The news came out yesterday (December 2) on GAO’s ruling on our move to Newport, Oregon. I do not want to paraphrase exactly what they said but in summary, it decided that the new NOAA facility that is being built is on a flood plain. An executive order that was signed by President Carter in 1977 prohibits constructing federal facilities on flood plains. In addition, there is a Commerce Department regulation that does the same. The Port of Bellingham discovered this and filed a protest.
In truth, I thought we were going to move to Bellingham. I was hoping when the announcement was made that it was Bellingham due to my ties to Skagit County, south of that city. I was in the Bay Area last summer when the announcement was made and was shocked that Newport had won. It was akin to the New York Jets win against the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl Three in which Broadway Joe Namath guaranteed a Jet win, as they were 17-point underdogs. As I said in previous blogs, Newport is a nice town and in the summer, a great place for a getaway. Unfortunately, the roads are cluttered with RV traffic. The people were nice and if we continued with the move, I would go with my job. The cheering here cannot be too loud and a temporary respite cannot be considered a victory as the move may still happen. As the media and official press releases indicate, next step is uncertain.
I was resigned to the fact that the move was happening and rarely protests are sustained or overturned. In this case, it was sustained and GAO is telling NOAA to slow down and look at alternatives since there are regulations against building in flood plains. I called my son and told him of the decision. There is a bit of relief at our household and “L” as getting used to Seattle, making friends and liking college life. I certainly wished human and social factors were included when decision such as moving jobs are made. I know if I were in the private sector, I would not have many choices or appeals and “tough-love” imposed. It all comes down to money and nothing else. Damn the human and social factors seem to be the prevailing attitudes.
There are negative factors involved with the move to Oregon. One is that I would have to take a pay cut because I would lose my Seattle locality pay, which is higher than the national scale for federal employees and two Oregon has an income tax, at which Washington State does not. Oregon does not have a sales tax though and Washington State does with our county imposing a 9.8% sales tax. I get around the sales tax issue by doing a majority of my shopping at the Navy Exchange and bulk of groceries from the commissary. I earned that privilege through my retirement from the Naval Reserves and for “L” it was the first place she learned how to shop and use debit cards, American style.
Even a move to Bellingham will keep us within Seattle locality pay. We would still be able to do the things we do except we may move to Skagit County. Seattle would be an hour drive as compared to three hours to Portland or six hours to Seattle from Newport.
I will enjoy the temporary reprieve from the thought of moving. I have not given much thought about moving to Hawaii because that seems to be on the backburner. I would still take it if offered but so far, it has not gone beyond talk.
I have one month left in Seattle before I head to sea again. I will be in the South Pacific sailing around the Samoan Islands and back to Hawaii from January until May. The route will be the same as two years ago with stops at Jarvis and Palmyra Islands and Kingman Reef before we pull back into Honolulu on the last week in April.
It is cold in the Emerald City. We had sunshine the past two days but the air temperature is cold. Next month it will be different and back to the tropics.
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