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I'm not angry with you. I just think we should keep on point when arguing issues in one specific state, and not throw a whole negative blanket around all of us who have left, because we simply became weary of the insane tax increases. I escaped, but am sad for those remaining. (Family and friends.) Did you send me that negative rep point? Hey! I thought you were better than that!
nope, honestly, I didn't. you didn't attack or flame or go off topic.
stmaarten - i know if we met in person we'd probably get along famously, we'll just agree to disagree on this point. as far as the OP, people are fleeing somewhere, right?, so I think it's a valid conversation point - when a large influx of people move somewhere, it just seems obvious some of the problems they left are going to follow them in some fashion!
tahiti - At the rate of most municipalities' tax increases you might think of planting a "Money Tree". Yearly increases of 6,7, or 8% seem to be the norm for many towns. Take the yearly tax rate increase and divide it into 78 to see how long it will take for your current taxes to double. If you don't mind paying $10,000 now, I guess you won't mind paying $20,000 in ten years or less! What was that old axiom about placing a frog in a pot of water and slowly turning up the heat?
i don't pay $10K now. in the past 3 yrs my increases have been around 2-3%. we're not building any schools and we're getting some big ratables in the next year so I see this stability for awhile. in fact, after the reassessment, there's a good chance my taxes are going down.
if you're alluding to the fact I may be priced out eventually, where should we all move to?
Colleen - People who are really,really happy don't go on forums like this. They're out making snow angels and blowing bubbles and flying to the Bahamas with big smiles on their faces! I was really,really happy in NJ for 40 years or so - but those really,really bad politicians kept raising my taxes - really! Many people who would rather stay in NJ, can no longer afford to do so - they've become really,really unhappy and have to leave. We don't trash the state - late night comedians do - or did 'till their writers went on strike. We like to discuss what makes us really,really unhappy about NJ and maybe suggest solutions so that many,many people who are not so happy with NJ can become as happy with NJ as you are!
Send me that brownie recipe along with the mushrooms you found!
1) i think there are 2 posts in this thread alone that I would consider "trashing".
2) I think we all know why people are unhappy. If the subject doesn't come up at least once I day I check my internet connection.
1) i think there are 2 posts in this thread alone that I would consider "trashing".
2) I think we all know why people are unhappy. If the subject doesn't come up at least once I day I check my internet connection.
tahiti - I think I know why you don't have your home town on your posts. You might have a lot more neighbors if you did! If Passaic County Freeholders kept their spending increases to 2 or 3 percent, the residents would stand up and cheer! That's one of the things I like about NC when it comes to spending. If you don't have it, you don't spend it! A new politician who mentions raising taxes down here, will be a one-term wonder. No "we'll float a bond or borrow more money". In NJ, you have the same guys, in too many towns, year after year, telling you your taxes are only going to go up 5-6 % and then pat themselves on the back for doing such a good job!
Have you noticed that in NJ, that there are no affordable starter homes being built? That is a major problem for young people in NJ. Everything is a 4bd 2.5 bath type model as the low end, in a new housing development. My niece who just got her PhD in Physical Therapy from UMDNJ is contemplating a move to Colorado - another loss for NJ!
I guess that's because NJ is like the NY Times noted, almost completely "built out". Maybe that explains the idea behind this thread about NJ's tiny population increase - And maybe for all the remaining New Jerseyans that will be a good thing!
Happy New Year Tahiti! At least on the NJ forum, no one will ever die of boredom!
Didn't anybody see in the article the point that state to state migration is slowing down. The weak housing market is the true culprit but also the cost of living in many of these "new" areas have risen to the point where they are not as alluring as they used to be. Personally I think it's time that our population started settleing a bit after a having it's go go mentality of the last 10 years or so.
back to my idol, MY Father, yes he did tell me we were crazy to move to North Country, but lets get back to his words of wisdom, HE actually told us to come back to NJ!!! He said this is your roots for 41 and 43 years . Then he proceeded to tell me that NJ is good for us, but not too good for him, he said the Wall Street Journal had a big article on Don't Die In NJ!! He said that between Federal and NJ they will get 55 percent of his estate and not go to his kids. Well my eyes watered and I thought that was nice of Dad to think of me but then I asked him since he is so smart whats a good state to move to............ his answer was Texas, no income tax. So he said maybe , just maybe if Mom passes, she is back in Hospital and has not walked in months, he just might go.
Now I consider Dad a very smart man, so TX is a good place to move there is your answer. Not for me yet.
A new politician who mentions raising taxes down here, will be a one-term wonder. No "we'll float a bond or borrow more money".
Since YOU brought up NC, can I ask a sincere question? I've got to imagine taxes will have to go up in the popular relocation areas of the state to keep up with the influx. New schools, services, road upkeep, etc. While I know the taxes will probably never reach NJ levels, I suspect when they do rise the ex-NJ residents will say "Well, I was paying $14K a year in NJ, so $6K (or whatever) sounds like a bargain!". But to a native, this is little comfort since before the influx they were paying a lot less and the direct result of the migration is taxes THEY'VE never seen before. What are you thoughts on that?
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheEmissary
Have you noticed that in NJ, that there are no affordable starter homes being built? That is a major problem for young people in NJ. Everything is a 4bd 2.5 bath type model as the low end, in a new housing development. My niece who just got her PhD in Physical Therapy from UMDNJ is contemplating a move to Colorado - another loss for NJ!
I have noticed this (but there are affordable condos and townhomes) and it has puzzled me, but I think I know why - a lot of towns enact these zoning laws that prevent smaller homes from being built on smaller parcels of property (I want to say my town has enacted a 5 acre minimum, which is NUTS!). Plus what you said about "built out" is correct. You'll never see these huge "planned communities" here that you do in places like Highland Ranch and Parker in Colorado. I think this is good and bad - those planned communities typically have about .10 acres of property, zero lot lines, it's really quite strange (to me, at least). Upside is that it makes it more affordable. I only have 1/3 acre, which in places like CO, CA and FL is HUGE, but in my town, will be a hindrance when I go to sell, as average land size is probably close to an acre. I've always found the paradox of NJ being small with big lots -vs- big states with little lots to be interesting.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheEmissary
Happy New Year Tahiti! At least on the NJ forum, no one will ever die of boredom!
I'm amazed too--shocked really. My younger brother, a senior in high school, is visiting from Ohio, and we were driving around today and he made a pretty astute observation. He said,"You know, there isn't really a middle class here, is there?" I explained that I guess there isn't much of one. And as has been mentioned time and again on these forums, that's the reason people leave.
When we got home, my brother said the same thing to my dad, who said," Yep. NJ has people with big houses and people who clean them--not that much in between."
What towns were you driving through to give your brother this impression? THere are plenty of towns in NJ that have average size houses and not 3500 + square foot homes. I guess he went home with a high opinion of NJ, he thinks we are all rich. A cleaning person would be nice!!
nope, honestly, I didn't. you didn't attack or flame or go off topic.
stmaarten - i know if we met in person we'd probably get along famously, we'll just agree to disagree on this point. as far as the OP, people are fleeing somewhere, right?, so I think it's a valid conversation point - when a large influx of people move somewhere, it just seems obvious some of the problems they left are going to follow them in some fashion!
peace my friend.
Okay, sorry, I thought it may have been you.
I agree, we probably would get along.
You asked, in a later post, how the natives feel in NC. I can tell you for sure, that there are many who don't like the fact that all of us Northerners (that's what we're called here, NOT "Yankees"), are moving down here. To those natives I say: "stop selling your farmland! If you build it, provide jobs, good schools and low property taxes, we WILL come!"
Sure, a lot of times people who migrate, bring their problems with them. I have never argued that, nor do I come on the New Jersey forum to "bash" or demean those who still live there. I am just hoping that some of you NJ residents aknowledge that the extreme property tax hikes are a crime brought on by the state's politicians, who don't give a hoot about it's residents. I just think that's really, really sad.
No one on this board has been able to justify that for me. If anyone thinks that's "bashing", well then, I apologize.
My bottom line has always been, that something has to be done about the blatant fleecing of New Jersey residents. A lot of people love to complain, but year after year the same caliber of crook is elected into office in New Jersey. It's sickening!
What towns were you driving through to give your brother this impression? THere are plenty of towns in NJ that have average size houses and not 3500 + square foot homes. I guess he went home with a high opinion of NJ, he thinks we are all rich. A cleaning person would be nice!!
LOL. To be fair, we were in Colts Neck and Marlboro. And I don't have a cleaning person either.
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If Passaic County Freeholders kept their spending increases to 2 or 3 percent, the residents would stand up and cheer! That's one of the things I like about NC when it comes to spending. If you don't have it, you don't spend it! A new politician who mentions raising taxes down here, will be a one-term wonder. No "we'll float a bond or borrow more money". In NJ, you have the same guys, in too many towns, year after year, telling you your taxes are only going to go up 5-6 % and then pat themselves on the back for doing such a good job!
