Give me the negative about Chattanooga (Ooltewah, Graysville: lawyers, homes, neighborhood)

[dasmarian]

From wikipedia: Asheville is a part of the four-county Asheville metropolitan statistical area, the population of which was estimated by the Census Bureau in 2006 to be 398,009.

How you made the leap of my enjoyment of independent restaurants to infer that I am some anti-corporation liberal is similarly ludicrous. Many people go to Asheville for the fine dining. If you like to eat at O'TGI Tuesdaybee's congrats, I salute your low standard for dining. I think I'll still seek out regional restaurants that serve locally grown produce with unique twists and careful preparation that may be a little harder to find at a Applebee's.

Asheville is often called the Paris of the South, for good reason. If you care nothing for it and its charm, I don't really care. But flaming me for my opinion, which is correct and based in fact really makes you look lame. I mean seriously, have you nothing better to do?

[BRH]

Originally Posted by dasmarian

From wikipedia: Asheville is a part of the four-county Asheville metropolitan statistical area, the population of which was estimated by the Census Bureau in 2006 to be 398,009.

How you made the leap of my enjoyment of independent restaurants to infer that I am some anti-corporation liberal is similarly ludicrous. Many people go to Asheville for the fine dining. If you like to eat at O'TGI Tuesdaybee's congrats, I salute your low standard for dining. I think I'll still seek out regional restaurants that serve locally grown produce with unique twists and careful preparation that may be a little harder to find at a Applebee's.

Asheville is often called the Paris of the South, for good reason. If you care nothing for it and its charm, I don't really care. But flaming me for my opinion, which is correct and based in fact really makes you look lame. I mean seriously, have you nothing better to do?

Sorry, I didn't mean it as a flame or anything personal. I was just pointing out that Chattanooga was larger as far as stats go. (The Chattanooga MSA is 496,000, and 658,000 if you include the Cleveland-Athens area according to Wikipedia).

Also, I guess I read more into your post than I should have. I apologize. It's just that everytime I read anything about Asheville it tends to be along those lines and I was making comments more in general than about anything you said. As I said, I am very much a liberal in most of my views and politics, but I just have never really gotten into the whole anti-big business thing. I agree 100 percent that local businesses that are unique and one of kind are wonderful (that's one reason I absolutely love New York City). I certainly value them and have nothing against them at all. I guess I was just saying that I don't exclude others from my patronage just because they aren't locally based. Also, I have to admit that I'm a bit of a shopper and I do enjoy having large retail areas and chains that some would consider "sprawl" I guess.

Once again, I am sorry and never meant for you to take anything I said personally. It was late and I guess I kind of went off on a tangent without re-reading it. I do enjoy both Chattanooga and Asheville and think both are beautiful, but I guess I was just musing that I would miss some things in Asheville that are more abundant in larger cities. (As far as North Carolina goes, I think Charlotte would probably suit me best).

Again, I apologize for being on my soapbox last night

[VolDude]

Originally Posted by kyjack

Anyone got an idea of the tax advantages of living in TN vs. GA?

Income Taxes

The most obvious and stated one is that TN has no state income tax.

Georgia's income tax is 6%.

Property Taxes

In Hamilton County, property taxes range from 3.6% to 5.3%. Tennessee requires that residential property is assessed at 25% of the fair market value.

http://www.hamiltontn.gov/trustee/CurrentTaxRate.aspx

I searched and searched for property taxes in the north Georgia counties of Dade, Walker, Catosa, and Whitfield, with out any luck, but the averge is apparently 3%. Property in Georgia is assessed at 40% of the fair market value.

The tax rate, or millage, in each county is set annually by the board of county commissioners, or other governing authority of the taxing jurisdiction, and by the Board of Education. A tax rate of one mill represents a tax liability of one dollar per $1,000 of assessed value. The average county and municipal millage rate is 30 mills; the state millage rate in each county is 0.25 mills.
Municipalities also assess property taxes based upon county-assessed values and rates established by the municipal governing authority.

Property in Georgia is assessed at 40% of the fair market value unless otherwise specified by law.

Example: The assessed value--40 percent of the fair market value--of a house that is worth $100,000 is $40,000. In a county where the millage rate is 25 mills the property tax on that house would be $1,000; $25 for every $1,000 of assessed value or $25 multiplied by 40 is $1,000.

http://www.etax.dor.ga.gov/ptd/adm/t.../gen/rate.aspx

Sales Taxes

Tennessee's sales tax is 7%, 5.5% on non-prepared food, plus local sales taxes. I believe the local sales tax in Hamilton County is 2.25%.

Georgia's state sales tax is 4%. Prescription drugs, certain medical devices, and groceries are exempt from this tax. Local jurisdictions may impose additional sales taxes.

[dasmarian]

no worries brh, sometimes things tend to have a harsher tone on the Internet than they are intended.

[Cameron Cayman]

I've been in this area for 11 years and really have a tough time coming up with negatives.

--Parking downtown is a huge PAIN.
--Not enough snow in the winter.

[BlueCuzco]

I personally haven't experienced the parking problem. I'm not usually going places in the business district (the riverfront, rather), but I've always found parking to be relatively ample and decently priced. I don't live near or work in downtown, however, so my experience might be somehow insufficient. I agree about the snow, however; it can get cold and miserable, but there's rarely ever a good snow. I'd like at least a few days each year to have some chilly white stuff on the ground, but it's happening less and less often. Furthermore, I've always found that winters here get rather dreary going into late February and early March. This winter hasn't bothered me as much; maybe I'm beginning to get over my issues and learning positives of winter. Let me think...

When hiking in the national military park on the side of Lookout Mountain one can see a lot more of the rock outcroppings.

[Hishiad]

Parking is in the eye of the beholder

I pay 55 a month for an open lot near Warehouse Row Garage.


but my work reimbursed 50 monthly so it's a sweet deal for me...I may even stay there even when a spot opens up in a covered garage, just because the extra 10 dollars saved a month.

[justhere]

Originally Posted by kyjack

I'm thinking of relocating. I live in Asheville and like the lay of the land, but real estate here makes it too expensive. Tell me the bad about Chattanooga. I want to hear people's thoughts on why not to come.

So you basically, already want to come to Chattanooga?

[PunkGuy]

Little background:
Originally from MD/lived in CA
Lived in Chattanooga/NW Georgia for 5 years

Negatives:
1. No diversity - I would say 97% white (majority rednecks)
2. Too conservative/religious (Southern Baptist Church every 1/2 mile)
3. Constant road construction
4. Horrible radio stations
5. Horrendous stray animal problem
6. Schools are terrible (except for the private schools that cost a fortune)
7. Lots of overweight people (and smokers)
8. Lots of teen mothers
9. Fake southern hospitality (southerners are only "really" nice to other southerners...if you're a "yankee" (yes they still call northerners that!) watch out))
10. Good Ol' Boy Network in full swing here!

Oh, #11 horrible summers! hot, humid, and lots of bugs...you'll barracade yourself into your house with the air conditioning blasting and rarely do anything outside. (and spring lasts about 2 weeks)

I guess that's enough for now. I'm sure I'll be bombarded with nasty replies, but oh well.

I suggest anyone who has ever lived anywhere other than the south, think about the above list before moving here.
My wife and I thought it was great originally (cheap, outdoor stuff) but then after living here, began to hate it and finally left.

[Hishiad]

Originally Posted by PunkGuy

Negatives:

2. Too conservative/religious (Southern Baptist Church every 1/2 mile)
Mostly agree, but it's the bible belt what did you expect?
3. Constant road construction
Tennessee has some of the best roads in the country...why? because they spend so much money and time upgrading and repairing it's a double edge sword
4. Horrible radio stations
Can't argue at all dead on there are maybe 2 or 3 stations that are completely lame and even those few have issues with playing the same ol' crap as the other hit pop station
7. Lots of overweight people (and smokers)
This my friend is a national thing, but yeah lots of weight issues with the south in general it's all those homecooked farmboy friendly meals
8. Lots of teen mothers
I don't know any numbers but I don't think this is something that is outright more noticeable in Chattanooga compared to say an Atlanta, New York City, or any other large city.

Number 1 I'm not sure what you're thinking with that statement there's not even 97% white (majority redneck) in my building at work or company for that matter. You think Chattanooga is majority white head up to Morgan County where I came from. If you count families in the county you can probably count on one or two hands all the ethnic families in the entire area.
Number 5 I've not noticed any stray animals at all....which is actually kind of odd in itself.

Number 6 is pretty outlandish. I've been researching schools via www.greatschools.net and Chattanooga has more 7+ ratings than the previous place I lived although also in TN. But for the area to have so many I'd say means a lot.

Number 9 is a bit of a shot. I've been in other states and the only difference in what you say is the "southern" part. They do the same thing up north in NY or Boston treat their own well and look down on the "hillbilly" or "redneck" so I think this one is an -everywhere- you go situation so kind of pointless to add.

Number 10 I've yet to see this, but I'm not going to outright call it untruthful either. I've not tested the job markets in many places, but I moved to Chattanooga for a job too so I didn't have to look around when I got here. Overall I wouldn't call it a Good Ol' Boy Network so much as a familiarity thing. In most fields especially the engineering field which I work in people tend to move and though the places change the faces seem to come and go. You'll see a lot of the same people in the field as they are established.

Number 11 I'm a bit surprised as someone from CA would complain about TN having -hot- summers. I think they're relatively mild myself. Except for a few years back when we had the 50 something day drought, but even then we only hit triple digits a few days although humidity added to the heat it wasn't sooo unbearable unless you happen to be an outside worker.


Everyone's entitled to their opinion, these are just my responses to yours! Hope you're happy where you are now though