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So, how long have you lived in Bellingham, if at all? I have been here my entire 74 years. My high school friends and I get together occasionally and we discuss the current state of our hometown. We all agree it has lost its charm. One friend comes up from Olympia and says it, too, has felt the brunt of growth and the progressive policies. None of them live in town: they live in Custer, rural Ferndale and Birch Bay. Many people, including myself and my friends, are going to vote for the candidates who state that they will roll back the obscene changes to our legal system which allows a criminal arsonist caught with a handgun without a CCP to bail out on $25,000 bond. You can bet you we won’t be voting for Alicia Rule and Sharon Shewmake.
Yes, it was a pastoral paradise: little to no crime except for the usual juvenile pranks, one murder that I can remember before the Hillside Strangler arrived, and a few bank robberies.
Yes, I prefer my rural Shangri-La and venture into town as little as possible. I value my safety and physical and mental well-being. I had to go into town today to get some building supplies: it stunk like burning rubber on James Street. Once, I see our wooded neighborhood, I ease up, relax and know that I don’t have to be in town for another week plus.
Well, you have laid out your thoughts, you've told us how absolutely terrible the place is, and, you've allowed your politics to lead in your posts. You may be hoping to actually accomplish something by posting diatribes regarding the changes from seventy years ago, but more changes are coming, and your opposition to them will not deter the momentum, nor will they make your infrequent but disturbing trips to town any less of a chore than they are now.
I hope you can see that others have their own perspective, their own politics, and their own choices of where to live. I've concluded that you are simply a disgruntled person who will never find satisfaction in the modern Bellingham, and given your age and history with the area I can understand your dissatisfaction, to a point, but, to feel a need to prosthelytize in that dissatisfaction is not so easy to understand.
The jail measure has been repeatedly voted down, and its due to the money/additional taxes being asked for. Many are already struggling with huge property tax bills that make residence and total tax load in a different income taxed state seem like a bargain. Many more out of state implants are happy to pay 7 figures + for a home here and then pucker up so tight they want their Benz worked on for $20/hr and they vote down every new measure that comes with an extra cost...until themselves or a relative become the next victim of a hatchet attack, strong arm robbery, home invasion, or so on...by someone who's been arrested and released twice that same week and has 80+ priors. Meanwhile funds continue to be misused and redirected, for example, the Whatcom county community health department is being relocated to a TBD location and $11.5 Million used to convert it into the "Way station", another facility with services for the homeless. Mark my words, it will simply result in more homeless people, more crime in it's immediate surroundings, and put more staff at risk for physical harm.
Quoting Bartonizer "Well, you have laid out your thoughts, you've told us how absolutely terrible the place is, and, you've allowed your politics to lead in your posts. You may be hoping to actually accomplish something by posting diatribes regarding the changes from seventy years ago, but more changes are coming, and your opposition to them will not deter the momentum, nor will they make your infrequent but disturbing trips to town any less of a chore than they are now.
I hope you can see that others have their own perspective, their own politics, and their own choices of where to live. I've concluded that you are simply a disgruntled person who will never find satisfaction in the modern Bellingham, and given your age and history with the area I can understand your dissatisfaction, to a point, but, to feel a need to prosthelytize in that dissatisfaction is not so easy to understand."
I know this was directed at xplorer48, but I'll respond as we both carry similar opinions. Honestly, It's my mistake staying here while I've watched the "Sleazattlization" of Bellingham. I don't like what this place has become, sure 15 years ago the place had merit as one of those places a working family could afford a home, and venture out doing anything from skiing to saltwater boating, enjoying the maze of walking and biking trails, to bar hopping downtown. Now everything from the price of housing and rents to rampant crime to a dropping average family income, have sank Bellingham from #2 in the nations "best places to retire", amongst other "awards", to well within the 50 worst cities in America above 50,000 people. People are still moving here buying the BS, only to become disdained and move away. Its evident in the high turnover rate of everybody from the workplace, friends(we do stay in touch with most of them), fellow people in the trades, family, and so on that I am not alone in the way I feel. In my workplace alone, we've experienced nearly 100% turnover with people moving away and often in excess of 1 year to fill positions that used to only open when someone retired. What I can do, thankfully, is continue to post in hopes that others don't repeat my mistake.
Bellingham is a great place to visit during the daytime in crowded areas. The pockets of privileged areas are nice to experience. The new normal here comes with mental guide of new ways to enjoy the area while being safe. There's always hope for a better tomorrow. But people should be cautious on how much they pay to live here.
"...I know this was directed at xplorer48, but I'll respond as we both carry similar opinions. Honestly, It's my mistake staying here while I've watched the "Sleazattlization" of Bellingham. I don't like what this place has become, sure 15 years ago the place had merit as one of those places a working family could afford a home, and venture out doing anything from skiing to saltwater boating, enjoying the maze of walking and biking trails, to bar hopping downtown.
Now everything from the price of housing and rents to rampant crime to a dropping average family income, have sank Bellingham from #2 in the nations "best places to retire", amongst other "awards", to well within the 50 worst cities in America above 50,000 people.
People are still moving here buying the BS, only to become disdained and move away. Its evident in the high turnover rate of everybody from the workplace, friends(we do stay in touch with most of them), fellow people in the trades, family, and so on that I am not alone in the way I feel.
In my workplace alone, we've experienced nearly 100% turnover with people moving away and often in excess of 1 year to fill positions that used to only open when someone retired. What I can do, thankfully, is continue to post in hopes that others don't repeat my mistake...."
Recruiting new workers is a joke here now; the new people are not in the trades. I feel your pain and have been shouting it from the treetop since 2006.
Bellingham recently scored a 4/100 for safety(yes a FOUR, we're "safer than 4%" of the cities in the US, which is a nice way of saying we're in the top 4% of unsafe cities.)
I can't post a link because its from a competing site. City-data hasn't updated its statistics since 2019 unfortunately.
Bellingham recently scored a 4/100 for safety(yes a FOUR, we're "safer than 4%" of the cities in the US, which is a nice way of saying we're in the top 4% of unsafe cities.)
I can't post a link because its from a competing site. City-data hasn't updated its statistics since 2019 unfortunately.
I'm sorry, but you have to take sites/ratings like that with a huge grain of salt, because reality is much more nuanced than that. For example, that link you're referring to also shows Bellingham having violent crime rates below both the state and national averages.
I'm as irritated as anyone else by petty crime- but I don't fear for my physical safety in Bellingham one bit, if I "fear" anything, it would be our bikes getting stolen. HUGE difference.
Last edited by bartonizer; 08-27-2022 at 01:32 PM..
Grabbed a burger in Fairhaven yesterday and the place was packed - lots of tourists in town, all the parking full on a weekday even with the new paid parking (no more free parking). The change into a more wealthy town is very noticeable in Fairhaven...much more "upscale" crowd. Lots of traffic.
It's definitely a different place than it used to be. It's still beautiful in summer but I think anyone who knew it before would be lamenting the changes. There are many homeless cars/vans/RVs parked around water view spots and homeless people in the parks around the waterfront.
I'm sorry, but you have to take sites/ratings like that with a huge grain of salt, because reality is much more nuanced than that. For example, that link you're referring to also shows Bellingham having violent crime rates below the national average.
I'm as irritated as anyone else by petty crime- but I don't fear for my physical safety in Bellingham one bit, if I "fear" anything, it would be our bikes getting stolen. HUGE difference.
In just the past couple weeks, there has been multiple shootings and stabbings, a vagrant stabbed a middle school boy on a bicycle in the eye on N. State Street. Eyes grow back right? Thursday, a member of the homeless camp behind Walmart came into the Walmart, Smashed up the gun counter and stole a shotgun and a bunch of ammo. Police and Sherriff's dept. shut the whole area down and deployed the MRAP/tactical team, and thankfully caught him within an hour. Interestingly, a lot of these violent attacks and robberies are quickly swept under the rug similar to when there's a shark attack in Hawaii. Most people don't even know about them if they don't follow the police reports or local social media.
"But I don't fear for my physical safety in Bellingham one bit". A handful of people I've discussed Bellingham's situation with say the same thing, but they also carry, which still doesn't guarantee anything or help them grow eyes in the back of their head.
I'm sorry, but you have to take sites/ratings like that with a huge grain of salt, because reality is much more nuanced than that. For example, that link you're referring to also shows Bellingham having violent crime rates below the national average.
I'm as irritated as anyone else by petty crime- but I don't fear for my physical safety in Bellingham one bit, if I "fear" anything, it would be our bikes getting stolen. HUGE difference.
Here’s the thing, people pay big bucks to live here because of access to the outdoors. Just today, on another social media website, people were saying that every single car at the Chanterelle trailhead was broken into, and posted corresponding pictures of the damage. The problem is so pervasive people are saying they no longer hike in Bellingham.
It’s not just having your windows busted out, or bicycle stolen. The property crime has gotten to the point where people are altering their lifestyles so they’re not victimized. When it gets to that point, it’s no longer a petty irritant and causes people to ask themselves if the quality of life here is worth the price tag.
Here’s the thing, people pay big bucks to live here because of access to the outdoors. Just today, on another social media website, people were saying that every single car at the Chanterelle trailhead was broken into, and posted corresponding pictures of the damage. The problem is so pervasive people are saying they no longer hike in Bellingham.
It’s not just having your windows busted out, or bicycle stolen. The property crime has gotten to the point where people are altering their lifestyles so they’re not victimized. When it gets to that point, it’s no longer a petty irritant and causes people to ask themselves if the quality of life here is worth the price tag.
It used to be that the "irritant" was that the places outdoors, like the parks, boat launches, trails/trailheads, etc. were overcrowded as the population has grown nearly 40% since 2000. Now after you park a half mile+ down the road(to go to the park for example), walk in with family/kids and a little BBQ in tow, you may come back to your vehicle having had the door pried open with a crowbar for some loose change and 3 CD's that were in the center console. Or they'll just steal the whole thing and all that remains is broken glass, and of course, someone else parked where your car was. Car theft is not just limited to older Honda's....many of these homeless have it down to a science.
An aquaintence of mine had his 2021 Tundra stolen a couple weeks ago. It was supposed to have a tracking function, but by the time they returned from mountain biking and realized it was gone the truck side of the system had been disabled. It was found a couple days ago, minus the wheels, seats, catalyst, battery, bike rack, and a bunch of other parts missing. They drilled a hole in the gas tank and stole the rest of the gas. It had been driven around and sideswiped something, and was a pig-sty inside of stinky dirty clothes, trash, needles, burnt spots, empty bottles and cans, from the homeless that had been sleeping and doing drugs in it. His insurance totaled it.
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