If not here, then where?

[echo1]

Guys, I feel your pain. I'm a first generation Kali occupant since it was once free. Over the decades as the place has been run into the ground and 2A completely pushed by the wayside, I'd been constantly encouraged to bail, but like you guys, it's my home and was once a pretty decent place. They, the .gov, force your hand. The only survivable way to exist, is to go renegade with ownership, but. caution, discipline and a degree of treachery is needed. Kali did away with Cash & Carry in 2014, but if it's off the books, it stays off the books. No hi-cap mags without registry, pinned to fixed 5, have mags just can't be used (or seen being used). You adapt you iron to adjust/comply. Anything short of confiscation has a go around, you gotta know when to push over the edge and which jurisdictions turn a blind eye. In kali, the rural sheriff has better things to do but you have to respect their position and not put them in a corner. It's a tricky dance on a skinny line. It's your home, don't let them drive you out. Viva la Raza PAX

 

[P7M13]

I'm in the tech industry and Or has a good spot for that as California tech industries have moved north to expand (for better or worse)

Micron in Boise, OnSemi in Nampa. There are plenty of jobs there, but I'm not sure what they pay. LA Semi in Poke. There's a smattering of tech companies, mills and other companies that need highly skilled technicians and engineers, as well as INL near Blackfoot. I've done work at perhaps a dozen different locations.
As far as career change, I've done lateral shifts, but have basically stayed in the same vein. I'm fortunate that I have a skill set that's not too common and in high demand.
A friend of mine near Weiser Idaho has a similar skill set. He's now working mostly from home as an engineering manager for a global automation company.

 

[CO136]

Interesting thread - interesting to hear other's perspective...

My wife & I have discussed leaving Oregon, largely because of M114, but not entirely (drugs, homeless, crime come to mind). We recently discussed Wyoming again. My wife is from Wyoming, that's where her family is at. We were thinking Cheyenne.

But, we have family here. We have a granddaughter who graduates next month from high school here in southern Oregon. The same high school I graduated from, same high school my sister & brother graduated from, and the same high school my Dad graduated from. From a family perspective, it would be challenging for us to just up and leave.

Additionally, where we are at in Oregon, we got it all! Hunting, fishing, camping, shooting, the ocean not far away. I can walk out my front door and, with caution, fire any firearm I want to. And, the climate is killer awesome. Wyoming's climate cannot hold a candle to what we got going here.

And financially, it would be a stretch to make any move happen. The fixed Social Security income we got going sorta diminishes our opportunities elsewhere.

All that said, should Prozanski, et al. (and that idiot from Bend) continue their march to disarm Oregonians, perhaps one day we will need to make that tough decision.

Best wishes to all who are struggling with this, as we have.

 

[Koda]

Micron in Boise, OnSemi in Nampa. There are plenty of jobs there, but I'm not sure what they pay. LA Semi in Poke. There's a smattering of tech companies, mills and other companies that need highly skilled technicians and engineers, as well as INL near Blackfoot. I've done work at perhaps a dozen different locations.
As far as career change, I've done lateral shifts, but have basically stayed in the same vein. I'm fortunate that I have a skill set that's not too common and in high demand.
A friend of mine near Weiser Idaho has a similar skill set. He's now working mostly from home as an engineering manager for a global automation company.

Those are good leads but not finding anything in them. My job is too specific, Ive landed into a niche but I'm probably more applicable in a manufacturing engineering facility except they don't pay as well for what I do if not related to the semiconductor industry.

 

[Koda]

Guys, I feel your pain. I'm a first generation Kali occupant since it was once free. Over the decades as the place has been run into the ground and 2A completely pushed by the wayside, I'd been constantly encouraged to bail, but like you guys, it's my home and was once a pretty decent place. They, the .gov, force your hand. The only survivable way to exist, is to go renegade with ownership, but. caution, discipline and a degree of treachery is needed. Kali did away with Cash & Carry in 2014, but if it's off the books, it stays off the books. No hi-cap mags without registry, pinned to fixed 5, have mags just can't be used (or seen being used). You adapt you iron to adjust/comply. Anything short of confiscation has a go around, you gotta know when to push over the edge and which jurisdictions turn a blind eye. In kali, the rural sheriff has better things to do but you have to respect their position and not put them in a corner. It's a tricky dance on a skinny line. It's your home, don't let them drive you out. Viva la Raza PAX

That doesn't sound like freedom or home anymore, and with great respect to you but I cant help but notice you now live in Idaho.

 

[echo1]

That doesn't sound like freedom or home anymore, and with great respect to you but I cant help but notice you now live in Idaho.

No I don't live in Idaho and no it's not like it once was in Kali. There was no Kali option on the list, and I've been working in Idaho seasonally since 2019 and visiting annually since '86, my son lived in Rathdrum. And yes, 2A is compromised, the metro areas are in the dumper but it's too late in the game for me to relocate and I'm in Central Kali ag dirt, which is not the city. PAX

 

[Hawaiian]

Retired and thinking about moving. Only thing keeping us here is friends. Even if you put the gun control and woke ideologies aside, the cost of living in Oregon keeps rising. Portland is dying as a city and the financial downfall will greatly affect the state as a whole. The libs will raise taxes to keep funding their programs which will only increase the cost of living here further.
We are all getting a late start in bailing as so many people have already moved to the more favorable places that the cost of living in those places has also greatly increased. Maybe I had better get off my keister soon?

 

[Artilleryman]

We'll be moving to somewhere near the KC area in the next month or two. Wife and I are originally from there.

I've been out here in the vicinity of PDX since shortly before.Y2K and will miss the PNW.

Lot of downsides to our new destination: hot, humid summers. Usually bitter cold winters. Tornadoes. Very little to see or do, compared to the PNW. Extremely difficult to find any conversation that doesn't center on local sportsball crap, whether it's about the chiefs, royals or ku / k-state…lots of rattlesnakes, copperheads, mosquitos, chiggers and various other stuff that can really screw up your day.
But on the upside it'll put us closer to family and the cost of living is lower. But then again areas with lower cost of living generally have lower wages as well. Fortunately, I was able to finagle opportunity to take a very reasonable severance from my job out here.

 

[sealine]

...Lot of downsides to our new destination: hot, humid summers. Usually bitter cold winters. Tornadoes.…lots of rattlesnakes, copperheads, mosquitos, chiggers and various other stuff that can really screw up your day.

I'd rather deal with those everyday of my life than live another minute here in Oregon. The wife retires in July 2027 and we're moving to Oklahoma as well. I don't want to wish my life away, but dang, these next two years can't go by fast enough! I'm tired of having my rights voted away by politicians and my tax money being squandered.

Imagine living in a state where your tax dollars goes to pay some guy $52,431 per MONTH, because he coached football at the University of Oregon for a few years. Oh...that's right, no imagination needed - I already do.

 

[made in china]

Firearm regulations and laws are not the reason we are trying to leave. Personally, those don't bother me, I'm not changing my situation to be compliant. I'll roll like a rapper if it comes to it.

The biggest issues for me are taxes and social issues. Half of my neighbors are terrible jerks (I do look at the bright side, the other half are awesome, pretty good for the PNW) and the recent regulations, laws and taxes that you can't escape:
Olympia talking about increasing property tax from 1% to 3% is significant
The fight over natural gas
Tax money being used for a certain narrative in school
Tax money not going to infrastructure unless it's a bike lane
My local police are driving Teslas, we also have the highest tax rates in WA state even higher than Bellevue

I'm born and raised from the desert SW, although I like the view and rain here, I can live anywhere. I've been looking at Utah, Nevada and my home state of Arizona. Trying to find places that don't attract Californians is key. I have seen what they did to Boise

 

[Xaevian]

If I could...I would go to the "Pan handle" of Idaho...Love the Wallace area.
Why.....
Beautiful country...nice people...and free.....unlike Washington.
Washington is gone....I vote...I write...but ain't no one truly represents me...and my interests.
And I am sick and damn tired of being thought of as dangerous or the problem ...just 'cause I own firearms.
Andy

House for sale a few lots down from me. Come on over brother, I can introduce you to some amazing people. Unfortunately, the salaries for your line of work are like the lowest in the nation. Like 50% paycut lower. But I can supply you with a lifetime of fish and eggs!

 

[Member 93125]

Loved it but idaho is slipping away. Born and raised in Caldwell and left in 2021 because of covid insanity. Everyone seems to think Idaho is some sanctuary but it's not, to me. Same crap with some sparkles on it. Private land and gates going up everywhere. People from everywhere moving in and building in what used to be farmland. Facebook and Googlemaps gives everyone your favorite spot or dumping ground. Boise and eagle are liberal cancer and spreading ever fast. Gangs in Caldwell and Nampa were also making a comeback. Meth and drugs are just like everywhere else. Too many people. Granted go further north and its Small towns, good people, lots of hunting and fishing, but at a high price to your bank account. I decided to come support my neighbor oregon, live here at the coast and not let liberal trash take over such a beautiful place anymore

 

[The Quiet Man]

After 25 years in Oregon, I retired and we moved to NW Ohio where my wife has family. Would have been in Texas had it been up to me but its fine here. Certainly firearm friendly and conservative compared to OR. Everyplace has its downsides and upsides but the OR downsides just got to be too much for us. Hope you find a place that makes you happy.

 

[Hotdog 7]

The biggest issues for me are taxes and social issues. Half of my neighbors are terrible jerks (I do look at the bright side, the other half are awesome, pretty good for the PNW) and the recent regulations, laws and taxes that you can't escape:
Olympia talking about increasing property tax from 1% to 3% is significant
The fight over natural gas
Tax money being used for a certain narrative in school
Tax money not going to infrastructure unless it's a bike lane
My local police are driving Teslas, we also have the highest tax rates in WA state even higher than Bellevue

I can relate to this. I can live with M114 (and whatever stupid gun laws are coming down the pipe) but when you start piling on high taxes, increased crime, traffic gridlock, failing schools, poor infrastructure, and so on it really makes you start to weigh the costs and benefits. Additionally, I work in law enforcement so working in a state that isn't inherently anti police would be great. There isn't as much anti cop sentiment out here in eastern Oregon but it does exist. I still wouldn't dare put anything on my car indicating I work in LE because I'm genuinely concerned my window would get smashed if I drove to Portland for the day. I was talking to a recruiter from a department in Utah and he said the support from both the public and the legislature is palpable. If homes weren't as expensive as they were in the Wasatch Front I would be packing my bags for Utah right now.

 

[CamoDeafie]

We're staying until my mother goes and meet her husband in Heaven. Until then, we're looking at a lot of things and honestly... Educational opportunities, and support for our children is priority #1, State respect for the Constitution (specifically 2A) #2.....

Not many places where there's a nice overlap of great education for children, good autism program supports, and a healthy dose of respect for 2A..... Seems it's going to be like "pick two of three"

 

[Camelfilter]

We're staying until my mother goes and meet her husband in Heaven. Until then, we're looking at a lot of things and honestly... Educational opportunities, and support for our children is priority #1, State respect for the Constitution (specifically 2A) #2.....

Not many places where there's a nice overlap of great education for children, good autism program supports, and a healthy dose of respect for 2A..... Seems it's going to be like "pick two of three"

NH, Maine?

 

[Catbox]

We have been toying with North Dakota.
Cost of living was last I checked around 88% of the national average, where in Tigard we were at 112%.
So right off the bat my money goes that much further.
I work remote, so I can make Portland wages still.

It is cold, but my wife has MS so heat is a terrible thing anyway.
We will simply stay inside just like we do now as her mobility is terrible anyway.

I can sell my small house here and by something much larger there for the same cost.
That would technically expand her living area by 300% on average as our house is 960sqft, the ones I have been looking at are 2500 to 3000 sqft.
That comes with some land as well, not a 6 foot easement.
I would sell here and roll that money right into a house there to keep the payment about the same.

For the summer when it is hot out, she would continue to stay in the house.
Again, just like what she does currently.
She would simply have more square footage to roam around in.
The kids and I would have more room to do stuff outside like have an actual shop that we could work on our cars in.
Working in the driveway year round can be the pits.

All wishes and dreams until I get off my butt and do something about it...

 

[CamoDeafie]

NH, Maine?

Forgot to add... Relatively affordable as in less expensive housing than here in Oregon wife and I are on fixed income that's supplemented by resale business and whatever I can get from gear making if any. Currently not taking commissions because caretaking of a Severe-Profoundly Autistic child and a potentially autistic child takes a lot out of us

 

[Andy54Hawken]

House for sale a few lots down from me. Come on over brother, I can introduce you to some amazing people. Unfortunately, the salaries for your line of work are like the lowest in the nation. Like 50% paycut lower. But I can supply you with a lifetime of fish and eggs!

Thank you...that means a lot ...coming from you.
Andy

 

[made in china]

I can relate to this. I can live with M114 (and whatever stupid gun laws are coming down the pipe) but when you start piling on high taxes, increased crime, traffic gridlock, failing schools, poor infrastructure, and so on it really makes you start to weigh the costs and benefits. Additionally, I work in law enforcement so working in a state that isn't inherently anti police would be great. There isn't as much anti cop sentiment out here in eastern Oregon but it does exist. I still wouldn't dare put anything on my car indicating I work in LE because I'm genuinely concerned my window would get smashed if I drove to Portland for the day. I was talking to a recruiter from a department in Utah and he said the support from both the public and the legislature is palpable. If homes weren't as expensive as they were in the Wasatch Front I would be packing my bags for Utah right now.

I've been looking at St. George UT, real estate is half of the area I live in. Big attraction for me are communities that are predominantly Mormon. They make for good neighbors and usually have significant influence over local sociopolitical issues, which keeps the BS to a minimum. I know people have a negative perception of Mormons, but they run nice communities.

My biggest issue is that anywhere I go, I am facing a significant pay reduction. West Coast cities pay well for both my wife and I, and both of us face significant pay cuts for leaving.

However, on our last road trip we bought gas in LA at $5.75/gal, next fuel up occurred in Nevada and it was $2.75/gal, perfect example of politics impacting our lives far more than people want to admit