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We have excellent schools here so there is no need to send your ids to private schools.
I agree with this but only if you can afford to send your kids to one of those high performing districts. There are many, many districts in CT that are not only bad, but have in the past risked their accreditation.
CT is a great state but there are also negatives to living here as well - just like anywhere.
I question how serious you actually are/were about moving to CT if you're reconsidering such a major relocation due to a few posts on a public message board. No offense but it just seems odd.
Kidyankee,
I never said we were NOT going to relocate to CT simply because of this post, I stated that I was disappointed in the feelings of some of the residents lately. It just makes you think twice about such a big decision when so many people post such negative comments. Especially when you come from a state like CA that doesn't have a lot of redeeming qualities right now, other than great weather.
When we made the decision to move to CT it was before I even looked at this board. We originally thought about PA but we love CT when we visit. And when we went to PA, to look at schools and homes, we just didn't feel "at home" there like we do when we visit family in CT. I realize it is very different to live somewhere versus visit, which is why I use this board as a resource, for inside information. It is one of the few boards where it seemed people loved their state, which was an added bonus.
It has only been the last few weeks that I have seen such negative postings. (Check out the California/OC board for some real negativity about a state.)
Like another poster said there are unhappy people in every state. I guess I need to take all the negativity with a grain of salt. There are some great posters on this board and most are very helpful and considerate. I will keep that in mind when I see the people that probably won't be happy no matter where they live.
I couldn’t agree more …taxes and utilities are high in Connecticut…
However…Powder Ridge Ski has been in/out of financial trouble for 40 years. The problem has little to do with taxes and costs; the problem is the winter climate of the East Coast south of Massachusetts within 50 - miles of the Atlantic… is not a climate that will support enough snow…that lasts long enough…to operate a profitable ski operation.
It's 42 F, foggy, and raining today at Powder Ridge...and it's February.
Well....there are other ski places nearby that run just fine. Mt. Southington is very similar in size and scope to what Powder Ridge was. I don't think the climate differs much between Southington and Middlefield
There's Woodbury Ski Area and another place I think? so there is skiing here.
JViello, good luck to you and your family! It's very exciting. Although I did not end up moving (see screen name), I agree with pretty much every concern you have about CT. With the aging population, and cost of living, I have pretty much accepted that my own kids will probably eventually end up having careers elsewhere. At that point (10, 20 or more years) dh and I will likely follow them. For now, I'm here and happy, and wish happiness for your family as well, blessings.
Oc2nyc,
Which complaints most concern you? Southern Cali, like CT has a high cost of living relative to other parts of the country. Conservatives and people on fixed incomes seem to chafe especially about the cost of living and taxes. Every state also seems to have people that think "we're loosing our young people to ....state". Have you heard about how all the young people and business in CA are leaving for Austin and Nevada? Are you skeptical about this because it seems reactionary and anecdotal? Same thing applies in CT. There doesn't seem to be any hard data to back up the claims, but some people continue to make them anyways.
Finally CT is more conservative generally speaking than CA so just bear that in mind when reading the posts.
Well....there are other ski places nearby that run just fine. Mt. Southington is very similar in size and scope to what Powder Ridge was. I don't think the climate differs much between Southington and Middlefield
There's Woodbury Ski Area and another place I think? so there is skiing here.
Actually, though not on nearly the scale of the West Coast, the difference between the coast and inland (especially since elevation does rise and you're going DUE NORTH) when you go inland is substantial.
How many times in this region is it raining along the Sound Shore, but turns to snow just north of the Merritt and Wilbur Cross and the snow totals grow substantially from there? Also, even a 3-5 degree difference in temperature can make a big difference in both "keeping" snow and being able to make it.
In the sense that anything south of (and to some extent including) the Berkshires and Catskills probably needs snowmaking most of the time you are correct that Southington and Woodbury have some of the same challenges as Powder Ridge but it's a little easier there.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JayCT
Well JViello - in case you haven't noticed, I have been kind of silent on this thread. Not because I agree with any of the things said but because I felt it would just run its coarse and go away. I guess it has not.
First, I would like to say that I do not agree that the age of Connecticut's population is a problem. We have many older residents here because we are a more tradition oriented state than others and most people that reach retirement age here select to remain here. They do this because they don't have to leave, they choose to stay. And what may I ask is wrong with that. I do not agree that when these people die off there will be a mass glut of housing. That is just laughable in all honesty. People just don't die off at once and there is a constant stream of others behind them.
As for your comments on jobs, the real trend in jobs today is telecommuting. I just attended an economic conference and Connecticut is one of the leading states for this. Why, because it is a great place to live for those who don't need to live near a traditional employment center. Look at the number of people that some to this board looking to relocate here because they have jobs that allow them to live away from their company's office.
As for yours and others concerns for job growth here, note that New Haven is one of ten cities in the country that is expected to have significant growth in the future which is due to the tremendous growth in medical research that is occurring there. Again we are seeing many young people ion this board interested in this area.
I could go on more on this but it is late and I am getting tired. I do want to add that I hope you have very carefully considered your move to these so called "lower cost" places. Too often people leave thinking the grass is greener somewhere else but rarely is that true. Those places may have lower costs but the pay is lower too so in the end it is a wash at best. I know you insist that your profession pays the same no matter where you do it but I find that very hard to believe. Why pay you a certain rate when there are many others that will do it for less. Anyway I do wish you the best on this. Good luck, Jay
A few comments, some in agreement, and some not:
1) I think CT's strength is actually in being NEAR employment centers, not as a place to telecommute. The southwestern 1/3 of the state is very much part of metro NYC, with many small-midsize cities like Stamford, Danbury and Norwalk that make it an employment center in and of itself and the Hartford-New Haven area is a substantially sized employment center as well. If you are able to work from home and your "employer" could be anywhere in the US (if not the world), then you don't have to pay extra for housing and taxes to be near an employer and odds are unless there's something about a given place you just can't live without or you have major ties to family there, you're probably not going to live in a place like CT, especially Fairfield County. It would be a bigger draw for a telecommuter who has to go to "the office" within the area once or twice a week, maybe that's what this conference meant because that would make sense to me.
2) Very good point about grocery taxes, etc. although I don't think either NC or FL has "car property tax" (though I could be wrong, but I'm not sure many states have it period, I know MA does but NY doesn't). I'm pretty sure my brother-in-law in NC doesn't pay something like that. A good point to perhaps make more to strenghten what you are trying to say is making sure you are going to feel good "culturally" about the area you're moving to. JViello in my view would be a lot more comfortable in the "non-transplant" parts of NC and FL than most of us from the Northeast (including myself) because of his conservative political views amongst other things (though my brother-in-law, who is probably the complete opposite of JViello politically/culturally and even makes my moderate-left views look "red" by comparison, seems to be doing fine there with his family).
3) Regarding the growth of the medical industry in New Haven, I agree with this fully, have read a lot about it and since part of my current p/t work is in the "career office" of a high school, I can tell you a lot of young people are being told about this and do have interest in pursuing that and staying close to their "hometown".
4) Yes, the schools outside of the cities are superb in CT but the taxes and cost of living are so high that it is beyond many people's ability to be "worth it" much as they may like it to be. Also, as someone who lives in one of the few places that is more extreme than CT in this regard, I think there's a bit too much of trying to purposely "price people out" of those good schools in this area that makes the cost of living higher than it needs to be.
5) Finally, while I think you mean well in regarding whether JViello is sure about what he's doing, I have to grant to him that he's lived in both NC and FL before so it's not like he's going for the first time.
7 Wishes - I only questioned JViello on this because of his history of negative posts on both Florida and North Carolina. I only point this out to him because I do consider him to be a friend on this board. I know he has struggled with this but again, I am concerned that there is a "grass is always greener" situation here.
My point about telecommuting is that people who could choose to live anywhere are choosing to live here in Connecticut rather that those so-called low priced states. Why? Because there is a certain quality of living here that you do not find in other places. Yes, we are convenient to major cities and we have access to great transportation but we also have a lot of charm and culture and many of the things that people want. These people do have to occasionally go into a office for meetings and such and most major companies have facilities in this part of the country. This makes it even easier for an occasional office visit.
I am not sure what your comment on "pricing people out" is based on. We live in a free market society so real estate prices are set by how much people are willing to pay to live in a particular community.
Also note that the other ski area here in Connecticut is Ski Sundown in New Hartford. It too relies heavily on snow making. Jay
Kidyankee,
I never said we were NOT going to relocate to CT simply because of this post, I stated that I was disappointed in the feelings of some of the residents lately. It just makes you think twice about such a big decision when so many people post such negative comments. Especially when you come from a state like CA that doesn't have a lot of redeeming qualities right now, other than great weather.
When we made the decision to move to CT it was before I even looked at this board. We originally thought about PA but we love CT when we visit. And when we went to PA, to look at schools and homes, we just didn't feel "at home" there like we do when we visit family in CT. I realize it is very different to live somewhere versus visit, which is why I use this board as a resource, for inside information. It is one of the few boards where it seemed people loved their state, which was an added bonus.
It has only been the last few weeks that I have seen such negative postings. (Check out the California/OC board for some real negativity about a state.)
Like another poster said there are unhappy people in every state. I guess I need to take all the negativity with a grain of salt. There are some great posters on this board and most are very helpful and considerate. I will keep that in mind when I see the people that probably won't be happy no matter where they live.
I agree this thread has a negative tone to it but given the subject, I think this is something that should be expected. If you note, the negative posts are mostly from the same few people. Almost all of these people post negative comments anyways. I would not let them cloud your judgment. I would also not blindly follow anyone's advice (even mine) whether they post bad things about the state or good. No where is perfect and each person must judge a place on what they like and don't like. Only you can say what is best for you and your family. Jay
7 Wishes - I only questioned JViello on this because of his history of negative posts on both Florida and North Carolina. I only point this out to him because I do consider him to be a friend on this board. I know he has struggled with this but again, I am concerned that there is a "grass is always greener" situation here.
My point about telecommuting is that people who could choose to live anywhere are choosing to live here in Connecticut rather that those so-called low priced states. Why? Because there is a certain quality of living here that you do not find in other places. Yes, we are convenient to major cities and we have access to great transportation but we also have a lot of charm and culture and many of the things that people want. These people do have to occasionally go into a office for meetings and such and most major companies have facilities in this part of the country. This makes it even easier for an occasional office visit.
I am not sure what your comment on "pricing people out" is based on. We live in a free market society so real estate prices are set by how much people are willing to pay to live in a particular community.
Also note that the other ski area here in Connecticut is Ski Sundown in New Hartford. It too relies heavily on snow making. Jay
Good point (on JV's past comments) and I forgot about Ski Sundown, though I think it is the northernmost, most inland, and highest elevation of the CT ski areas. Not that that gives it the winters of VT or northern ME or anything of course, but still a little better for snow than Powder Ridge.
The "pricing people out" I was thinking more the property tax mill rates many towns levy, more so than in any part of the US (though in CT I'm thinking more Fairfield than the rest of the state) which can make an expensive but still affordable home if you push and prioritize it out of reach except for the very upper class and compound the market-based housing expense. Also, the fact that (at least in the Westchester/Fairfield area) many towns with good schools on the guise of "town character" pass extreme anti-growth zoning laws that tilt the free market and make it hard to have any housing that someone making less than lower six figures can afford to exist, even though the market demand is very much there and the towns then complain why their cops, firefighters and teachers commute from 40-50 miles away, etc. We're not talking about turning a quaint town into downtown Stamford, just having a little more density in spots here and there without ruining scenic beauty. But most of these towns fear that if they do that, the housing will turn into "welfare motels" or something.
I don't think it applies as much to the rest of CT (which is certainly cheaper than Fairfield and its own prices relative to the rest of the US have to do with market dynamics), though the fact that unlike most of America cities tend to be really small in area in CT but immediately surrounded by relatively wealthy towns is a somewhat similar dynamic to what goes on closer to NYC. But I'll leave it at that as I don't want to turn this thread into something that probably belongs elsewhere.
Also, the fact that (at least in the Westchester/Fairfield area) many towns with good schools on the guise of "town character" pass extreme anti-growth zoning laws that tilt the free market and make it hard to have any housing that someone making less than lower six figures can afford to exist, even though the market demand is very much there and the towns then complain why their cops, firefighters and teachers commute from 40-50 miles away, etc. We're not talking about turning a quaint town into downtown Stamford, just having a little more density in spots here and there without ruining scenic beauty. But most of these towns fear that if they do that, the housing will turn into "welfare motels" or something.
It's kind of a catch-22, though, isn't it? If an area is highly desirable, then everything will be expensive except for undesirable properties, because people with big wallets are willing to pay more for a scarce commodity. Only the ugly properties, the ones that "ruin scenic beauty", will be affordable.
(I assume you're talking about modest apartment buildings and/or mixed-use development, and NOT about building the kind of suburban developments which, all too often, really do ruin an area's beauty. If you give into "market demand" for those, you risk killing the goose that laid the golden egg.)
Is there any history in CT of having rent-controlled apartments in affluent areas, set aside specifically for public employees/civil servants? That'd solve the commuting problem, help keep wages for public employees under control, and encourage police et al. to live in mixed-use areas in town centers, which has some obvious benefits. Give the landlord a tax abatement, and everyone's happy except the most ardent laissez-faire folks.
As for your comments on jobs, the real trend in jobs today is telecommuting. I just attended an economic conference and Connecticut is one of the leading states for this. Why, because it is a great place to live for those who don't need to live near a traditional employment center.
I telecommute for two reasons: (1) I can't afford to live near my job, and (2) driving in lower Fairfield County traffic is about as much fun as the same time spent getting my teeth drilled.
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Well....there are other ski places nearby that run just fine. Mt. Southington is very similar in size and scope to what Powder Ridge was. I don't think the climate differs much between Southington and Middlefield 
It's very exciting. Although I did not end up moving (see screen name), I agree with pretty much every concern you have about CT. With the aging population, and cost of living, I have pretty much accepted that my own kids will probably eventually end up having careers elsewhere. At that point (10, 20 or more years) dh and I will likely follow them. For now, I'm here and happy, and wish happiness for your family as well, blessings.
