Spokane v. CDA v. Missoula crime, addicts, 2A, and Relocation (Seattle: city hall, home)

[TrueNorth1]

I have looked at areas from NW Montana to Eastern Washington to relocate for about five years. I will be opening a business and I have a child looking at colleges in eastern WA and MO. I live in Alaska and things here have become extremely expensive and I don't think I can handle too many more -20 below on average winters for 9 months a year.

The last five years I have noticed that Spokane seems to be struggling with some of the same issues at the rest of the west coast has with addicts running around in the streets. The Sanctuary City status also has me concerned. I saw in the Spokesman Review that people had protested outside the city hall to allow homeless to lay anywhere they want in the city. That is something I am not wanting to have around a business.

I am mostly concerned with crime, homelessness, addicts, cost of living and business friendliness.

My concerns with WA: 2A laws, crime, addicts
My concerns with ID: taxes
My concerns with MO: remoteness, distribution for my business

So, how about second amendment rights? I read that Washington just passed a restrictive law. How difficult is it to get a concealed permit for a law abiding citizen with zero criminal history in WA, ID and MO? I am a single woman and am trained and armed. Alaska has very relaxed laws, and I would like to be able to carry a firearm for defense and also in my home.

Spokane is so beautiful and I would really like to move there, but I would like to hear from people there about these things.

Thank you for your input!

[Toyman at Jewel Lake]

You nailed it on Spokane-the city council is turning it into Seattle Lite in terms of attracting and permitting homeless to take over the city and tolerance for hard drug use. And the state as a whole has swung hard anti-civil-rights concerning the 2A. WA just last weekend passed a string of new taxes on businesses.

Montana is a wonderful state-but Missoula is perhaps the worst city in it in terms of 2A rights. You'd have to do some digging, they passed some strong anti laws in the last couple of years but I don't recall the details.

[Jane917]

Just to be clear, Montana is MT, not MO. You are talking about Montana, right?

As a former resident of MT, I would say it is pretty easy to get a concealed weapon permit if you comply with the regulations. You don't need a permit to keep a weapon in your home.

I am not sure of the value of moving away from extreme cold temperatures in the winter and relocating in Missoula.

[Count David]

Originally Posted by TrueNorth1

Thank you for your input!

If you want to live in WA, don't live in Spokane city-proper. Not that Spokane Valley is any better for some of these issues, but you have several suburbs and towns to choose from that are not the city. IMO, Spokane's homeless issues aren't any worse than they were 10 years ago, but the coverage of them seems to have increased ten-fold (just like it has everywhere else).

Otherwise, just live in Idaho, and have your child look at U of I too. Not sure what MT really offers you.

[Amazinghumans.showinglove]

Spokane area or 30-60 drive outer areas are wonderful. Spokane is no better or worse than other areas, lower housing, four seasons, minimal traffic compared to other big cities in WA. Lots of treatment options for addicts and its worse in Seattle and Portland OR as far as street ppl running around if that's a concern. Don't live downtown if that's a problem. Many beautiful and safe neighborhoods and wonderful people.

[slowlanes]

getting a carry permit in Spokane is just a matter of applying with the PD.
https://my.spokanecity.org/police/in...s-and-permits/

Regarding homeless. Find a city or town without them. And as mental health programs continue to evaporate along with the blue collar manufacturing/production jobs being lost to increasing robotic manufacturing, there will be more homeless, not less.

Much of determining where to move to is projecting what it will look like in ten and twenty years as well as it does now. Does the state/area have progressive job growth, or slowly sliding into the abyss? Are the hospitals older or newer, are they attracting the best doctors or having problems doing so? What will the climate be like there in 20 years if current change continues? Are the voters approving new school bonds to keep up with the demands of education, or are the schools aging and neglected? Because how well those kids are being prepared now will tell you much how their towns and cities will look like in 20 years.

We've spent a lot of time in Spokane, daughter has been raising her family there for the past 20 years, and we are currently looking for a home to buy near her. We personally like South Hill which is where she lives, very little petty crime and just 10 to 15 mins to hospital, shopping, airport, etc.

If you balance job market, access to immediate health care, moderate vs. extreme winters, an emerging foodie and activity scene, an easy to fly out of airport just outside the city, and a robust younger generation that is rapidly turning Spokane into an outdoor activity fun hub, Spokane has a lot going for it.
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Also ask yourself where you think you son will most likely find a job when he graduates, and whether you hope to live near him in your later years.

If you'd like to know more about the Spokane neighborhoods, here's a good thread on just that:

//www.city-data.com/forum/spoka...hborhoods.html