« Black walnut deaths point to more Salem tree dysfunction | Main | New Salem Police Facility getting supersized (and super expensive!) »

November 15, 2015

Comments

Olympia is certainly more liberal than Salem. My wife and I have toyed with the idea of living there in the past. She is a state of OR worker and has fairly stable work here. The State of WA has budget problems frequently and they almost laid off many people before the legislature could figure out a budget. Olympia is more person friendly in the downtown and Salem could learn from it.


Educationally, the Olympia community is going to better educated than the Salem community (higher percentage of bachelor, and graduate degrees). The Olympia community is likely better off in terms of income. Those two factors often mean a more enlightened community that's more insistent on better services, like public transit, library, education, and environmental quality. These are communities, much like Corvallis, Eugene, and Portland, are going to want a better quality of life. Look at less educated, less well paid populations, and they're going to live in less desirable locations. That's most likely why Salem ranks worst by a number of measures. You can't blame all things on the city council. It's also about the people who put them where they are, or who simply don't vote, and don't care. Don't expect that change in the near future, unless there's real demographic shift in Marion County, and Salem. This is likely why 30,000 people who work in Salem don't want to live there.

I have to disagree with you Geronimo. It not Salem's demographics that make us so backward. It's that about a dozen years ago the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce launched a coup to take out our progressive City Council and install a City Council of their choosing to do their bidding. This is what has been in place for the past dozen years from the Mayor on down. On the current City Council there are only three members who are not beholden to the C of C. The Chamber is a very effective political machine as they proved once again in the recent Cherriots election. Until they are met with an equally strong opposition force things will not change. That's why some of us have formed Progressive Salem. Join us!

Hmmmm...
Maybe we should form, "Conservative Salem".
Woops!
Already formed and growing stronger!
:Q

Both are about an hour of so south of their state's signature cities. One shares a name with a brand of cigarettes and one with a brand of beer.

https://mvbarer.blogspot.com/2022/06/two-northwest-capitals-salem-and-olympia.h

https://mvbarer.blogspot.com/2022/06/two-northwest-capitals-salem-and-olympia.html I did a blog post based on this article.

Verify your Comment

Previewing your Comment

This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.

Working...
Your comment could not be posted. Error type:
Your comment has been posted. Post another comment

The letters and numbers you entered did not match the image. Please try again.

As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.

Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.

Working...

Post a comment

Your Information

(Name is required. Email address will not be displayed with the comment.)

Strange Up Salem

Welcome to HinesSight

  • Salem Political Snark
    My local political rants are now made on this badass blog. Check it out. Dirty politics, outrageous actions, sleaze, backroom deals — we’re on it. 

  • Twitter with me
    Join Twitter and follow my tweets about whatever.
  • Church of the Churchless
    Visit my other weblog, Church of the Churchless, where the gospel of spiritual independence is preached.

  • Welcome to HinesSight. If this is your first visit, click on "About this site--start here" in the Categories section below.