Retiring in a politically moderate community

[Newtosavage]

That's how "moderates" operate. They can argue with everyone. And that's exactly the way they like it.

Nah, we're just equal opportunity haters is all.

 

[Newtosavage]

I don't know the last time Illinois DIDNT have a governor that wasn't an insect! 4 of the recent ones have done prison time!!! That's just insane.

Chicago politics have always been corrupt, and just like New Mexico - another "one city" state, the whole state is subject to what happens in Chicago, unfortunately.

Southern Illinois is probably the best place I've lived so far, but it's not the west. However, for east of the Mississippi, it's pretty darn nice in a lot of ways.

 

[Newtosavage]

Right? I also worked at 17th St in Murphysboro. Good times

I used to always chuckle when I drove by that place because they advertised bluegill on the menu. It was darn good bluegill though!

 

[Newtosavage]

Spent most of last week driving all around Colorado with the wife. Durango area is still high on the list. Wife liked Carbondale but I called it little Portland. Can't afford it anyway. We both liked Meeker. It's about the right size for us. Granby is also a possibility, although it's getting slammed with high end developments it seems. Still need to look at Canon City and Salida again.

 

[brsnow]

Spent most of last week driving all around Colorado with the wife. Durango area is still high on the list. Wife liked Carbondale but I called it little Portland. Can't afford it anyway. We both liked Meeker. It's about the right size for us. Granby is also a possibility, although it's getting slammed with high end developments it seems. Still need to look at Canon City and Salida again.

We are picking up property in the Granby area to build on later. Close to ski resort, close to front range, and still away from the crowds.

 

[Newtosavage]

We are picking up property in the Granby area to build on later. Close to ski resort, close to front range, and still away from the crowds.

Only part of the state I can see that has decent sized lakes and lots of good fishing all around. I need to give it another look but I'm not sure we can afford what we want there now. Looks like it was the place to buy property 20 years ago (like so many places now).

 

[danarnold]

Spent most of last week driving all around Colorado with the wife. Durango area is still high on the list. Wife liked Carbondale but I called it little Portland. Can't afford it anyway. We both liked Meeker. It's about the right size for us. Granby is also a possibility, although it's getting slammed with high end developments it seems. Still need to look at Canon City and Salida again.

we have a place in missouri and one in Co near canon city.. you couldnt pay me to live in Il, taxes and gov , in Co its a 17 mile/45 min drive to canon or westcliffe with our closest neighbor being 1/2 mi away. their a crapload of jails in freemont co which seems to have brought their family's there to visit/live. I like canon, salida is a whole lot better, fishing and mountains are right close

 

[Newtosavage]

I keep hearing about how bad the taxes and Gov. are in IL, but I never met the Gov. in the 6 years I was there, and nothing in Chicago ever affected us in any real way other than having to hear people constantly complain about the Gov. (and that was the Blago days too). I found the taxes annoying, but then I grew up in a state with no income tax. What I have learned is every state gets you one way or the other. The property taxes in TX are absurd and some of the worst in the nation. We had the same % of disposable income in IL as we do in TX. But that doesn't stop people complaining about state taxes I guess. Easier target to see? Anyway, neither of those things bothered me that much. Southern IL is a very nice place to live. A real hidden gem IMO. Nothing like the northern 1/3 of the state.

I really like the Salida area, but my wife wants more trees. I like more open country and she likes trees. ha, ha. Every time we approached high desert-P/J and sage she kept saying "yuck." ha, ha. Meeker had enough trees around town to make her happy though. She thought Salida and Canon City reminded her too much of Roswell. But then I also liked Roswell more than she did.

Montrose is a LOT like Roswell, only with the mountains a little closer and a few nicer features like their water park.

 

[HighUintas]

I keep hearing about how bad the taxes and Gov. are in IL, but I never met the Gov. in the 6 years I was there, and nothing in Chicago ever affected us in any real way other than having to hear people constantly complain about the Gov. (and that was the Blago days too).

A real hidden gem IMO. Nothing like the northern 1/3 of the state.

It's always been a "what's good for Chicago isn't good for southern Illinois" thing. There's never a governor that actually cares about the people in the southern end, even though they may wear jeans in their ad campaigns. Illinois has one of if not the highest proportion of it's public school funding coming from local property taxes, with very little coming from the state compared to others. This leads to Olympic sized swimming pools at schools in Naples, Il while the small towns of the south struggle to fund their art programs and science labs.

Then there was the attack on public employee pensions... Even the state police.

Anyway, the great thing is people can call it a hidden gem all they want and it won't ever become a SLC or Boise or Denver or Portland!

And I think that guy with the bulldozer tank is what caused property values in Granby to skyrocket!

 

[Newtosavage]

That's why it's a "hidden" gem. The idea that there is a rural, politically moderate to slightly conservative part of IL that is surrounded by hundreds of thousands of acres of huntable public land and a half dozen lakes with excellent fishing, plus hiking and biking trails, etc. just escapes most folks. Because all they think when they hear IL is Chicago and corn fields. ha, ha.

 

[Mosby]

Kansas City is a nice area. A lot of both sides politically living in the same general area depending on the suburb, so people tend not to talk about politics much. Health care is pretty good and a straight shot on 80 to get to Colorado. Big enough to have everything you need and small enough, that its still easy to get around and cheaper than a lot of other cities.

 

[browning2480]

Kansas City is a nice area. A lot of both sides politically living in the same general area depending on the suburb, so people tend not to talk about politics much. Health care is pretty good and a straight shot on 80 to get to Colorado. Big enough to have everything you need and small enough, that its still easy to get around and cheaper than a lot of other cities.

You mean straight shot on 70

 

[Mosby]

You mean straight shot on 70

You are correct! My bad.

 

[Newtosavage]

Kansas City is a nice area. A lot of both sides politically living in the same general area depending on the suburb, so people tend not to talk about politics much. Health care is pretty good and a straight shot on 80 to get to Colorado. Big enough to have everything you need and small enough, that its still easy to get around and cheaper than a lot of other cities.

We have plans to look around KC next. My sister and BIL are about to move to Missouri and they are pretty excited about it. They can buy 3x the property there they can here in TX.

 

[Billinsd]

That's how "moderates" operate. They can argue with everyone. And that's exactly the way they like it.

They don't seem to stand for anything either.

 

[brsnow]

They don't seem to stand for anything either.

I think independent thought and respect for others are sound principles to stand by.

 

[Joelweb]

Helena, MT, has always seemed pretty moderate to me.

 

[Billinsd]

I think independent thought and respect for others are sound principles to stand by.

Absolutely!!!

 

[KBaird]

About an hour around Manhattan KS been on my radar....really like area

I grew up inside your circle and graduated from KState. The longer I’m away the more I realize how underrated it is.

 

[Newtosavage]

They don't seem to stand for anything either.

Most moderates and Independents I know stand for plenty. They are just particular about who they share their views with, for the reason I cited in my original post.