Yes Virginia, downtown Seattle is getting rougher due to nanny-state thinking

[Provincial]

The country bumpkins do like to complain about the 'slums' of the city. I guess it's all what you want. The city has much more to do in terms of entertainment. Food and drink is better and more diverse. Things are open later. The high paying jobs and business are there. There are also all of the problems mentioned. Parking, bums, noise, traffic, etc. The final arbiter of this is property values. It cost more to live in the city because more people want to live there. If you don't like it, stay home. You may not want downtown, but it doesn't want you either. That will help with some of the traffic

Your cavalier attitude is very "Portland."

I was in a position where I had to go to downtown Portland regularly for about ten years. I watched the city get easier for pedestrians and harder for visitors like me. I had to do business there, but hated it. The message sent to me by the city and the businesses I worked with was that they were just fine taking my money and making it difficult, since it worked well for them.

I also spent nearly ten years in the 1980's in a similar situation in Seattle. It was horrible then, and must be much worse now.

I am just fine in letting the big city folks do their thing, as long as they consider that visitors/customers from outside the city need to be considered in their planning. They don't do that, and concentrate on their "local" viewpoints.

Worst is that they impose their "local" viewpoints on the rest of the state.

 

[AMProducts]

The country bumpkins do like to complain about the 'slums' of the city. I guess it's all what you want. The city has much more to do in terms of entertainment. Food and drink is better and more diverse. Things are open later. The high paying jobs and business are there. There are also all of the problems mentioned. Parking, bums, noise, traffic, etc. The final arbiter of this is property values. It cost more to live in the city because more people want to live there. If you don't like it, stay home. You may not want downtown, but it doesn't want you either. That will help with some of the traffic

Yep, it all comes down to "what you want". Stay out of the country, we'll get along fine.

 

[45 for me]

Your cavalier attitude is very "Portland."

I was in a position where I had to go to downtown Portland regularly for about ten years. I watched the city get easier for pedestrians and harder for visitors like me. I had to do business there, but hated it. The message sent to me by the city and the businesses I worked with was that they were just fine taking my money and making it difficult, since it worked well for them.

I also spent nearly ten years in the 1980's in a similar situation in Seattle. It was horrible then, and must be much worse now.

I am just fine in letting the big city folks do their thing, as long as they consider that visitors/customers from outside the city need to be considered in their planning. They don't do that, and concentrate on their "local" viewpoints.

Worst is that they impose their "local" viewpoints on the rest of the state.

My post was a repsonse to people complaining about quality of life big cities. I just pointed out that based on property values, their opinion is the minority in terms of desirability. I didn't even argue that the problems they brought up are invalid. Like I said, if you don't like it, stay home.

Turn around your agurments and put them to where you live. Should Keizer, or wherever, have to tear up all it's side walks and parks to make parking for people driving in from Portland? Should we insist you cater to us and not charge for it?

It seems to me your 'business' in Portland was taking money out the city, not the other way around. If you had to pay for parking, well, land is expensive here and parking is scarce. It's a free market. The traffic going into and out of town is the fault of people coming into the city (like you) not the residents.

They come into the city because the city has something they want, and can't get where they live.

As to imposing their viewpoints. Well, that is the tyranny of the majority. I don't apprieciate it either, but we live in a Democracy. I do love the fact that the state CHL laws override the BS gun laws that local municipalities pass. I also think that Multnomah county voters are crazy.

 

[45 for me]

Yep, it all comes down to "what you want". Stay out of the country, we'll get along fine.

Deal. Although I was just kidding with the bumpkins part

 

[mjbskwim]

I can buy anything I need outside of Seattle. Tacoma ,too for that matter.
So I never have to go there for any reason.
Did it in the 80's and 90's. Had my fill.

Nothing there to see. I can get a view of it from out here. And I live where they are looking at and think is beautiful.
Just wish they wouldn't come out here so much

 

[Provincial]

My post was a repsonse to people complaining about quality of life big cities. I just pointed out that based on property values, their opinion is the minority in terms of desirability. I didn't even argue that the problems they brought up are invalid. Like I said, if you don't like it, stay home.

Turn around your agurments and put them to where you live. Should Keizer, or wherever, have to tear up all it's side walks and parks to make parking for people driving in from Portland? Should we insist you cater to us and not charge for it?

It seems to me your 'business' in Portland was taking money out the city, not the other way around. If you had to pay for parking, well, land is expensive here and parking is scarce. It's a free market. The traffic going into and out of town is the fault of people coming into the city (like you) not the residents.

They come into the city because the city has something they want, and can't get where they live.

As to imposing their viewpoints. Well, that is the tyranny of the majority. I don't apprieciate it either, but we live in a Democracy. I do love the fact that the state CHL laws override the BS gun laws that local municipalities pass. I also think that Multnomah county voters are crazy.

Actually, it was the other way around. Portland has been a real leech on several generations of my family. That is finally in the past, and rest assured, I won't darken your doorstep again if I can help it.

And you are so wrong about the reason for traffic congestion that it is comical! People coming to Portland to do business, shop, etc. are few compared to the daily commuters and support people that work within the city. Just listen to the radio traffic report on any work day.

My town has in fact spent a lot of money to spruce itself up to make it more attractive for tourists to visit. Just the opposite of the attitude Portland takes, and which you seem to support.

Your property values argument is pretty funny. Employers have to pay more to attract people to work in the big city. Because incomes are greater, the cost of living rises to match the income. Chicken or egg, each drives the other.

In rural areas the truly rich live comfortably beside the working poor. In the city the rich spend a great amount of money to live in areas separated from working people and the poor. This is one more reason for high property values.

Don't misunderstand, I realize that cities provide services and things unavailable in more rural areas because of advantages due to population density. That density has its own drawbacks that affect quality of life. Some people find the drawbacks acceptable, some don't.

 

[45 for me]

Actually, it was the other way around. Portland has been a real leech on several generations of my family.... So what dictator forced this on you, or are you complaining about your choice? Why did you continue to do it if you didn't take home money?

And you are so wrong about the reason for traffic congestion that it is comical! People coming to Portland to do business, shop, etc. are few compared to the daily commuters and support people that work within the city... The difference here is probably in the definition. By my definition, commuters are not residents.

My town has in fact spent a lot of money to spruce itself up to make it more attractive for tourists to visit. Just the opposite of the attitude Portland takes, and which you seem to support.

Your property values argument is pretty funny. Employers have to pay more to attract people to work in the big city. Because incomes are greater, the cost of living rises to match the income... Every economist would disagree with that statement. You make it sound like some conspiracy theory forcing people into cities.

In rural areas the truly rich live comfortably beside the working poor. (with only acres separating them) In the city the rich spend a great amount of money to live in areas separated from working people and the poor (weren't people just complaining about bums on their doorstep in the city?). This is one more reason for high property values.

Don't misunderstand, I realize that cities provide services and things unavailable in more rural areas because of advantages due to population density. That density has its own drawbacks that affect quality of life. Some people find the drawbacks acceptable, some don't. Yes

Ok, I couldn't resist. We can agree to disagree. All in fun sport. This is the last I will say.


pro·vin·cial
[pruh-vin-shuhl] Show IPA

adjective
1.
belonging or peculiar to some particular province; local: the provincial newspaper.

2.
of or pertaining to the provinces: provincial customs; provincial dress.

3.
having or showing the manners, viewpoints, etc., considered characteristic of unsophisticated inhabitants of a province; rustic; narrow or illiberal; parochial: a provincial point of view.

4.
( often initial capital letter ) Fine Arts. noting or pertaining to the styles of architecture, furniture, etc., found in the provinces, especially when imitating styles currently or formerly in fashion in or around the capital: Italian Provincial.

5.
History/Historical . of or pertaining to any of the American provinces of Great Britain.

 

[Provincial]

45 for me, you are the first person to correctly identify the reason I chose my screen name. It comes from when I was going to college in Portland, and a Portlander described me as being "militantly provincial." That was when Frank Ivancie was mayor, to put it in perspective.

It is all good fun, but I wasn't going to Portland all those years to make money - I was trying to protect the family assets from unethical people and their Portland henchmen. I mostly succeeded, but it could have been worse.

I am still proud to be "militantly provincial." I step out the back door to shoot, and watch deer, elk, bobcats, coyotes, foxes, geese, ducks, hawks, eagles and all sorts of other interesting things just by looking out my window. I enjoy that more than plays, movies, fancy restaurants, and live music. To each his own.

 

[Grunwald]

Seattle does indeed suck. I had moved to Seattle in 1997 and have watched the city decline over those years.
When I first moved into the city I made a lot of trips to the downtown area. It felt safe. It does not anymore. There is an abundance of human trash everywhere.
It is a city with the most useless political class that I have seen anywhere.
They seem to strive in trying to figure out a way to screw the productive residents and visitors alike.
I have seen areas where you used to be able to park for free put up paid parking, and if they do anything aggressively is parking violation enforcement.
How about this as a principle - as property owning individual I get to park on the city streets without being required to pay for it. After all, these butt clowns in government work for me and are being paid their salary from my property taxes. If the city is a corporation (it does say that it is incorporated) then I am its partial owner.
I can only hope that someday McGinn gets knocked out by one of these "harmless" street people and then wakes up later on to a stream of urine hitting his head, courtesy of another one.
Same goes for all the members of the city council.

 

[cookie]

When guns are outlawed only outlaws will commit crimes. Even the smaller cities are out of control. A few generation of kids without discipline, a father and drugs and you have a planned destruction of this country.

 

[cookie]

Seems the political class is protected by the best that taxpayers can buy.

 

[simon99]

I grew up in Seattle and remember the downtown area always being full of drug dealers, homeless drunk guys and hookers. Then in the 90's maybe it seemed to get a little better, but has declined back to its trashy former self. Its too bad that business owners have not held the city accountable for the complete lack of disregard to basic standards of safety in the downtown district.

 

[Brutus57]

I have worked in Seattle and Tacoma, been a kid who attended the 1962 Seattle Worlds Fair and have seen the city at its best and worse....WTO riots. All I have is this to say....far less zombies in the country.

Brutus out

 

[Grunwald]

I have worked in Seattle and Tacoma, been a kid who attended the 1962 Seattle Worlds Fair and have seen the city at its best and worse....WTO riots. All I have is this to say....far less zombies in the country.

Brutus out

Yes, the idiot density is a lot lower. Most of the time you have to try to find one, where in Seattle you can't avoid them. Even the educated professionals exhibit idiot behavior on consistent basis. Just look who they vote into office. Pansy dip for a mayor, McDirtbag for US Rep, and dumber than a box of rocks US Senator.

 

[ATCclears]

ONLY ON KIRO 7: Security guard assaulted in Westlake Park | www.kirotv.com

Check out the vids. One of the perps is only 13 years old.

Peter

 

[ATCclears]

Where are Seattle's most dangerous streets? | www.kirotv.com

VIOLENT CRIME BLOCKS IN SEATTLE:

1. Third between James and Yesler: 276
2. Third between Pike and Pine: 179
3. First between Bell and Blanchard: 135
4. Third between Pike and Union: 117
5. Pine between Fourth and Fifth: 108
6. Pine between Third and Fourth: 106
7. Pike between Second and Third: 102
8. Second South between Washington and Main: 95
9. Broadway between Pine and Pike: 88
10. Eastlake between Denny and Yale: 84
11. University between 47th and 50th: 84
12. Broadway between Pike and Union: 80
13. Northgate between Third and 5th: 67

Peter

 

[rlgdestroyu]

I live in Everett, just north of Seattle. Even here has gotten real unsafe. A band of ms 13 and the bloods gangs roam the streets, and in the last 6 months there has been a shooting of some type every single week. We can't look to government to solve our problems, it starts with us and our kids.

 

[U201491]

Just for fun.

Any of the above commentators ever live in Seattle?

I did and worked for Boeing in Everett. The whole region sucks.

 

[U201491]

The country bumpkins do like to complain about the 'slums' of the city. I guess it's all what you want. The city has much more to do in terms of entertainment. Food and drink is better and more diverse. Things are open later. The high paying jobs and business are there. There are also all of the problems mentioned. Parking, bums, noise, traffic, etc. The final arbiter of this is property values. It cost more to live in the city because more people want to live there. If you don't like it, stay home. You may not want downtown, but it doesn't want you either. That will help with some of the traffic

Actually I hope every leftist moves there. Will be better when some nut case blows the whole place up and relieves the rest of the state the burden of tolerating their socialist voting bs. Let them be entertained with that. Cluster em up more.
Some Jihadist they let in the country will eventually do it.
Yeah no mercy for the hoodlums and left wing fruitcakes.

.

 

[oknow]

Just for fun.

Any of the above commentators ever live in Seattle?

I don't have to be shot to know I would hurt or worst.