Our state government is not great. But the local GR government has been generally decent. Utilities work and are maintained. Grand Rapids also owns and maintains its own water plant and direct connection to lake Michigan. The local government has also been responsive to our local housing bubble. Though it remains to be seen if they will be effective.

That said, our roads are still shit. Like the rest of Michigan.

Power and water seem significantly more expensive than out in the PNW, which can get spendy considering the city mandates green lawns and AC is needed for most of the summer.

PNW is kind of special with all the dams providing power and abundant fresh water compared to most of the rest of the USA, I can remember reading about aluminum plants and data centers moving there for the cheap electricity.

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