?
7. How much can we expect to pay in tax when buying a car? No sales tax in AK.
8. Are there any "hobby" garages around where people can rent for the day or so to work on their own vehicle?
9. Which credit unions are best/most popular? I have always had Alaska USA FCU and I'm not interested in banks.
10. When do we officially need to become a WA resident? I have heard a year or when our AK DLs expire.
11. Do we have to pay for parking? No parking fees here.

We have picked 3 apt complexes to check out when we come down in June. Copper Hill, Eagle Rock and Canyon Bluffs. Has anyone rented from any of these places? Also we have 3 Dachshunds and all these sites say up to 2 dogs. Do they make exceptions for small dogs?

Thanks!

[Yeledaf]

Number ten has me stunned. Just stunned. Pay for parking? You want the truth? YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH! Ooops, sorry. Just had a Jack Nicholson moment. Lots of people say I remind them of him...

But to the topic: I don't know about tint laws or pet worms, but I do remember that Spokane may be the most heavily policed city for parking meters in the world. They are dead serious about the whole thing. Armies of little three-wheeled vehicles driven by sadists patrol the downtown area and surrounding neighborhoods, merrily dispensing parking tickets to the unaware, especially at Christmas time. There are so many of the grim-visaged b******s (rhymes with "mass-curds") with their little revolving yellow lights that my kids used to call them "the Christmas cars".

You might have your garage robbed, your car stolen, your house broken into and vandalized, or whatever. The police may or may not become effectively involved. But do not fail to put the coins into the little slots dingdingding buzzbuzzbuzz every fifteen minutes or so or the dogs of war will come and tear you limb from limb. (Figuratively speaking, of course. They're not interested in your body. They just want your cash.)

[Arktisk]

Hello,

my first post on the forums here

I lived in Spokane for a good number of years and am famillier with Alaska as well. Here is my effort at answering some of your questions.
1. Yes. If my memory serves me correctly it is 32% is legal. I had run around for years though with zero issues though at darker tint. If you were to get pulled over and the cop was not at all able to see through the window to see your profile he(she) could make a remark about it...
2. Tabs need to renewed each time you need to go in to emissions testing (required by Spokane county). Price varies by vehicle and weight. I averaged ~$50.
3. Not really. Spokane gets some winter unlike western WA and things die out or hibernate pretty well. You might find some nasty spiders around in the winter/fall. Brown recluse is probably the worst or maybe black widow. I had never done anything with chemicles to combat.
4. Monthly, probably not. Again, it would depend on how much the animal is out and in the bush. Baths are a good idea. Weather in Spokane is more mild than Fairbanks in the winter and maybe just a tad warmer in summer. -15*F is what I remember for a week max in the mornings. Typical though is in the teens and 20s.
5. Some food is exempt from sales tax. Typically the fresh fruits and vegitables.
6. Alcohol tax is high, but is relative. What is it? IDK
7. Again, I can not answer this as I deal private party with vehicles. This will help WA State Licensing: Buying or selling a vehicle
8. Yes. At least in the VW crowd Small shops would likely allow it for a fee.
9. Not sure it that has changed but I think AK fed. is down here still.
10. I would think just when your licenses expire. That is my understanding
11. Yeledaf kind of hit it on parking

You will likely enjoy Spokane coming from Fairbanks. They are relatively similar in some regards.

[elousv]

Here ya go:

[OGTSO]

Costco shows the final price of Liquor on the shelf tag with the tax included. The grocery stores put a low price on the shelf and the customer gets pissed at the register after all the taxes are added in. Grocery stores are creating drama about the taxes for some reason. IMHO prices are lower and selection is better since they got rid of Wa State run liquor stores. Coming from Ca originally, the prices were always higher here in Wa than Ca. The higher prices , bad selection, and having to go to a separate store were too much. I am glad Wa State got out of the liquor store business.

[Yeledaf]

Booze, schmooze. It's all academic.

Who needs john barleycorn now that locoweed is no longer evil? Or illegal?

[OGTSO]

Originally Posted by Yeledaf

Booze, schmooze. It's all academic.

Who needs john barleycorn now that locoweed is no longer evil? Or illegal?

Some of us have jobs where we are randomly drug tested. Testing positive for locoweed means no more income for some of us.

[Yeledaf]

Originally Posted by OGTSO

Some of us have jobs where we are randomly drug tested. Testing positive for locoweed means no more income for some of us.

That raises an interesting question: if one is using a recreational drug which is legal, woudn't firing that person for its use then be a violation of the civil rights of the user?

[OGTSO]

Originally Posted by Yeledaf

That raises an interesting question: if one is using a recreational drug which is legal, woudn't firing that person for its use then be a violation of the civil rights of the user?

My employer already sent out an e-mail proclaiming that just because the state legalized locoweed, it is still a controlled substance in the eyes of the Federal Government, therefore you will be fired if it is found in a random drug test. I do not have the legal resources, nor the inclination to test their resolve. Getting drunk in your time off, no problemo! Getting high in your time off, you're fired!

[Yeledaf]

Originally Posted by OGTSO

My employer already sent out an e-mail proclaiming that just because the state legalized locoweed, it is still a controlled substance in the eyes of the Federal Government, therefore you will be fired if it is found in a random drug test. I do not have the legal resources, nor the inclination to test their resolve. Getting drunk in your time off, no problemo! Getting high in your time off, you're fired!

Hmm. I don't blame you; but I predict lawsuits galore. The case law in this area awaits definition.

Amazing how drunkenness is considered less offensive than having the munchies and giggling.