There'll always be Barcelona.

Going to be kind of hard to commute in the snow they receive every winter. Will Rahm provide bike chains??

I don't think Chicago a loss. It's not been a place I looked favorably upon, ever. Washington state is a better re location. No state income tax, and Washington citizens just beat back a suite of tax schemes foisted upon them by their last legislature. There's hope in Washington state from Bureaucratic sleaze. Clark county land prices are at recent lows. Good time to relocate from COP and Multnomah County to the Couv and other Washington state parts.

JAck,

There are still many sane places. But places that bleed blue (West Coast, East Coast north of the Carolinas, Chicago, Madison and Austin) will always be wacky. Try Houston or Charlotte.

Doesn't Chicago have one of the better mass transit systems in the country? What's with the love affair of bikes? Or is it a love affair with Europe?

"No state income tax, and Washington citizens just beat back a suite of tax schemes foisted upon them by their last legislature."

People spend way too much time focusing on Washington's lack of an income tax. Washington spends more per person than Oregon, $5780 to $5540 according to the Tax Foundation, so they are getting it from somewhere. Now it is true that upper income taxpayers that spend way less than they earn, make out in this situation. But unless you think you're Bill Gates I suggest you look closely at how much in total taxes are in Washington.

One study I saw recently suggests that at the $60,000 a year level a retired couple would pay less taxes in Oregon than in Washington. Your situation may vary.

Consider Cambridge MA, a city of 101,930 residents (2010) governed by a mayor (weak variety), eight councilors, and a city manager (strong variety) for which this summary of a recent City Council meeting is suggestive:
http://www.wickedlocal.com/cambridge/news/x896127818/Cambridge-City-Council-in-60-seconds

Many local political luminaries have spent time on the left bank of the Charles: Treasurer Wheeler, former Metro head Bragdon, departing Metro commissioner Liberty, and city commissioner Saltzman, for example. Some have enjoyed sabbaticals at the Kennedy School (for instance, a former commissioner notorious for an expensive, futile water billing system). Cambridge should not be blamed for the performances of such pols: they were only visiting, little more than tourists contributing negligibly to the culture and mores of the city.

You could always consider moving somewhere that has one of the sane three-wheeled varieties available for everyday staff use.

http://www.sungazette.net/articles/2008/10/08/arlington/news/nw904.txt

So from anon too's gleaned fact from tax foundation reports, can we assume that anyone not paying at least $5540 in Oregon state taxes,they're not paying their fair share?

On a serious note then, we'd better focus our efforts on creating jobs in Oregon that pay at least $55K.

Oh don't worry, apparently Cincinnati is looking to build a Streetcar, and they're using Portland as the 'success' story to get it done.

The best part is that they'll have the same difficulties as Portland has had with MAX - they're running it into Over-the-Rhine, which is one of the most depressed and crime-afflicted neighborhoods.

Anon too: In November of 2009 my wife and I moved out of Oregon and moved to Nevada - which has a sales tax system similar to Washington State. For tax year 2010, we won't be paying the Oregon Department of Revenue the $14,000+ we paid in 2009. That's a decent amount of money and a major savings for us given the small amount of money we've paid in sales taxes.

So adding bike lanes is, ipso facto, a bad idea?

Why? Are there too many bike lanes in Chicago already? Chicago isn't contending with traffic problems (if you don't answer "yes" to that you've never been there)?

This one is almost as bad as Jack's story on the trikes, which Anna Griffin thoroughly debunked: http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/anna_griffin/index.ssf/2011/01/portland_leaders_team_up_with_1.html

Paul Gronke, ladies and gentlemen.

Paul, do how you "debunk" an opinion?

Portland is a total self-parody now. But the bankruptcy won't be so funny.

....But the bankruptcy won't be so funny.

Blumenaured we are! I used to call his office and complain about his "focus" to get the rails here, as there were other critical matters he needed to address.

How about the Milwaukie Light Rail that is going forward it seems seamlessly whether funds or not?

Construction this summer?

Is this the mode of operation now, to just start the construction, so there is no turning back and never mind about the money?

For those relocating who would miss coyotes, know that Cambridge MA also provides them a home:
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/20110202wild_rescue_on_the_charles/

The area in which this event occurred is in the very urban East Cambridge neighborhood, near the Boston Garden. It is a hard winter there, with total snow accumulation for the season currently matching Celtic Nate Robinson in height.