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Oregon vs Arizona

16K views 34 replies 20 participants last post by  jvp 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
We had several friends ask wht we saw as differences between Arizona dn Oregon - MAjor things that intially stuck out.
Here is what we sent them.

AZ: People buy new umbrellas every year since they cannot find the one they bought the year before.
Or: Most people do not know what an umbrella is- have coats with hoods

AZ - Do not need to set your clocks back or forward – No Daylight Savings Time

Oregon : Water and Sewer Rates are much higher in Oregon( and in Arizona – Water
availability is a big issue. Something is wrong in Oregon )
Oregon Natural Gas rates are higher
Oregon Fruit and Berries taste fresher
Arizona: Vegetables ripen earlier – Tomatoes, Jalapeno’s, etc. ( 2 seasons)

Oregon: Deer , Elk, Antelope, Goats, Bear, Turkey,
Az: Antelope, Deer, elk, buffalo, Javalina, Big Horn Sheep, Bear, Turkey – still difficult to get drawn

Plants grown in Oregon are more expensive at the retail level in Oregon than the same thing in Arizona ( Same growers from Oregon) Imagine Oregon Nurseries ripping off Oregon residents.

Water - Oregon does not have as many hard elements Both taste good – All well water where we are at.

Oregon: Portland Marathon
AZ: 10 mile Illegal Immigrant Obstacle Course and scramble

Oregon: Need CCW – limitation where you can take them.
Az: CCW is for select places . Most everyone Open carrries or conceal carries. Can carry on University campus at this time. Not unusually to see husband and wife carrying pistols on hips in the store with their children. No one gets upset. See lots of motorcyclist with guns on their hips.

Oregon: Few charter schools
Az:: Many charter schools - several received awards for teaching / performance excellence
*Full funding transferred to charter schools vs Oregon 60 – 80%*
Many charter schools out performing most public schools.

Oregon: No sales tax - high property taxes and State Income Tax (Bet you there is a sales tax within 4 years.)
Az: 10% (9-11% depending on where you live) sales tax - 3 % (max) State tax
More consumption based. Lots of people order on line to avoid sales tax. Most of it is free shipping.

Oregon: Rain 300 days per year
Az:: Sunshine / no rain 300 days a year
Beautiful sunrises and sunsets almost every day

Oregon: College’s cost goes up ( Tuition increased)
Az:: Jr College reduces everyone’s pay, cancels Basketball programs to avoid raising tuition!!!!! Novel idea – It is about education not sports.

Oregon: State Liquor stores and high prices
Az:: Can buy everything in the Grocery Store and a lot cheaper. They even have some Oregon beers.

Oregon: Major cars: Subaru, Kia, Prius, Then SUV and other cars
Az:: Major Vehicles: Pick up/ SUV/Jeep, other SUV’s , Motorcycles, other cars

Oregon: Can’t pump your own gas
Az:: You pump your own gas -
You know I have yet to see anyone over fill a gas tank.

Oregon: Forced recycling - Pay deposits on certain containers or even forced to recycle at your home
Az:: Your decision on recycling. You pay $10/mo to do it.
No container deposits or recycling machines to deal with at the grocery store.
You just do not have to go through the whole bottle redemption program. Dump in your recycle trash.

Oregon: Fewer Smokers – at least it seems that way
Az:: Lots of smokers ( More older people where we live walking around with oxygen tanks.) Never seen so many people with oxygen tanks. Scary – they drive and smoke with their oxygen tanks next to them

Cigarette best deal I saw was 2 packs for $5.00. Busiest place in town – Yavapai Smoke Shop on the reservation. At 9:00 am when they open – Line out of the shop. I do not smoke but it seems to be theplace to buy.

Oregon: Government should pick which companies that should be allowed to open ( Thinking of Walmart controversy)
Az: Government roll should be to make sure the companies are legal, safe, and meet regulations ( Building codes, etc),
Customer decides if they succeed not government.
Walmart has to compete with other stores here with price matching.

Oregon: Cheap Plastic Bags or No Plastic Bags - if that ever passed
Az:: Plastic Bags - the good thick type. They have no problem with recycling them because of the equipment they have.


 
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#8 ·
AZ: No beach, no crab, no tuna.

I'll stick with Oregon. You're right about the sales tax, it's just around the corner :(
True, not IN Arizona, however, I was born and raised in Yuma, AZ which was a short hop over to San Diego which has far better beaches and availability of ocean fishing that you can find anywhere in Oregon. Never had to worry about "bar reports" leaving Fisherman's Landing.

Great post Sadie. Some of those made me laugh and all of them were spot on true.
 
#9 ·
I went out to AZ for a meeting one time several years ago and almost puked when I drank the water, it was horribly salty tasting. The locals acted like they had no idea what I was talking about. Anyway I got Montezuma's revenge but I think that was from the 5 times I ate spicy Mexican food, man they got some good Mexican food.
 
#10 ·
Yep, good mexican food. Good local music scene. Other than that, too hot, everything is dead or artificial, and the fishing is near-non-existant. No thanks. I can handle a weekend there, but that's about it. Humans aren't made to live in the desert.
 
#11 · (Edited)
Go north Sadie. There are plenty of mountain lakes/rivers/streams in the northern part of the state not far from you with great trout fishing. The Black River was by far my favorite growing up. not sure what it is all about these days. Back then, we used to take 5 day back pack trips and take nothing along but some freeze dried noodles or rice and just cook it up with fresh rainbows, browns, or brook trout...whatever the river gave us that day. Smallmouth bass fishing was lights out as well. I caught and released 22 smallies on 23 casts in one spot with all of them averaging just about a pound or so. That was a real kick on ultralight spinning gear.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_River_(Arizona)


Most people hear Arizona and automatically assume the whole state is like deserts in the southern part of the state. The northern part of the state is a totally different area. High elevation pine forests, mountain lakes and streams, fishing, hunting, skiing, and you can still pump your own gas....
 
#15 ·
Yes - most people who do not get beyond the main towns miss out on a lot of nice country.

Thanks for reminding me - I use to fish the Black River fro Small Mouth - We would hike down the river fro several days.
Although I think we ate fish everyday.

I think Black River may be on the mend - The Wallowa fire dumped alot of ashes in the upper section.
So I will go over in another month to check it out..

Loved the white mountains fro fishing

I hear Lee Ferry is the place to fish.

Utah and Colorado is not that far away either
 
#12 ·
You know - I had to move because I needed to take care of 2 sets of ailing 85 year old parents. Someday you will get the opportunity.
I am making the best of the situation. Hence my summary.
There are things I will miss - Trout fishing rivers and lakes.
Things I will not- rain and little sunshine
My attitude and disposition changed 1000% being in the sun again.
I spend a couple months a year in Az. to avoid the winter snow, and am in Central Oregon the rest of the time. There is more than enough sunshine is both places. I've been in most of Arizona, including Prescott, and there is no way I would voluntarily trade central Oregon for it. Those comparisons are not accurate if you consider east of the Cascades in Oregon. I understand your move was out of necessity, but for others, a move from the west side to the east will get them at least the same 1000% change in attitude and disposition.
 
#14 ·
Actually 40 - 50% of Arizona is abve 4000 ft. The two main towns are at 1200 and 1800 ft. and yes they get hot.
But Prescott kinda tracks Portland weather temperature wise.
Nice thing is Prescott is about an hour from Phoenix.

As far as part 2: Not sure where you are coming from.
Won't start a war. But it is a gross misstatement to say everyone hates hispanics. IN fact it is flat wrong.
POssibly driven by the news organizations. Possibly driven by the fringe elements that want to drive that opinion.

I actually grew up in Tucson and had about 45% of our class as hispanics. NO issues. Many friends are hispanic.

What most of the hispanics I know believe is that the illegal's and drug gangs create this environment and they wish they would all go home so they do not have to put bars in the window and have to deal with all the negative issues and crime.

Again - I think your statements are unfounded.
 
#17 ·
Yes, I know this is an old thread, but it came up on a Google search... and being a native Oregonian looking to move to AZ, I can say that Portland has plenty of down falls. While it does not rain as much as Florida or Seattle, it rains to much, it's gray and gloomy a lot of the year. If you enjoy winter sports, great. It's an hour from Mt. Hood. The gorge is scenic, and fishing is near by. however, it's still wet, cloudy, and depressing for a large portion of the year. Home prices are ridiculously high priced. Portland is well known for its beer's, if your into that.

Personally, my wife and I are done with the dreary days and are in moving forward with a home purchase in AZ now with plans to move in 2018. We love the sun, the heat, the architecture, coat of living, desert, minimal rain fall and we will be 5 hours or less from San Diego, Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Mexico and bass fishing. Desert off road driving, a private pool and for the love of God...not part of a city that is portrayed on Television where every one is some kind of monster that a "GRIMM" can see.
 
#18 · (Edited)
I met 5 couples the first month I was here that had moved from the POrtland area- Basically your issues.

But it is hard - It is 50 degrees for a low and 72 for a high today in Phoenix. Blue skies. We are an hour north and it was 38 and expected to be 60 - 65 today.

Every place has its pros and cons. But my disposition really improved once I started to see sunshine everyday. Property taxes are cheap.

The only real negative is there is not a real good trout fishery close by- but Colorado and Utah are not far away. And they have sales tax ( But that is coming to Oregon. )

Off road driving is much more different here than in Oregon. You will see more class 4 and 4.5 trips . Some areas like MOAB. But lots difficult routes and you also have to deal with Arizona Pin Stripping.
 
#19 ·
Considering MORE people are moving to Oregon than any other state....it's good that a few leave also.

I personally get depressed when it's sunny all the time.
 
#20 ·
Yeah that is why everyone has a different tact on where they live and what energizes them . :)
I enjoyed the time I was there - but after 13 years the rain and no sun got to me.

I heard the net migration into Oregon is combination of young people and people who want free stuff from the state. Would be interesting to see the real data as to demographics and net impact to Oregon.
 
#22 ·
call me after your 40th day in a row with daytime temps over 105 and the nighttime temps cool off to a BRISK 93. I weekend'ed in Parker AZ and Bylthe CA area most of my childhood, when it is so hot you have to sleep in wet sheets with the A/C on 24/7, you'll long for the cool Pacific air conditioner.
 
#23 ·
It is all relative and what you get use to.
Like I said - I liked Oregon - but hated the lack of sunshine - temp was not our issue
I would rather have 105 and 10% humidity than 90 degrees and 60% humidity

Maybe your issue was humidity along the river?

I grew up in Tucson ( 23 years) and the only uncomfortable time was late summer when the monsoons came it. That is when we got humidity. So we just turned the water off the swamp cooler and open windows. . Temps over 105 were typically after memorial day. So lots of 105 days. How about a bunch of 115 to 120 degree days?

To clarify - We did not have Air Conditioners in the house or car Actually moving from AC to heat and back made things worse.
Amazing your perception when you do not have AC. But I do like Ac so you can close the windows on cars.

Come to think of it - Our schools did not have Ac - just windows. Of course the old army barracks at the school had lots of windows.

Today it depends on your house insulation and screening you have in place for shade. That wil drop it about 20 degrees of effective temp. Direct sun is very ahrsh. SO if you are smart. Strenuous activity in early morning and late afternoon/ evening. Stay out of the direct sun as much as possible from 12:00 to 4:00. our goal is to leave windows open til about 10:00 AM and then close up and close shades. That last till about 5:00 PM - where you open the windows again. I think I spend $130 / mo in the summer for electrical and about $80 in the winter.

Which is even a better reason to toss out daylight savings
 
#24 ·
The sales tax is better then what we have here. We get taxed on our whole (taxable income) paycheck and with the sales tax you only get taxed if you consume.
an impactful example (if you spend your whole paycheck) would be house payments. You don't get to write off the principal portion of your house payment so, in Oregon you get taxed on it while in AZ you don't.

Electricity is more expensive in AZ and normal to have ~$300 a month bills, my parents sometimes get to $500 for a 1,700sqft house @ 78 degrees.

Everything is dirty in AZ, the greenery here masks the trash.

Speaking of trash, here it's hard to find a trashcan (cause they charge an arm and a leg for garbage here) and in AZ there are a few cans in front of every business.

6:30pm looks like 6:30pm summer or winter in AZ, here sometimes its dark at 4pm and other times 9pm.

When I go back to AZ the heat is unbearable but when I lived there I didn't really notice it.

If I had to pick OR or AZ, I would pick Oregon!

I lived in AZ for 15 years and Oregon for 10.
 
#25 ·
snowbirds flock to oregon for the summers for a reason. just like az has a dozen climate zones so does oregon and in the summer you just can't beat it. summers are just too much in az without the ever present ac. being able to go from one to the other at the right times of year is the best of both worlds.
 
#26 ·
I'd rather have the long summer days in weather that your can participate in rather than hide from. I lived in Riverside, CA for 8 years and it's no wheres as hot as AZ and no thanks. I wouldn't ever go back to that hell. AC comes on in June and doesn't go off until October.
 
#29 ·
I'll pass along my experience. Right after we married in 1988, my wife and I move to Tucson for about a year, then lived in Phoenix for another year. About the time the webs between my toes started to dry up and crack, my resume was faxed to every business equipment dealer in Portland. Two months later we stuffed out '89 Daihatsu Charade full of our stuff and headed home. Glad I got that out of my system! :wink:
 
#30 ·
I get projects in AZ every once in a while. Nice to get some sun in the winter, but the state just depresses me. Everything is dead everywhere. Lots of gross neighborhoods. The good neighborhoods have way too many wine bars and art galleries... The contrast between the rich and poor just stands out more for some reason. The tap water is vile.

The pros are that there are some decent bands and good mexican food.

I can take it for a day or two. But always glad to come home to Oregon. Humans aren't meant to live in the desert.
 
#32 ·
I moved here from the Salt Lake Valley in 1983. I love the climate here. I can't stand the smell of snow. Yes there's a smell in the air when it's going to or is snowing.

As TheRogue said, SUN all the time is depressing. Nothing finer than those first rains of September, late August even better.

Funny, I had friends visit from Utah and we sent them on the loop up to Astoria, down the coast and back at Tillamook. They complained about not seeing anything but trees! I DO miss the desert and it's long views sometimes, that's what road trips are for though.

Smj
 
#33 ·
Arizona’s biggest issue is all the cars from Oregon and Washington that want to drive 55 MPH when it is 75 MPH limit. They also have this odd tendency to drive in the left lane slow. Beginning to think they have limiters on those cars.

AZ is at least they are smart enough to know you do not save daylight by changing the time.

JVP you are right., If you had the ability it would be nice to live at the right time of the year at the right place. Everyplace has it’s pro and cons/
Thin about it - There are people who would never leave New York. Had friends - never been outside the bay area.

SMJ - It is a common criticism of Oregon ( and other states like NC) that there are lots of trees and you cannot see much. Some of it is people only exist on main roads.. But in Arizona - we tend to think of it more as little paradises. May drive through the desert to a beautiful river surrounded by trees. The monuments, Or going to the high country for the pines and snow. Remember most of Arizona is above 5000 ft. so Place s in the Sonoran desert tend to be a small part of the whole picture. Has some very unique environment and animals.. But we do have lots of desert and high plains.

Always different when you are use to looking out for hundreds of miles vs being limited by trees or buildings

Sirfoil
FYI: Our garbage is $16 / mo. ( We can leave out just about as much as we want). - But we do not have the those special trash systems that require separatiom. Which drives up cost.
MY electrical on 3700 sq ft house is about $200 set at 77-78. High is August and may get to $250 – 300. Low is about $60 in winter.
Not sure where you lived in Az - but there is a large shift in sun down and sun rise - not as much as Oregon. Sunrise in summer: 5:30 vs winter about 7:30. Sunset summer: 8:00- 8:30 and winter abot 5:30
 
#34 · (Edited)
Sadie, since you seem to say "we" Arizonans I will assume you are in the majority who drive the speed limit, no matter what, and no matter which lane you are in, and regardless of the fact the traffic is bumper to bumper. I also drive the speed limit when it is practical to do so. Even then I get the Arizona pass which consists of 90 + MPH and changing lanes with not so much as a turn signal. On our way to MAYO during rush hour we utilize the HOV lane at the 65 MPH speed limit and are tailgated by one person cars who refuse to use the proper lanes. Trying to drive the speed limit in heavy traffic is just plain crazy with no signal lane changing being the prevalent method of driving. I never use the inside lane unless trying to get to the HOV lane.

Never, ever jump a green light in Arizona! I have been passed after stopping at a red light using the amber to slow down. Here amber means speed up! Want to get an Arizona driver angry? Slow down when the light 100 or more yards ahead turns amber!

My driving record is impeccable and having driven in the worst of conditions in the Northwest, I can only hope it stays that way. Playing dodgeball with 3000 pound hunks of metal is not my idea of fun.

You are right that Arizona has some beautiful scenery, if one could just slow down and enjoy it. Drove to Payson and back and looked at the gorgeous mountains and Saguaro, when I wasn't dodging speeders uphill and down.:applause::applause::applause::applause::applause:
 
#35 ·
what can't arizona drivers do............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................turn a corner let alone turn a corner at speed.

now lets talk about the arizona drivers in the sun cities. no not enough time never mind:)
 
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