[Gary Salisbury]

I live in the San Diego, CA area and was wondering if there were any CNC guys or gals here?

Also, I may be considering moving to Las Vegas, NV and was wondering if there were any people there who had CNCs?

Just looking for new friends who I can share CNC adventures and education with.

 

[DesertRatTom]

Think carefully before making a move from the perfect climate to 120 in the shade Las Vegas. Sure, there's AC, if you never go outside and can handle the electric bill. I live in high desert, which cools off at night, but by the end of summer, the cooling is a relief. Vegas doesn't really cool off much at night. There are other considerations--it's an adult place where secrets are kept, which tells you something about what goes on there.

 

[Gary Salisbury]

DesertRatTom, I do agree with you regarding San Diego weather and that is why I originally moved here. But the liberal loonies in Sacramento have lost their minds!

They just invoked a 12 cent gas tax (20 cents on diesel) and $120 adder to your car registration each year. And it isn't going to road building or repair. It averages around $700 per year for the average family, however, does not take into account the impact on goods and services delivered by truck to brick & mortar stores. For example, trucks deliver goods to Walmart and will charge them more because their diesel is more. Walmart, in turn, will pass that on to us with higher prices. It is the end user who gets shafted.

Then let us talk about the 12% surcharge Sacramento is planning on all health care services rendered in order to pay for healthcare for illegal aliens. YES, it's true! Remember, we are now a friggin' Sanctuary State. So if I go to the doctor and he charges me $200 which Medicare and my supplement will pay for, I will have to cash over $24 to the doctor which will go to the state for our poor illegal aliens. Medicare won't pay it nor the supplemental insurance I have. This is basically a 12% sales tax on your medical which insurance carriers will not pay for.

Would you like to talk about property taxes? Last year my property taxes were around $5,000 for the year. I just get reappraised because I build a woodshop and I now have to pay an extra $2,000 per year. I am retired living on a fixed income and can not afford to pay for all these special projects the politician want to do in order to get reelected.

So my wife and I have invoked our 1-year program. We have 1 year to sell off all our extra possessions in preparation to move. Our current targets are Las Vegas (we have family there), Phoenix, Sedona, Utah or perhaps somewhere in Texas. We are thinking of traveling in our motorhome during the hottest summer months. Tijuana weather is the same as San Diego but the drug cartels scare me and I can't own property there. About 50% of my friends are also planning on leaving rather than being taxed out of our homes. If you have any suggestions, I am all ears.

 

[DesertRatTom]

I live in San Bernardino and only have family close by. Our health insurance is with Kaiser Permanente (my wife retired from there so we have premium insurance). My property is wonderful, but water is VERY expensive. We bought a better car and haven't had to register it yet, so I fear we're in for a shock. I believe there is an initiative to undo the gas tax, but the greedy [email protected][email protected]$ in Sacramento will make up for it. Not aware of the 12% tax on medical care, but that would drive me right out of the state. Income taxes here really stung last year as well. What do we get for it? More welfare recipients, more taxes, huge unfunded pensions (pensioners all move away once retired). But we really can't stand unrelieved heat and altitude is tough on me these days, altitude and evening cooling go together. I think a financial crisis is coming. A 12% tax on medical care would be tough after all my medical care this past year. Will have to check that out.

 

[BalloonEngineer]

I believe there is a pretty big woodworking group that meets at the Rockler in San Diego , you should ask around there, you may have people local to you. If you ever come out to the Denver / Colorado Springs area, I belong to a fast growing cnc group here, and can probably arrange a tour to see a pretty good assortment of machines (including my DIY build ). We branched out from a general woodworking group that meets at the Rockler here. As I understand it the Rockler here and San Diego are the two highest sales stores, and the corporate belief is that it is because of their allowing groups to use their facilities for meetings.

 

[DaninVan]

Come up to the Canadian West Coast for a visit, Gary; you might like it!

Lots of empty space, just don't plan on living in Vancouver or Victoria....$$$

Where we are, outside the city, a home on a 1/2 acre lot would be in the $500K to $600K range. That's Cdn$s so maybe 20% less in US$s.
Also, personal assets aren't taxed, ie when you sell your home you keep the money (except for all the usual hands out looking for a piece of the action.)