[Tetto]

Originally Posted by CTartist

"I hope these politicians can fix it for the next generation or it’s just going to keep losing people/tax dollars"

Good for you but.............

Let's look up some facts from the census. My husband and I grew up in Stamford and worked most of our lives in the Stamford area. I now live in Trumbull but when I retire I will would like to go down south for the coldest months in CT. Being born in Fairfield County and having worked all my life here has given me many choices in my retirement.

If you are going down there for 6 months and a day it seems you will still have a house in Greenwich. You will not get any tax break and you pay 100% property taxes to Greenwich. You are still supporting the CT school system and as I always say EDUCATION IS THE KEY.

Florida HH Income................$57,703
Connecticut HH Income.........$87,163
The day the above figures are flipped around is the day Florida has the better system than Connecticut. As of now....nope. Which state per capita is getting the MOST tax dollars? Connecticut of course.

Greenwich HH Income..........$167,537
Trumbull HH Income.............$129,239
Jupiter FL HH Income............$87,163
https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fa...icut/PST045221

Do you think the people who worked all thier lives in Jupiter FL have the same choices as us?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Riddle me this............what happens when the full time retired baby boomers in FL hit the nursing homes in large numbers? Who do you think is going to pay for that?

Connecticut benefits from VERY high salaries of Wall Street bankers, traders and brokers who call Connecticut home. The numbers show this.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by Tetto

Connecticut benefits from VERY high salaries of Wall Street bankers, traders and brokers who call Connecticut home. The numbers show this.

That’s not entirely true. The median household and family income in every Connecticut county is above the national median. That proves the entire state is affluent and that it’s not just New Yorkers living in Fairfield County. Jay

[BobNJ1960]

Originally Posted by DigitalMilford

Speak for yourself. I was getting ready to move when the pandemic hit, and will be giving it another go in the spring if everything works out.

Where to?

[Tetto]

Originally Posted by JayCT

That’s not entirely true. The median household and family income in every Connecticut county is above the national median. That proves the entire state is affluent and that it’s not just New Yorkers living in Fairfield County. Jay

Maybe, however there are many city workers living in other towns in CT rather than just FFC or Cos Cob. It’s strange but true. I know three guys in Glastonbury who make the trek or WFH who are heavy hitters in the Wall Street $$$$ earning. I wouldn’t want to do it personally.

[CTartist]

Originally Posted by Tetto

Connecticut benefits from VERY high salaries of Wall Street bankers, traders and brokers who call Connecticut home. The numbers show this.

God Bless them all.

I grew up in Stamford off Long Ridge Road.........I know all about the suits from Wall Street and the Corporations in NYC. I went to Westhill HS and the kids had better cars than the teachers.

[mdovell]

The thing is the more I dig into history and mostly recent history (say 10-25 years) I see a gradual decline. I'm not talking about things that happened in the 1800's but we have storms on the horizon.

On social media I asked locals about food choices. We have just one supermarket. I was expecting to be flamed on it but I actually received 150+ comments on a variety of shops that used to be in town...used to.

The co-op became a cvs
The big bunny became a big Y
The A&P became a medical supply store
A smaller place became the town hall parking lot
The old Victorian home that was a french restaurant is now a dollar general
A restaurant closed because the owner passed. He didn't own the building and left no succession/legal partners. 20+ laid off due to no fault of their own and it was doing ok for a business
I even found out there was a ski slope back in the day (50's).
In a neighboring town an antique store was turned into a gas station

Now I highly doubt that anything here was on the master plan. However.....many people assume that small businesses are doing fine when they are not. If your populations are not growing and it's a physical based business without any online store front it's going to be harder to justify operations in a fixed area.

There should be some type of stress test with the local chambers of commerce. If towns don't know how much debt businesses have or retirement dates then it might get empty...fast. I just don't see that same push to help and talk to small businesses in CT. This is more in Windham, Litchfield and Tolland County (maybe parts of new london).

You have to have higher populations to justify certain businesses. GDP can be fine being propped up with high end defense contractor but if it doesn't translate to main street it's hard to argue with.

I don't think that taxes are that big of an issue for businesses but if they can't find anyone and have dozens of openings and can move them somewhere else that they can then they will. I know FFC is packed just redevelop more of the counties I mentioned, there's plenty of room.

[CTartist]

Originally Posted by mdovell

On social media I asked locals about food choices. We have just one supermarket. I was expecting to be flamed on it but I actually received 150+ comments on a variety of shops that used to be in town...used to.

I think it is just the nature of life. Things, stores, people etc. change.

I live in Trumbull and our population is growing as is all of Fairfield County. We used to have 2 grocery stores and now we just have one.

[DigitalMilford]

Originally Posted by BobNJ1960

Where to?

That's the big question. I want a change-- and my business is moving toward being totally remote. I am thinking about (1) Las Vegas, (2) Chicago Area, (3) Austin or (4) Philly.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by mdovell

The thing is the more I dig into history and mostly recent history (say 10-25 years) I see a gradual decline. I'm not talking about things that happened in the 1800's but we have storms on the horizon.

On social media I asked locals about food choices. We have just one supermarket. I was expecting to be flamed on it but I actually received 150+ comments on a variety of shops that used to be in town...used to.

The co-op became a cvs
The big bunny became a big Y
The A&P became a medical supply store
A smaller place became the town hall parking lot
The old Victorian home that was a french restaurant is now a dollar general
A restaurant closed because the owner passed. He didn't own the building and left no succession/legal partners. 20+ laid off due to no fault of their own and it was doing ok for a business
I even found out there was a ski slope back in the day (50's).
In a neighboring town an antique store was turned into a gas station

Now I highly doubt that anything here was on the master plan. However.....many people assume that small businesses are doing fine when they are not. If your populations are not growing and it's a physical based business without any online store front it's going to be harder to justify operations in a fixed area.

There should be some type of stress test with the local chambers of commerce. If towns don't know how much debt businesses have or retirement dates then it might get empty...fast. I just don't see that same push to help and talk to small businesses in CT. This is more in Windham, Litchfield and Tolland County (maybe parts of new london).

You have to have higher populations to justify certain businesses. GDP can be fine being propped up with high end defense contractor but if it doesn't translate to main street it's hard to argue with.

I don't think that taxes are that big of an issue for businesses but if they can't find anyone and have dozens of openings and can move them somewhere else that they can then they will. I know FFC is packed just redevelop more of the counties I mentioned, there's plenty of room.

Of course things change. That’s normal. You live in a small former mill town that is somewhat isolated and has seen better days. It very different from other parts of the state. You really need to get out of that town so you have a better sense of our states real economy instead of the very narrow view you get today.

I also again disagree with your minimizing defense contracts. Our state has a long and rich history of defense production. It’s an important and integral part of our country’s economy, not only our states. Saying it “props up” our GDP is ludicrous. Does the tech industry “prop up” California’s economy? Does the auto industry “prop up” Michigan’s? No, they are just one part of a wide diverse economy we have developed. I’d say it’s enviable if anything.

Also note that defense contractors like Pratt & Whitney and Sikorsky serve private clients as well. In fact Pratt is one of the world’s largest, if not the largest commercial jet engine manufacturer in the world.

Finally I disagree with your statement that “there’s plenty of room” for development. Connecticut has lost a lot of its agricultural businesses. We can’t afford to lose more. Developing the more rural counties you mention would put further pressure on developing what little open land we have left. That would destroy what little rural character we have left here. Is that what you really want? I don’t. Jay

[WouldLoveTo]

Originally Posted by SteveM85

What a puff piece. New haven pizza, the Sound, UConn women, wine trail, it’s all there. Every CT box was checked. Nothing was missed. It’s like the Forest Gump of CT opinion articles.
For all the talk of people leaving, the individual who wrote this is more indicative and really captured the pulse of the state. There may be 7186 FB members who need freedom from the oppressive CT govt but there’s tens and tens of thousands who love CT like you wouldn’t believe.
Look at Proudfairfielder, Beersgood, Stylo other than for temp career move, the Mikes, Dazzleman, CTartist, DigitalMilford, West traveler, Cambium, Wouldloveto, Vetygirl these and hundreds thousands of others under no circumstance will ever leave CT.
I hear it all the time too from people I know; examples
We finally found our forever home
I feel we’re so blessed to live here
We’re so lucky to be here
I have to pinch myself every time that we live here

Take me off that list!! I mean it! Or I'm going to have to dig you up and beat you lol

I thought you were looking elsewhere too