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Post subject: Potential Move
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2014 6:53 am
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Roadie
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Location: Mass.
Can anyone give me some information about Western PA? I currently live in Central MA and have a potential job offer. Any and all info would be greatly appreciated! Thanks Guys!!


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Post subject: Re: Potential Move
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2014 9:29 am
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Professional Musician
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Location: Denver, CO, USA
"Western PA" is a mighty big area -- you could fit half a dozen MA's out there. Could you be a little more specific? Living in Pittsburgh is a lot different than living in Johnstown, both are different than living on top of one of the mountains.

In general -- mountainous, lots of rivers, cold winters, mild summers. Less seafood than in MA, a lot more Pennsylvania Dutch food. Lower cost of living.


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Post subject: Re: Potential Move
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2014 9:46 am
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Not sure if this affects you but…

Definitely look into the school system carefully. We moved albeit to Eastern PA and one of the things that annoys the ever loving crap out of us is the cut off age to start school. If your kid is not of age on the first day of school, you have to wait the following year for them to start kindergarten. So what you end up with is a whole bunch of kids that according to their parents are “Gifted” when in reality, they are just older then all the other kids. Its really stupid. We actually put one of our kids in Catholic school for a year and then she was able to start first grade as normal and she’s doing great. Our friend who has a son the same age opted not to do that and the teacher has told them there is nothing more he can teach and they should look into the “Gifted” program.

Not sure if the school system is something you need to worry about but just throwing that out there.

PA is a screwy state in my opinion. I commute from PA to NYC. I love it but its got a lot of quirks. Not sure how Western PA compares though.

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Last edited by captainc on Fri Jan 31, 2014 1:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: Potential Move
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2014 10:42 am
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Rock Star
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Location: Colorado Springs
I lived on the east side of Pittsburgh for a couple of years (near Robinson or Moon Township, if you are familiar). Here are are a couple of things about living around Pittsburgh:

1) Weather: The weather is not as bad as you may think. It is actually just south of the snow belt, and west away from the eastern seaboard. So while other areas like Buffalo, Cleveland, Philly, etc. are getting hammered with snow, Pittsburgh will get only a couple of inches (sometime none at all). Occasionally, you will have a heavy snow fall, but it is not a regular occurrence. It will be cold, though, with not a lot of sun for 6-7 months a year. In the summer is fairly humid. Any body driving needs a 4x4 or AWD vehicle in Winter -- that is my opinion (of course, I say that as I drove a modified 2001 Mustang GT (hence my user name).
2) Taxes: They call it "Tax - ylvania" -- Property taxes very HUGELY by county, and can be VERY high. If buying property, you should be very cognizant of that. For example, Allegheny County around Pittsburgh is ridiculously high. Everything is taxed and expensive (except car registrations, oddly). Toll roads, alcohol, etc, etc.
3) Food: Some of the best pizza on earth. It is hard to find bad pizza there. By comparison, the Mexican food there sucks. This Pizza/Mexican thing is the exact opposite of Phoenix.
4) Very pretty area.
5) The people are very friendly, except when they have a steering wheel in their hands. Then even the sweetest old-lady Sunday school teacher would rather sell her soul to Satan than let you merge in front of her.
6) Pittsburgh is a fabulous place to see baseball (and I am born and raised in San Francisco, so that is saying something!). I have been gone from PA for a couple of years, but they used to have all kinds of half-price deals (even for the good seats). The park is easy to get in and out of (once you learn your way around), and parking is cheap (or free, if you know where). I am a family of five, and going to Pirates games was VERY affordable.
7) The Steelers -- I have lived all over this country. I have NEVER seen such rabid fans. Being a staunchly non-Steeler fan, this gets old after a while. That being said, I do respect their enthusiasm. On another note, go Raiders!!

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Post subject: Re: Potential Move
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2014 1:05 pm
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Roadie
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Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2007 12:33 pm
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Location: Mass.
Thank you all so much! I suppose I should have been more specific. Just barely north of Cranberry Township. Luckily my daughters are out of school so that doesn't really effect me. But its still good to know. And by the way, I definitely prefer pizza over mexican lol.

From what I've heard, that area gets a little less snow than I do now and may be a little warmer in the winter. I'm just wondering if its enough.

Thanks again


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Post subject: Re: Potential Move
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2014 1:16 pm
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Well consider yourself lucky you don’t have to deal all that much with the school system.

As mentioned above yes… the taxes can be high depending on the county. We came from NY so the taxes are significantly lower to us but they certainly like to waste tax dollars in our area.

Here’s a shining example of wasted tax dollars and the unbelievably silly school system where we live.

The High School was filled to capacity so they decided it needed to be expanded. All fine and dandy. But… they have a middle school that is enormous. I actually thought it was a huge hospital or office complex or something. Well, that middle school is about a third full in terms of students. So what does the district do? Spends $9,000,000 in taxpayer dollars to expand the school, goes way over budget and now it’s an unfinished project. They are now trying to re do the grade level cutoffs, and zoning for each school and close some of the local elementary schools to figure out a way to fit all the kids everywhere. All along they could have spent a hundred bucks on a U-haul truck and switched the damn signs between the High School and the Middle School.

Best of luck to you with the new job and the move.

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Post subject: Re: Potential Move
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2014 1:37 pm
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Roadie
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Hahahaha!! Sorry Captainc but we've been through the same stupidity here in Mass! One of our names is Taxachusetts.

How is the mentality of people there? No disrespect ment to anyone (I've lived in the Northeast my whole life) but people in the northeast can be downright mean (I'm sure you heard the term Massholes) . And its an extremely fast pace of life.


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Post subject: Re: Potential Move
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2014 2:26 pm
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Rock Star
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Location: Colorado Springs
My_Bucket wrote:
Just barely north of Cranberry Township

Hmmmm ... Let me take a wild guess. You work for Westinghouse??

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Post subject: Re: Potential Move
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2014 3:04 pm
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LOL!! No... I manage Parts & Service Operations for Dealerships


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Post subject: Re: Potential Move
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2014 3:19 pm
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Location: Pgh Pa
I like it. I live on the east side of pgh. It's not bad schools are pretty good and traffic is not so bad compared to a lot of city's. Huntings good if you like that. There's a good bit of fishing also if you like that. Music scene is no bad. I've lived here for about 43 yrs so must not be to bad. Also crime is not to bad. I've seen a lot worse.


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Post subject: Re: Potential Move
Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2014 8:45 pm
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Rock Star
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Location: Colorado Springs
Everything I said earlier is completely accurate, except ... as far as the weather goes ... you will get a bit more snow up there than in Pittsburgh. This is because the farther north you go, the more "lake effect" snow you will get (getting closer to the snow belt). Also, being north of Cranberry means Butler County and much LOWER property taxes. However, as Westinghouse spirals down due to the negative nuclear market (due to Fukishima and low nat gas prices), there will likely be LOTS of Westinghouse layoffs which will kill the local home values as people leave. Just consider that if you are going to buy.

Cranberry is only 20 miles north of Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh is a great city, and everything I said about the baseball in Pittsburgh is completely true. Check it out!

There is a Primanti Brothers restaurant in Cranberry. That is fine but MAKE SURE you (at some time) go to the original one in the Strip District of Pittsburgh.

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Post subject: Re: Potential Move
Posted: Sat Feb 01, 2014 9:25 pm
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Roadie
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Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2007 12:33 pm
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Thank you all again!


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