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Old 03-22-2011, 09:38 PM
 
Location: Dallas, Oregon & Sunsites Arizona
8,000 posts, read 17,469,782 times
Reputation: 2873

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Larry Caldwell View Post
... ...
State workers have already taken a 10% pay cut, via a mandatory 2 day a month unpaid furlough, and many jobs are going unfilled as a cost saving measure. It's a good bet that there will be actual layoffs in July.
What pay cut would that be? They got a raise (well actually they dropped a couple of STEPS and moved everybody up at least one) not a cut. 5% plus another 5% COLA when there was no COLA. Opps sorry that was a STEP adjustment not a COLA, but it was across the board. There should be about a 25% reduction just to get rid of the deadwood.
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Old 03-23-2011, 12:55 AM
 
Location: Salem, OR
33 posts, read 128,368 times
Reputation: 85
Default Nice to see some are leaving Salem

Salemborne, your opinion is not based in reality. There are facts are out there for you to find if you care to look:

Salem's 2010 crime rate is only 3.01 points above the national average:
Gresham, OR is 6.59 above
Eugene, OR is 21.62 above
Portland, OR is 32.67
St. Louis, MO is 381.62 points above
(CQ Press: City Crime Rankings 2010-2011.)

From 2000-2010 the Hispanic population in Marion County increased from 48,000 to 76,000, or 63% (US Census). During that same time, the crime index per 100,000 residents in Salem fell from 5319.9 to 3661.2, or 69%. (FBI UCR crime statistics).

I doubt that your "statistics" on Salem schools are anywhere close to reality, but I would love to see if you can correct me with some actual data.

Salem doesn't have Portland's dining scene, but there are good eats here and it the scene is improving. See my previous posts for a list of my favorite spots. And some of the best dining in the world is 45 minutes away.

What I love about Salem is that you don't have to live next to a million people, or in the middle of nowhere, and so much is within an hour of home.

Quote:
Originally Posted by salemborne View Post
Hi,
I lived my entire life in Salem so I can give some advice. After living here almost 40 years were leaving. Here is some information that many do not know.

Salem houses the state, county, and city corrections facility, state mental hospital, and state drug rehab centers. Not only does this bring in the criminals but also their families. Those committed and incarcerated tend to stay in the area. Crime is getting worse.

We have also seen a huge influx of low income Hispanics. Many of the grade schools consist of 80-90% Hispanics. Predictions are by the year 2020 whites will be a minority in the school system. I'm not white or racist. A huge immigration of poor and uneducated people negatively impacts any community's resources, crime, and economy. Ask the Salem PD, Hispanic gang violence is rapidly increasing.

Many people's posts are fairly accurate. Salem's dinning is weak, not a lot to do unless you want to travel an hour (beach, mountain, hike, city life.)

Life is to short to stay. It's time to find some fun.

Last edited by Cornerguy1; 03-23-2011 at 04:25 PM..
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Old 03-23-2011, 04:27 PM
 
4,282 posts, read 15,811,631 times
Reputation: 4001
Let's stick with Salem in this thread and save the general political debate for another thread.
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Old 03-24-2011, 12:11 PM
 
23 posts, read 144,870 times
Reputation: 26
I agree and political debate should end. Republican, Tea Party, Democratic and Independent should all be interested in a community where the government is open and accountable to the taxpayers. The community should be governed in an open and accountable manner. I have spent five years here and I have witnessed disheartening mismanagement. A little over a year ago our top county law enforcement officer was meeting his girlfriend (the realtor) in her clients' vacated and furnished homes for illicit trysts. Most of our county commissioners have held office an extended period, without opposition. They have presided over questionable and shoddy public and private construction. Salem is in two counties. In the past week one county official from each county has committed suicide with persistent rumors of impending federal investigations. The latest to suicide happened over 48 hours ago and was just revealed to the public. Sleepy town or not, a climate of corruption and misfeasance is not the norm in most American communities. Right?

Death of Marion County assessor comes as a shock | Statesman Journal | statesmanjournal.com
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Old 03-24-2011, 03:31 PM
 
Location: Salem, OR
15,636 posts, read 40,777,600 times
Reputation: 17632
Quote:
Originally Posted by FrankMayo405 View Post
I agree and political debate should end. Republican, Tea Party, Democratic and Independent should all be interested in a community where the government is open and accountable to the taxpayers. The community should be governed in an open and accountable manner. I have spent five years here and I have witnessed disheartening mismanagement. A little over a year ago our top county law enforcement officer was meeting his girlfriend (the realtor) in her clients' vacated and furnished homes for illicit trysts. Most of our county commissioners have held office an extended period, without opposition. They have presided over questionable and shoddy public and private construction. Salem is in two counties. In the past week one county official from each county has committed suicide with persistent rumors of impending federal investigations. The latest to suicide happened over 48 hours ago and was just revealed to the public. Sleepy town or not, a climate of corruption and misfeasance is not the norm in most American communities. Right?

Death of Marion County assessor comes as a shock | Statesman Journal | statesmanjournal.com

I'm not going to comment on whether or not the suicides are related to any corruption, but I will concede that Salem has an ongoing issue with "a good ol' boy network" vs. up and coming business owners. The city has some internal struggles with old guard vs. forward thinking individuals. There is little opposition for the commissioners because of this dynamic.
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Old 03-24-2011, 04:47 PM
 
23 posts, read 144,870 times
Reputation: 26
Any suicide is a tragedy, especially a healthy father with familial and public responsibility. The suicide of two different metro county commisioners within one week raises red flags, considering recent developments. I wish I could accept your explanation for the general apathy because of a "dynamic." This community and state is beautiful. I only hope that drastic changes are made in the "dynamic." This includes the sense of entitlement and personal "freedom" on display by many public officials in Marion and Polk Counties. Maybe those who love the physical beauty of the surroundings are content enough. No unbiased person will dispute the beauty of the area. Any person who is thinking about coming to Salem please understand that it is beautiful in many ways. I am just not used to the apathy I have seen. I come from a very apathetic area and it is even noticeable to me. Enough said about this and thank you for your explanation. Let us hope it changes.
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Old 03-24-2011, 06:33 PM
 
Location: State of Jefferson coast
963 posts, read 3,053,296 times
Reputation: 1326
County commissioners have little to do with the governance of Salem. A city charter preempts the authority of the county. The jurisdiction of the county commissioners is limited to unincorporated areas. Salem is run by a manager-council form of government. The county is a different layer of local government for folks who live in rural areas.

County commissioners are elected at large, so if the electorate is unhappy with their performance there is a simple solution. Anyone is eligible to run for commissioner.
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Old 03-25-2011, 02:19 PM
 
23 posts, read 144,870 times
Reputation: 26
We all know the distinction between county and city government. However, county assessors and the mayor's friends work hand in hand on pet projects and contracts. The preceding mayor had a good amount of federal cookie dough to play with and some of the same players in some of the block grant projects of the mayor were involved in the county government projects. The unfortunate late tax assessor played a good part and I am sure, if the USDOJ is involved in an investigation some explanation will be forthcoming. As to people coming forward to oppose incumbents, THAT IS MY POINT. Apathy rules. People seem to live in their own little world of modern Ken Kesey or the beauty of the environment. For instance, the enduring fantasy State of Jefferson and the culture of the coast. There is nothing wrong with this but there should be a golden mean. Think of the hardworking practical founders of the State.
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Old 03-25-2011, 04:13 PM
 
Location: Myrtle Creek, Oregon
15,290 posts, read 17,880,925 times
Reputation: 25238
Under no circumstances does the State of Jefferson include either Salem or Sacramento.
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Old 03-25-2011, 09:06 PM
 
Location: Salem, OR
15,636 posts, read 40,777,600 times
Reputation: 17632
Quote:
Originally Posted by FrankMayo405 View Post
For instance, the enduring fantasy State of Jefferson and the culture of the coast. There is nothing wrong with this but there should be a golden mean. Think of the hardworking practical founders of the State.

What?

The coastal cities and the State of Jefferson have developed different cultures. Are you saying that they should be more like the big cities? No offense but that sounds like Californication, which goes against the grain of Oregon, regardless of where you live.

I think one of the things that you have missed living in Salem is that the State of Jefferson, IMO, is that hardworking practical attitude. It is the larger cities that have fallen away from those "pull yourself up by the bootstraps" culture into some convoluted mess. Portland has its identity, Salem does not. That lack of identity is at the core of the "apathy." How do you create something great when you don't know what you are?
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