With Oregon's anti-manufacturing regulatory attitudes, huge (HUGE) PERS burden, and consistently high unemployment, California isn't much further ahead in the slide to financial insolvency. I am concerned about staying here to retire, because I think taxes will rise (as they have) and fees will further increase (if they can't tax it, there's a fee on it). There just isn't the base here to support the $$$ that are going out in social services and the PERS.

I do love living here - and I live in the Willamette Valley, where we get wet, foggy, and have a short dry spell called summer. Bend is nice if you like the high desert, but I would caution you to look carefully at the financial stability of things if that concerns you about CA.

And, Oregon is liberal as liberal comes. If that's the way you go, then fine. But some folks won't like that so much. Finally, think about Portland (Portlandia...). Portland dominates State politics - if a measure sounds good to the city folk there, and it passes, it will carry the state. So the rest of Oregon is legislated to be more like Portland every year.

But for beautiful scenery, access to the coast and the mountains, wonderful cycling opportunities - Oregon is a great place.