time to leave ct (New Haven, Hartford: housing, rent, travel)

[skytrekker]

Hey Maggie

the white male gig goes beyond the south

[shakerp]

Lego is located in Enfield. Also, I believe Hallmark is shutting down on of their two warehouses....also located in Enfield.

[fritzichic]

Originally Posted by skytrekker

Is North Carolina considering Universal health care? Or how about Tennessee?
You may buy a big house in these places- but good luck if you loose your job and get sick- you could end up out in the street. If the state of Connecticut is able to usher in health care reform- and this seems a good possibility soon, making 'universal' coverage on a sliding scale based on income- it will put it light years ahead of these very conservative states. Also these two states rank very low for the health of kids and elders- as well as services available to both-just a thought.

Having lived now in TN for a month, I definitely am starting to see where you do and you don't save money. All in all we are really happy with our choice to move here and we are enjoying a better quality of life.

I can't tell you much about our medical experiences as we have only had a quick visit to an urgent care facility. However I was pleased to see that the State health insurance for low income people does pay for visits to weight watchers. As for the comment on health here, well lets just say I have a sneaking suspicion that the 40 varieties of sausage you can buy here has more to do with the poor health instead of the health care system. Plus I have never seen so many drive through restaurants in my life. Yikes!

[Highpointer]

Originally Posted by fritzichic

As for the comment on health here, well lets just say I have a sneaking suspicion that the 40 varieties of sausage you can buy here has more to do with the poor health instead of the health care system. Plus I have never seen so many drive through restaurants in my life. Yikes!

While there are many good qualities to living in the South, one of the negative qualities of the Southern way of life is the quality of its food. According to HappyCow's Vegetarian Guide, California has 595 listings, while the number is some of the southern states is miniscule - for example, Mississippi has only 5 listings and Alabama has only 10. California does have more people than Mississippi or Alabama but it does not have nearly 40 times the combined population of those two states. Washington (113) and Oregon (100) both have over 100 or more listings on this database. Oregon has nearly 900,000 fewer people than Alabama yet 10 times as many vegetarian restaurants. Midwestern states such as Wisconsin (27) and Minnesota (36), both noted for their production of meat and cheese, have higher per-capita ratios of vegetarian restaurants than these southern states, and even the Cowboy State of Wyoming, America's least populated state, has more vegetarian restaurants (8) than the average of Alabama and Mississippi.

I am not advocating that people become vegetarians, because I do eat meat. However, it would appear to me that southern states could help shed some of their negative reputations if people would eat better and reduce their levels of obesity.

Ken Akerman

[JayCT]

I would like to add that this morning's Courant reported that UConn is projecting a record number of jobs in Connecticut this year. I guess there goes the arguement about all those employers leaving the state. Those jobs are coming from somewhere. Jay

[Golden1]

The problem with some people's perception of CT, and it is an issue, is Fairfield County and maybe Litchfield County have a great deal of wealth and all of CT is labeled wealthy and elitist. Most of CT beyond those areas are middle class and even poor. There is an elitist attitude in Fairfield and much of that is from people who not only have money but live the dream which is to work in NYC and live in CT. These people, as do the wealthy as a whole, have the ear of the local and state government. If Fairfield County is considered liberal than the rest of the state is hit with that label. HOWEVER, outside of Fairfield, most people are pretty middle ground and probably leaning toward conservative. I voted for Bush as well as most people I know in CT and even Western MA and yet all I hear is how my area is liberal. I also think many of us in Northern CT are a little jaded when it comes to politics and it would be hard to peg us for one party as we all seem to see things for what they are and sense the corruptness, but that's the average middle class person's cross to bear.

[westender]

Re: the political leanings of Connecticut's counties.

CT has 5 congressional seats. Last year, 3 were Republicans, 2 were Democrats. This year, 4 are Democrats, 1 is Republican.

New Haven and Hartford counties had and still have Democratic representatives (DeLauro and Larson). Fairfield county had and still has a Republican (a liberal or "Rockefeller" Republican) representative (Shays). Litchfield county switched last election from R to D (Chris Murphy defeated Nancy Johnson). And the eastern counties (Tolland, New London, Windham) switched from R to D in a nailbiter (Courtney defeated Simmons).

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by Golden1

The problem with some people's perception of CT, and it is an issue, is Fairfield County and maybe Litchfield County have a great deal of wealth and all of CT is labeled wealthy and elitist. Most of CT beyond those areas are middle class and even poor. .

I once read an interesting statistic. If you eliminate Fairfield County, the State of Connecticut would be the 5th wealthest state per capitia in the country. Still very affluent by any measure. So the idea that the rest of Connecticut is mostly "middle class and even poor" is not really true, at least to the point you are trying to make. Pretty much the entire state is well off. All those insurance, government and military supplier (Pratt, Hamilton, etc.) jobs mean something too. Jay

[skytrekker]

Jayct

I believe Hartford has perhaps among the wealthiest suburbs in the country.
I can of course can provide exact info if requested

[Golden1]

Originally Posted by JayCT

I once read an interesting statistic. If you eliminate Fairfield County, the State of Connecticut would be the 5th wealthest state per capitia in the country. Still very affluent by any measure. So the idea that the rest of Connecticut is mostly "middle class and even poor" is not really true, at least to the point you are trying to make. Pretty much the entire state is well off. All those insurance, government and military supplier (Pratt, Hamilton, etc.) jobs mean something too. Jay

Outside of Fairfield county and some of Litchfield, there are pockets of wealthy areas as is any state. But the average person in mid to northern CT is middle class and if you don't think so than why don't you take a drive around. And oh yeah, we're hip deep in insurance company and government jobs... about ten to fifteen years ago. These companies are downsizing and laying off people left and right. CT's economic hay-day's are over for now or until the next cycle brings change. And many of the Fairfield County residents do not even work in CT, they work in NYC. If Fairfield County was eliminated then NYC would lose a sizable chunk of their white collar workforce. Oh, but wait what do I know I drive a new BMW simply because I live in CT (sarcasm... I do not own a BMW or know anyone personally who does but hey I'm supposedly rich and live in a rich area. Maybe I should quit my job and get one of those six figure defense contract jobs that has sooo many openings).

Here's the deal. Birds of a feather flock together. Ever hear of that saying? So when someone bashes CT for being elitist or someone rants on how wonderful CT is and glosses things over, then you have to think where do these people hang out. As a state worker, I deal with mostly a diverse middle class crowd. When people from Ohio or California ask questions about CT and have never been there I understand their perception of CT is through books or tv. Some posters paint a tale of a beautiful place and hype Hartford to be a vast metropolis or an oasis for liberals. Okay, maybe that's their point of view and who knows maybe they are right. I think it comes down to who they hang out with and where they live and hang out at. The crowd I hang out with, for better or for worse, are no different than probably anyone in the red states. We have guns. We voted for Bush (I know I know but that's a different story). We know people serving in the military. We like beer. We have pickups or assorted SUVs. We lift weights. My perspective is different from some posters. I see people laid off from these big companies and now working for Home Depot. I do not know anyone making six figures and driving German cars but they are around. I listen to the rants and complaints of average people and it's always about the cost of living, jobs (lack of big paying) and taxes (oh, and weather). It is like this in any state but some posters gloss over this. Do I slam people for leaving CT because of any number of reasons? No because the average person whether it's a CT resident or any state resident is living with the same feeling where they feel the walls are closing in and pondering what move could give them air and make a solid fit. Again, we, the middle class, are getting squashed. I understand why some people stay in CT and I understand why some people are heading to TN or GA or NC. Everyone hopes they can find the life they are not having but they feel is within their grasp.

There you go.