[sanchez8]

Not sure what the end game is here. Everyone wants to move here because its "cheaper" and the weather but the first thing they do when they get here is try to make this place like somewhere they came from up north. In addition, the things that originally attracted people to retire here (the wildlife, the beaches, the open spaces, etc) are getting paved over by the minute. Whats the point if all you are going to do is make it like a northern city in a swamp?

[froglipz]

If its your money you get to spend it for what pleases you, not someone else!

[PDF]

They think about the warm weather and nothing else, unfortunately.

[jambo101]

Its all about spending every day on the beach and not having to shovel snow for 8 months a year in cold gloomy sunless conditions.
Lots of people have this idealistic notion that Florida is the answer to their problems so down they come by the hundreds of thousands,for some it works for others it sucks.

[rusty78]

Originally Posted by sanchez8

Not sure what the end game is here. Everyone wants to move here because its "cheaper" and the weather but the first thing they do when they get here is try to make this place like somewhere they came from up north. In addition, the things that originally attracted people to retire here (the wildlife, the beaches, the open spaces, etc) are getting paved over by the minute. Whats the point if all you are going to do is make it like a northern city in a swamp?

Really, what a great question, but you should expand "what is the end game for northerners moving to FL?" to why is everyone moving to Florida! After all, you failed to mention the Cuban's, the Haitian's, Mexican's, European's, Canadian's, etc.... how could you possibly forget all of the others.

As far as Florida "getting paved over by the minute" it is you, the long term Florida resident that elected the officials that have allowed all the paving to go on and on and on!! Perhaps your question would be better addressed to the elected officials that you voted in that make it so easy for all us northerner's to move down here?

To answer your question on my part, why did I a northerner move to Florida, is really a simple answer. We lived in NY and had decided before retiring that we wanted to move somewhere warmer, no snow and offered more for the money. Hence the choice was really simple. Plus, the invitations by all of the elected officials makes moving here so promising.

So Sanchez8, all I can say is thank you for voting in all those elected officials that allowed all the building to go on that permits us northerner's with some cash to come down and purchase a home in your lovely personally owned state. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!!!!!

[StarfishKey]

Very simple. You don't want all these people moving here, create a state income tax. Problem solved, and then your state actually has money for schools and infrastructure and parks and other public works.

[StreetSmarts]

The funniest thing is, to me, is that everyone from NY moves to FL, but in doing so, they pass right by places that are safer, more beautiful, have better scenery, and friendlier people such as the Carolina's, TN, Northern GA. But oh well. I plan to escape one day up to the Carolina's so I guess I'm happy about it lol.

[PDF]

Originally Posted by StreetSmarts

The funniest thing is, to me, is that everyone from NY moves to FL, but in doing so, they pass right by places that are safer, more beautiful, have better scenery, and friendlier people such as the Carolina's, TN, Northern GA. But oh well. I plan to escape one day up to the Carolina's so I guess I'm happy about it lol.

Yup. Those places have 4 seasons. Not everywhere in the US is freezing hell.

[ognend]

Originally Posted by rusty78

Really, what a great question, but you should expand "what is the end game for northerners moving to FL?" to why is everyone moving to Florida! After all, you failed to mention the Cuban's, the Haitian's, Mexican's, European's, Canadian's, etc.... how could you possibly forget all of the others.

As far as Florida "getting paved over by the minute" it is you, the long term Florida resident that elected the officials that have allowed all the paving to go on and on and on!! Perhaps your question would be better addressed to the elected officials that you voted in that make it so easy for all us northerner's to move down here?

To answer your question on my part, why did I a northerner move to Florida, is really a simple answer. We lived in NY and had decided before retiring that we wanted to move somewhere warmer, no snow and offered more for the money. Hence the choice was really simple. Plus, the invitations by all of the elected officials makes moving here so promising.

So Sanchez8, all I can say is thank you for voting in all those elected officials that allowed all the building to go on that permits us northerner's with some cash to come down and purchase a home in your lovely personally owned state. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!!!!!

In all fairness, many of today's elected officials are people who had moved from up North years ago. The more south you go, the more that is true. In West Palm Beach, for example, former mayor Frankel was born in NYC and the current mayor got her education (and was probably born) in NYC and Syracuse. So on and so on. Mayor of Ft Lauderdale was born in Colorado, I think. The exception to this is obviously Miami. Mayor of Tampa was born in Illinois. So on and so on.

The above does not mean that just because a politician was not born in Florida they will be pro-development or that just because a politician was born in Florida, they will automatically be anti-development. For example the current mayor of Orlando was born in Orlando and raised in Kissimmee but I somehow doubt that the rate of development or influx of people will abate during his reign.

I got all of the information above through Google and it it is just meant to say that your claims are bogus

Finally, ask yourself who the developers are catering to - it sure ain't the local fishermen (is there such a thing these days)?

However, it is important to note that historically the whole of the Florida coast from Jacksonville down south was earmarked and developed by that jack*ss Flagler (whom we now celebrate for some reason?) as one big tourist spot for the rich from the North. Hence, in that tradition, the influx of people continues, it is only that now there are also people from other parts of United States and other countries/continents that have money and are able to come and stay. When you come from somewhere - it is very easy to compare your current place to where you came from and demand the things you are used to - bigger streets, more coffee shops, more services, more taxes. It is not necessarily bad (in the newcomers' eyes) but it may be bad in the eyes of the people who were born are raised there. Unfortunately, it is what it is, at this point it is a lost battle.

[smarino]

I'm not sure one would want to use the words fairness and elected officials in the same sentence, especially in this state.

sanchez8 has a good point. Unfortunately it isn't going to change, will only get worse, and yes, at some point what he foresees is exactly what is going to happen. It's one of my pet peeves about living here. Seeing all the Steelers flags and bumper stickers, the ersatz N.Y. pizza places, the sub shops (this one really is stupid, when a po boy is so much tastier), and on and on. Often, Florida feels like suburbs of up north eastern cities.

We live in a senior retirement community, so everyday I get to see the mind of the Yankee retirees that live here, Snowbird and otherwise. They have absolutely no interest in the schools or educational system (their kids are grown and back "home"), the only political things they think about are the ones that might affect their wallets, and they have no connection to the larger community at all. It's something I've never seen in any other place in the US. The reason they pass right through the places StreetSmarts mentioned is because those places won't tolerate this sort of thing. They have an inbuilt Southern culture that expects something different from its citizens, whereas Florida caters to them. They should just rename the state South New York and be done w/ it.