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I disagree, I bet most people would rather pay the same amount in income tax they do in vehicle registration fees...why because its paid out over the whole year, not a lump sum. Furthermore an added income tax could be used for the lack luster school system we have here in Clark County.
Pay is lower...I've lived in 4 States in just over 4 years...pay is lower on average in Las Vegas.
Not for educators, it certainly isn't... Which obviously makes up a huge portion of LV's workforce. My wife makes $12k more a year working in CCSD than she did in Wisconsin... That's BEFORE you factor in the massive income tax difference (WI gouges their residents). So her income is easily more than $15k higher here overall as an educator... I'd say that's pretty substantial.
From daily experience, I can assure you a very large portion of the accidents that occur in Las Vegas are caused by tourists. You have to realize how many people are driving into LV from California, Arizona and beyond.
They have several signature moves:
1. The Drift.
No, not like drift racing.. I'm talking about the sightseers who drift into another lane without ever realizing it as they gawk at the Eiffelish Tower.
2. The Point.
If you are behind someone, you can easily look through their back window... You will oftentimes see the driver pointing (at anything besides the road they are driving on). Zero attention is paid to where they are going during The Point.
3. The Creep and The Drag.
No, not talking about an odd duo of hookers... I'm talking about the people who insist on either going 18 mph or 60 mph on the Strip. Bad things are bound to happen when you have Ma and Pa creeping along next to the "there's not enough gel in my brohawk" freaks from SoCal who just rented a Ferrari for the day.
and finally...
4. The Amateurs.
Do you realize how many foreign drivers travel our streets at any given time? The number has to be insane.
I couldn't even begin to tell you the amount of times I've taken people to the rent-a-car facility in which my passengers were about to drive on the right side of the road for the first time in their lives.
So yeah... If we turned this city into JUST locals, I think you'd find that the driving isn't so bad after all.
Not to mention, this city is EXTREMELY convenient for commuters... The roads are in excellent condition, the highways have lots of lanes and the interstates are evenly spread throughout the city, ensuring that no matter where you are in the valley, you're 10 minutes from an on ramp or less.
The auto registration is something that can be controlled... Basically, dont buy brand new Audis and you'll be fine.
As far as the economy of the city, how has no one mentioned the fact that Vegas is the convention capital of the world? This is a MASSIVE asset to the city that is shockingly overlooked by so many. They are the ones coming and flooding the hotels, eating the expensive meals to impress their clients and account for a huge portion of the international visitors we see. In fact, conventions are a big reason why Vegas will NEVER be like Atlantic City.
Entertainment... Hmmm... Define entertainment. After all, it means something different to everybody.
In addition to gaming, we have several resident performers in the city at any given time (Including ones who stay for weeks, some for a couple years)... Some of which have included Carlos Santana, Celine Dion, Britney Spears, KISS, Rascal Flatts, Jeff Dunham, Shania Twain, Garth Brooks... Just to name a few.
We are also fortunate enough to draw in HUGE concerts, considering almost every major tour has to make a stop in LV.
Some of the biggies coming this year are Fleetwood Mac, RUSH and The Who.
We are home to the absolutely gorgeous Smith Center, which is constantly hosting great live theater productions.
If that isn't your thing, why not check out one of LV's signature sporting events? NASCAR makes it's trek to Vegas every year and well as a healthy dose of March Madness games at T&M. If the city is able to secure an NHL team, that will be more than 40 additional live-sport opportunities every year for the Valley.
...
To respond to the "Vegas is not a city" comment, I would say that we have fantastic parks (most cities would kill to have something like red rock bordering it.. Dont take it for granted)... We also have libraries, state and county museums (in addition to other random museums like the atomic testing and the mob museums). There are playgrounds all over, basketball/tennis courts which can be used more months of the year than most places in the U.S.
We have a TRUE international airport that again, many cities would envy.
The dining options in Vegas are also hard to beat... Overall, one of the best cities in the country for dining.
And on top of all this... We as locals get discounts on many of these things.
On this one, a bit of perspective. A good (a very good SWAG would make it a majority, especially depending on where you reside) portion of those pesky out of state plates that are in neighborhoods/not where tourist normally venture...are military. Where I am out in SW Henderson, my Alaska plates stand out and I am definitely a miniscule minority down there. Active military though and the requisite U.S.Code on this. I go up to the NE or NW of the metro and the number vastly increases (several big military activities in the vicinity). I have had TN and AK plates only over the last 20 years. I lived a combined 6 and 1/2 years in those two states where my residency and plates matched the locale.
Of the places you listed that you have previously resided, only parts of Washington State and a couple of rural parts of New York would be considered military heavy, so you may or may not have been exposed to this portion of military life?
Maybe 15 of my co-workers had local license plates at Nellis. And I had over 100 direct co-workers.
Total tax burden in NV is 43rd in the US. Fact
Henderson is 98th out of 200 in Allstate accident rates. Fact
Fatality rates from automobile accidents are around 20th both on mileage and per population. Fact.
Again you are welcome to your opinions but not your own facts.
Yep because Allstate has verified factual statistic. What place are we in for pedestrian -vs- vehicle accidents? What place are we in for the amount of drunk drivers? What place are we in for road rage? You take a couple "statistics" and believe that proves your point when it does not...but since you live Allstate let me throw a couple of their "facts" out;
Drivers in Las Vegas are 15 percent more likely to be in an automobile accident than the national average, making it one of the least safe driving cities in the country, according to Allstate.
By the way when you compare cities and traffic accidents you have to take a lot more in to consideration than the black and white stats. On Allstate they have Rochester, NY listed just below Las Vegas on their list...have you been to Rochester, NY? I have and I can tell you there streets are not nearly in as good condition as Las Vegas. They also have more narrow roads and much worse weather conditions than Las Vegas...comparing apples to oranges.
Not for educators, it certainly isn't... Which obviously makes up a huge portion of LV's workforce. My wife makes $12k more a year working in CCSD than she did in Wisconsin... That's BEFORE you factor in the massive income tax difference (WI gouges their residents). So her income is easily more than $15k higher here overall as an educator... I'd say that's pretty substantial.
From daily experience, I can assure you a very large portion of the accidents that occur in Las Vegas are caused by tourists. You have to realize how many people are driving into LV from California, Arizona and beyond.
They have several signature moves:
1. The Drift.
No, not like drift racing.. I'm talking about the sightseers who drift into another lane without ever realizing it as they gawk at the Eiffelish Tower.
2. The Point.
If you are behind someone, you can easily look through their back window... You will oftentimes see the driver pointing (at anything besides the road they are driving on). Zero attention is paid to where they are going during The Point.
3. The Creep and The Drag.
No, not talking about an odd duo of hookers... I'm talking about the people who insist on either going 18 mph or 60 mph on the Strip. Bad things are bound to happen when you have Ma and Pa creeping along next to the "there's not enough gel in my brohawk" freaks from SoCal who just rented a Ferrari for the day.
and finally...
4. The Amateurs.
Do you realize how many foreign drivers travel our streets at any given time? The number has to be insane.
I couldn't even begin to tell you the amount of times I've taken people to the rent-a-car facility in which my passengers were about to drive on the right side of the road for the first time in their lives.
So yeah... If we turned this city into JUST locals, I think you'd find that the driving isn't so bad after all.
Not to mention, this city is EXTREMELY convenient for commuters... The roads are in excellent condition, the highways have lots of lanes and the interstates are evenly spread throughout the city, ensuring that no matter where you are in the valley, you're 10 minutes from an on ramp or less.
The auto registration is something that can be controlled... Basically, dont buy brand new Audis and you'll be fine.
As far as the economy of the city, how has no one mentioned the fact that Vegas is the convention capital of the world? This is a MASSIVE asset to the city that is shockingly overlooked by so many. They are the ones coming and flooding the hotels, eating the expensive meals to impress their clients and account for a huge portion of the international visitors we see. In fact, conventions are a big reason why Vegas will NEVER be like Atlantic City.
Entertainment... Hmmm... Define entertainment. After all, it means something different to everybody.
In addition to gaming, we have several resident performers in the city at any given time (Including ones who stay for weeks, some for a couple years)... Some of which have included Carlos Santana, Celine Dion, Britney Spears, KISS, Rascal Flatts, Jeff Dunham, Shania Twain, Garth Brooks... Just to name a few.
We are also fortunate enough to draw in HUGE concerts, considering almost every major tour has to make a stop in LV.
Some of the biggies coming this year are Fleetwood Mac, RUSH and The Who.
We are home to the absolutely gorgeous Smith Center, which is constantly hosting great live theater productions.
If that isn't your thing, why not check out one of LV's signature sporting events? NASCAR makes it's trek to Vegas every year and well as a healthy dose of March Madness games at T&M. If the city is able to secure an NHL team, that will be more than 40 additional live-sport opportunities every year for the Valley.
...
To respond to the "Vegas is not a city" comment, I would say that we have fantastic parks (most cities would kill to have something like red rock bordering it.. Dont take it for granted)... We also have libraries, state and county museums (in addition to other random museums like the atomic testing and the mob museums). There are playgrounds all over, basketball/tennis courts which can be used more months of the year than most places in the U.S.
We have a TRUE international airport that again, many cities would envy.
The dining options in Vegas are also hard to beat... Overall, one of the best cities in the country for dining.
And on top of all this... We as locals get discounts on many of these things.
" I can assure you a very large portion of the accidents that occur in Las Vegas are caused by tourists." well thanks for your assurance...I guess those almost daily taxi cab accidents I see are tourist causing the driver to rear-end the vehicle in front of them? Furthermore if you look at the stats and see where these accidents are occurring the most you will realize they are not in a heavy tourist area. Yes lots of fender benders on the Strip but major accidents in my locals area of Las Vegas.
Your comments to my "Vegas is not a city" comment are much debatable; You said most cities would kill to have something like Red Rock bordering it...uh, maybe you need to live in other cities. There are far better natural parks in many more cities that are much better than Red Rock. Actually I can think of many States that can beat Nevada on outdoor activities. Most of the Southern part of the US (States like CA, TX, FL and so on) have parks that can be used almost year round...We have about three months out of the summer that they can be used but not an enjoyable experience.
I'm also not understanding what you mean by "true international airport"? SEA, PDX, SFO, LAX just on the West Coast all have "true international airports"...not sure if many cities would have citizens that would envy the location of LAS.
" I can assure you a very large portion of the accidents that occur in Las Vegas are caused by tourists." well thanks for your assurance...I guess those almost daily taxi cab accidents I see are tourist causing the driver to rear-end the vehicle in front of them? Furthermore if you look at the stats and see where these accidents are occurring the most you will realize they are not in a heavy tourist area. Yes lots of fender benders on the Strip but major accidents in my locals area of Las Vegas.
Your comments to my "Vegas is not a city" comment are much debatable; You said most cities would kill to have something like Red Rock bordering it...uh, maybe you need to live in other cities. There are far better natural parks in many more cities that are much better than Red Rock. Actually I can think of many States that can beat Nevada on outdoor activities. Most of the Southern part of the US (States like CA, TX, FL and so on) have parks that can be used almost year round...We have about three months out of the summer that they can be used but not an enjoyable experience.
I'm also not understanding what you mean by "true international airport"? SEA, PDX, SFO, LAX just on the West Coast all have "true international airports"...not sure if many cities would have citizens that would envy the location of LAS.
If you have to hate on it so much, what are you doing here... And what is the point of the thread... Maybe we all should be directing you to the aisle in Walgreens that is heavily stocked with Kleenex and Kotex.
if you figure in a state income tax at 2%, then that would be at least $1k a year for the average household.. 2 cars… mine are both 2014s.. costs under 700. so im still ahead :-)
now if i had a pair of beemers', i'd probably be paying 2 grand a year for plates.. but then i'd probably be earning 150k in the household.. still cheaper than state tax.
If I still lived in California, I would be paying like 10%+ state income tax. It wouldn't even be remotely a close comparison to Nevada's vehicle registration fees. California's high taxes is one of the major factors that got me to move out of there and come over here.
So my family has been in Las Vegas for about six months so I thought I would give my OPINION of living in Las Vegas so far.
A couple quick pluses:
- The weather (during winter).
- The amount of restaurants.
- Unlimited entertainment .
A couple quick minuses:
- Not a city.
- Lack of driving skills in the community.
- Las Vegas schools performance is well below where it should be.
- Lack of other entertainment options off the Strip.
- Low pay for similar jobs in other parts of the US.
- Very high vehicle registration fees.
So part of the reason we moved here was the weather, part of the reason was location and part of the reason was I believe why other people move here pseudo-possibilities. I hate to say that so harsh but I think a lot of people including myself see Las Vegas as a place of possibilities. Maybe too many trips here as a tourist and not getting off the Strip seeing the real Las Vegas didn't help. Now after being here, yes a short time, I feel like Las Vegas has less to offer than most similar populated areas in many parts of the country. Las Vegas is not a city, it is a place built on gambling and lack what most cities have to offer. We have one main entertainment source in Las Vegas hotels/casinos. Most of the entertainment options in Las Vegas are provided by hotels/casinos and that I believe is a minus as well. Most cities have a more rounded atmosphere, we in Las Vegas have a more central core of atmosphere, gambling. When you leave the Las Vegas Strip you realize this "city" is filled with nothing but strip malls and is lacking a real community feel in many ways.
I also believe part of the lack of driving skills is of course that the majority of people here are not born and raised they are transplants like my family. It's a melting pot of driving skills and customs; not a good thing. Many people also lack weather related driving skills that is part of the reason that when it rains there are so many accidents...also the lack of rain and oil on the roads don't help either.
Everyone talks about the lack of income tax in Nevada but fail to realize they are paying a huge amount for their vehicle registration(s)...people who don't drive or fail to change their registration to Nevada when they move here are getting away with not having to pay the "tax"...a income tax is a more fair system.
So in conclusion would I have decided to move here if I knew what I knew today...most likely not. Yes there are good parts of Las Vegas, fun things to do, many restaurants and entertainment options but for the day to day living Las Vegas doesn't offer anything worthy...schools are horrific, driving as I said before is a mess and the overall atmosphere of people that live here seems stressed at all times. People seem to work more part-time jobs and have less time to just take it all in. That also relates to the lower pay Las Vegas provides compared to other cities similar sized. Pay, poor schools, lack of community, lack of reinvestment in to the local community and you might as well prepare for another Atlantic City.
I was giving opinions of my experiences so far. I'm more than fine with debating what I have said but just general attacks and "you should move" comments are not needed. This forum has to do with relocation, I'm simply giving my opinion and what I have experienced in the 6 months I have been here in hopes of helping other people thinking of moving here. Sorry but some of you locals need to chill a little and allow for other perspectives.
With my recent experience, I believe wages on the strip are lower than off the strip.(comparable job titles and experience) I just recently turned down a positiin at the MGM for this reason. They offered $8-10 less than every other company off the strip.
(Chefs are probably the exception)
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