An East Cost and Allegheny county/ Pittsburgh expat…what’s to love about Washington, PA.

Why would anyone leave the business, political and cultural centers of the northeast and Pittsburgh for the small city of Washington?  After 10 years of living in East Washington, let me name a few things that make Washington the ideal place to live, work and retire, for someone who was born and has lived in or near NYC, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

·        A town where the only traffic problem is getting vehicles to use public parking

·        A city mission and senior center that are not “institutional” and that take care of Washington’s homeless and elderly with grace

·        A yearly tax bill that equals one month of my brother’s N.J. taxes

·        Watching the seasons change from the whirlpool at the Cameron Wellness Center

·        The Washington Symphony and Off the Wall Theatre

·        The old homes in East Washington

·        A vibrant college in the middle of town

·        Professional baseball, harness racing, discount shops and a world class casino

·        After the sports, shopping and gambling, a town with more houses of worship than bars

·        Living 5 minutes from both the country and the shopping centers

·        A regal Courthouse that anchors the town

·        A true citizen’s library where the guy who lives under the bridge gets to read the paper

·        Living 30 minutes from a major airport and a major city, when the world needs to get bigger

·        Truly friendly and helpful bureaucrats, clerks and sales staff who take pride in their work and know the meaning of service

For those of you who are Washington “lifers”, the grass is not greener on the northern or eastern sides of the Marcellus Shale.  Enjoy the treasure that is Washington.