SlickDizzy wrote:
One thing I did notice when I was last out there, is that there seems to be a HUGE difference between the kids who move out there with no job and no plan because "Portland is cool" and the regular people who live and work in the city because of what it has to offer. I might be a younger dude with some hipster-ish tendencies, but I can definitely see how one could be turned off by the sense of entitlement a lot of the youth seem to have...
Also, I did have the privilege of dodging human poop on the sidewalk in Old Town, I know and understand the homeless thing...it's definitely an issue but I'll take it over the rampant racial segregation and police brutality I've been living with for almost a decade now here in Milwaukee.
Yeah, there are always a few trust-fun babies that screw it up for everyone. Luckily those idiots are mostly unemployable and generally funny to laugh at as they struggle to understand how the real world works. You'll be fine since you've got a good head on your shoulders.
kazoospec wrote:
BTW - not to "nit pick", but a three year old with a crayon and a map could have done a better job laying out the city and the traffic flow. That would make me absolutely crazy.
That's because it used to be two separate towns. Portland (on the west side) and East Portland (on the east bank). So it grew organically until the 50's and 60's when the freeways came to town, were half-built, leaving a mess in its wake and poorly designed light rail train to try and pick up the slack.
Live in wash state if possible and do your shopping in Oregon. Oregon has no sales tax and wash state has no income tax.
In reply to Fueled by Caffeine:
And enjoy the choking commute traffic on the only two bridges available. Yeah, that sounds like crap to me, but to each their own...
As I said... Oregonians like their state... red or blue... car or bike... street person, or those living in the West Hills.
If you don't like it... don't come back. Not sure what the problem is here.... 
my wife commutes to Tigard/Portland edge, her commute(back roads) is always 18-24 minutes... no less, and no more.
In reply to Fueled by Caffeine:
Really? Your time isn't worth anything? 
turboswede wrote:
In reply to Fueled by Caffeine:
Really? Your time isn't worth anything?
Not really.. you should see my work schedule.
I have been up here, in Vancouver, for about two and a half years and lived in Eugene for roughly 5 years before that. I live about a mile north of the Columbia River and the wind tunnel comments ring true on the north bank of the river, too. I no nothing of the daily rush hour traffic as I'm alway going in the opposite direction.
It sounds like you'll be working in Oregon, which means that's where you will want to live. There's no sense in fighting traffic both day and night, paying Oregon income tax, and Washington sales tax.
It doesn't rain here as much as everyone says. It's more of fine mist or drizzle. The good news is you never have to shovel rain and, as a general rule, if it's raining it ain't freezing (but we do get freezing rain on occasion...) The winter temperatures are pretty mild; I've probably had to scrape morning ice off my windows less than a dozen times this winter. No joke.
I hate the west side with a burning passion, but I am a small-town boy and the idea of large buildings, too many people, and parallel parking irk me. I prefer to spend my time in Portland out near the Alberta, North Williams, or Belmont neighborhoods. I'll be the first to admit I align nearer to the Hipsters rather than the curmudgeonly elders, but I like sideburns, bicycles, and beer, so no real surprise there.
You pay income tax in the state where your permanent residence is established.
Nope, you pay OR income tax if you work there, even if you don't live there.
bgkast wrote:
Nope, you pay OR income tax if you work there, even if you don't live there.
That makes no sense. I worked in nj but paid taxes in pa.
Fueled by Caffeine wrote:
bgkast wrote:
Nope, you pay OR income tax if you work there, even if you don't live there.
That makes no sense. I worked in nj but paid taxes in pa.
It does because Washington doesn't have state income tax. Only property and sales tax. Oregon doesn't have a sales tax (and don't make the mistake of talking about that with an Oregonian. Just don't.) So workers from Washington who work in Oregon get to pay Oregon income tax. If you work from home in Washington at all, you can deduct those days from your taxes when you file. Many feel that makes them feel justified to buy everything (including gas) in Oregon making places like Columbia Crossing and Jantzen Beach really popular for the Vancouverites :)
Of course many places in Washington will waive the sales tax for Oregon buyers, so I'm not sure how Washington manages to avoid an income tax with all of the loopholes around their sales tax.
You can pump your own gas in Washington, but gas is slightly more expensive. In Oregon you aren't allowed to pump your own gas, but it seems slightly cheaper.
Isn't moving to Portland not cool anymore because it became cool to move to Portland?
Negative points for stealing Austin's slogan as well.
ScreaminE wrote:
Isn't moving to Portland not cool anymore because it became cool to move to Portland?
Negative points for stealing Austin's slogan as well.
Ashvillle NC had it before both of those two poser places..
Fueled by Caffeine wrote:
ScreaminE wrote:
Isn't moving to Portland not cool anymore because it became cool to move to Portland?
Negative points for stealing Austin's slogan as well.
Ashvillle NC had it before both of those two poser places..
Wrong. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keep_Austin_Weird
Neither Ashville, or Austin have a city park that is a sweet little road course....
