Please help! Does anyone out there like living in Tucson??? (Oro Valley: real estate, violent crime)

[eastwestman]

Originally Posted by Jukesgrrl

The way you posted the question, no one with a negative opinion would bother to answer. Clearly, you were simply asking to have your best hopes confirmed. How does that actually help you?

Easy there, Jukesgrrl..........easy......easy....

[CLambert]

Originally Posted by eastwestman

Easy there, Jukesgrrl..........easy......easy....

[CLambert]

Originally Posted by odinloki1

I think overall the standards in AZ are low. If you're talking about the passing rates for the state test I'm sure they are fine, but overall they are being gutted by cheapskate voters and a lack of funds. Do some specific research on the district, when override elections were held, if they passed and if they didn't what will be cut. My district was on the SE side. Almost all their schools were highly performing or excelling, admin costs some of the lowest in the state. Very efficient. However their budget override didn't pass this year. At least 3 teachers from each school will be cut for the next year. Odds are the arts and PE will suffer the most. I don't know about you, but I want a school to be a place where my kid can try new things that they may never get to try anywhere else, not endless test drilling.

Check to see if the foothills is the same with budget cuts. I could very well be wrong. However from the teacher perspective, I know a lot of instruction time is wasted on management of children, and the more kids you have, the more management issues there are.

My wife was a teacher in a school on the South side (which does have problems) when she left, she wasn't replaced because of budget issues. Her former coworkers tell her that more cuts are in store.

Additionally the pay isn't enough incentive to keep good teachers. I left and became a CNA (10 week course). I worked 48 hours a week (4 12 hour shifts) made 200-300 more a month, had 1 more day off, and less headaches and problems to take home. Teachers should be paid enough so their focus is on teaching and not on making enough to barely survive. Many of my fellow teachers had to work part time jobs to be able to support their families. again I don't know about you, but when I have a kid I want teachers to be focused on instructing my kid, not exhausted from their other job or worried about making enough to pay the rent.

I'm very sorry for the rant. I am a bit jilted. My wife (who still is a teacher) and I have taken this experience away with us though and we learned about what we want schools to offer.

No problem about the rant...sorry for your frustrations, much understandable. I will definitely take your knowledge into consideration and do some research on the school systems in the foothills. Hope your next adventure is all you dreamed of...take care.

[CLambert]

Originally Posted by kolaida

In all honesty, the biggest regret of my life is LEAVING Tucson, Arizona. So, yes, I definitely loved it when I was there and plan to move back at some point in my life when I'm able to do so.

Just to be clear, I have nothing against Fairbanks, AK (we left Tucson for another city and state entirely).

Also, on schools; I was really not fond of the K-12 schools there (I graduated from Palo Verde) and most of my family wasn't, but we moved to Sahuarita and my brothers and sisters attended school there instead. They seemed to really like the schools there as each got involved with some kind of school activity and made friends. I loved going to college in Tucson, though.

Thanks kolaida! When you come back, and if we do decide to move here, let's get a cup of coffee!

[knrstz]

Originally Posted by RickTucsonHomes

I have lived in Tulsa and Tucson, as for enduring the weather, will GLADLY take Tucson summers over Tulsa winters, will take Tucson summers over Tulsa summers also. (can't remeber the last time I even had a mosquito bite, probably when I was in Tulsa!) If you enjoy outdoor activities there is absolutly no comparson, Tucson wins. Any outdoor acitivty you enjoy you can pretty much do year round here, you just adjust what time of day you go out. I actually tend to play more golf durring the summer months, easier to get tee times, cost less, and play is faster. So will it be mosquitoes or will it be margarita's this next summer, your choice!

I'm from OKC and contemplating a move to Tucson. How does the crime in Tucson compare to OKC or Tulsa? I'm not looking for stats because that doesn't always help. Do you feel as safe and comfortable in Tucson as you did in Tulsa?

[RickTucsonHomes]

Originally Posted by knrstz

I'm from OKC and contemplating a move to Tucson. How does the crime in Tucson compare to OKC or Tulsa? I'm not looking for stats because that doesn't always help. Do you feel as safe and comfortable in Tucson as you did in Tulsa?

Obviously random crime can happen anywhere, but for comparison purposes, when I was in Tulsa I lived in the 81st Memorial area. Here, I live out in Oro Valley. I would say I feel at least "as safe" and maybe even more safe and comfortable in Oro Valley than Tulsa. In either place it was/is not something I dwell on in daily life. No matter where you live there are common everyday common sense precautions you take. Car theft here is atrocious, so if you have an older model Honda Civic keep it locked and alarmed! My daughters civic has been stolen twice, have gotten it back twice! If only cars could talk, the stories it could tell about it's two little "vacations from home". Yet she still has a ready excuse for why she didn't put the steering wheel lock on.

[Marcy1210]

Just like any other city, Tucson has areas you wouldn't want to live in as they're definitely not safe, and other areas that are very safe. As for the safe feeling factor, it's not so much the amount of crime, it's the type of crime you want to avoid. I, personally, am not worried about crime when the #1 crime in my area is shoplifting, as it's not a personal crime, but I would really care (and move out) if my area had high personal crime rates (rape, murder, assault, home invasion, etc.). So, you have to look at the areas of Tucson and what the type of crime is behind the stats. With that in mind, and the demographics of Tucson compared to OKC, I'd say Tucson is probably the safer of the two cities.

[WildBill1971]

Car theft here is atrocious, so if you have an older model Honda Civic keep it locked and alarmed! My daughters civic has been stolen twice, have gotten it back twice! If only cars could talk, the stories it could tell about it's two little "vacations from home". Yet she still has a ready excuse for why she didn't put the steering wheel lock on. [/quote]


I Have A 98' Ford F150 (mint). I hear that they are high on the list of stolen vehicles. We're moving to AZ. I'll buy "the Club" if you think it will stop them from trying to steal it. My wifes car on the other hand 03' Vue. Nice car, I don't think it made the list.

[Subie2]

The Club is more of a deterrent. If a thief sees a car with no club, and then sees one with it, they might decide to go the path of least resistance and go for the club-less car. However if they really want your car and it has a club, they'll find a way to get it.

[sierraAZ]

Originally Posted by Subie2

However if they really want your car and it has a club, they'll find a way to get it.

I hope an alarm AND a club would send them to the next one!