[Alphaman]

Well as I said before hopefully Florida gets a wake up call and makes some changes, maybe Florida needs a good kick in the tail, Don`t know but one can only hope

[runswithscissors]

Originally Posted by BacktoMA4good

Here is a small example of how these companies in Florida screw people. My wife works for Albertsons, they as everyone knows sold to Publix in June. They have to "reapply" with Publix. My wife works full time as a scan clerk. She went to her joke of an interview today and good old Publix offered her 75 cents less pay AND to top it off, PART TIME, no benefits, really nice company... Well they have you by the "you know whats" because with the economy and no one hiring around here you are basically forced to take it... Therefore she is going to get a second part time job at 7-11 to make up for Publix being CHEAP. Thankfully a friend of hers is a manager there and is giving her hours. Then people wonder why people complain about it down here?

Grocery stores are cutthroat and mean spirited everywhere. I had to threaten to go to the NLRB on one for months in PA for working me off the clock. Finally he paid me the back pay, then cut my hours the same week from 40 to 4.

They also took great pride in giving needy people a split shift so they could stiff them out of a 15 minute paid break that the corporation allowed. Work from 6-10...then you're off....then you're back on from 11 - 2.

Nasty, just nasty.

[Alphaman]

Originally Posted by runswithscissors

Grocery stores are cutthroat and mean spirited everywhere. I had to threaten to go to the NLRB on one for months in PA for working me off the clock. Finally he paid me the back pay, then cut my hours the same week from 40 to 4.

They also took great pride in giving needy people a split shift so they could stiff them out of a 15 minute paid break that the corporation allowed. Work from 6-10...then you're off....then you're back on from 11 - 2.

Nasty, just nasty.

Very true Worked for Winn Dixie (I have another name for that place but can`t say on here).

[ChrisA70]

I think I know the other name you have... I have maybe the same one for it.

Originally Posted by Alphaman

Very true Worked for Winn Dixie (I have another name for that place but can`t say on here).

[TANaples]

Originally Posted by Alphaman

The problem is people hear that North Carolina is the hot spot to move so everyone wants to move there. Florida was like that back in the day people moving in droves and not really doing any reaserch, I think the same is true for North Carolina.

Mild weather, mountains and cheap houses lets goto NC!

the people I have known who moved to NC where RETIRED. Far more people who I have known have moved to NW Pa. Almost all of these people were still working. Some were fairly young.

That area was attracting many tech companies, so I presume that is why the younger people moved there.

Again, on these other state forums you will see Pa. mentioned a lot also. My older daughter's SO's parents sold their house on LI for over $600,000 and built a brand new one there for in the $200,000s. The Dad is semi retired and telecommutes now to his job in NY. The grandkids spend a lot of time with them there during the summers and on their breaks from school. It is close enough to drive to.

I am very sorry that my husband, to his now regret, didn't pursue that tech job in Pa., instead of here in Florida. I know we BOTH would have been a lot happier there than here. We probably would have just stayed there in retirement. Now, we will have to move again when we retire in a few years. Just plain don't want to spend the rest of our lives here.

[jojajn]

Originally Posted by compelled to reply

I just don't understand how the median income and poverty level can fare significantly better than any other southern state if everyone works at McDonalds. In order for McDoanlds to open, somebody has to go there, and most independently wealthy people don't eat at McDonalds regularly . Yes, Florida has a service, real estate and small business based economy. There is a small amount of fortune 500 companies, but Florida still remains one of the better places to start your own business and of course there are jobs serving those small business ranging anywhere from IT to secretaries to managers to sales jobs to anything else you could think of. Generally speaking, Florida isn't the best place to start out, but only an idiot moves someplace without a job rounded up and then complains about "low wages" at Burger King because they decided to move for the sunshine and not even bother to come with a career . No, Florida is not a great startup, fresh out of college place, thats where your Houstons' and Atlantas' and Raleighs' come into play, but there are jobs for those with work experience and good work ethic, while the malcontents who come for sunny weather end up being the ones flipping burgers because they didn't bother to apply for a single job before they got here, they assumed the sunshine would provide it for them and now their the ones chanting it once they get here. Florida is a very interesting state in that way.

Florida's median income fares well because your state has two classes, the "haves" and the "have nots".

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by jojajn

Florida's median income fares well because your state has two classes, the "haves" and the "have nots".

Didn't I just explain why that's not 100% true? If it were a haves or have nots situation, you would have a relatively high median income shared with an extremely high percentage of people below poverty (see Palm Beach County, Florida where that IS true). Florida has an average median income (only high in comparison to it's Southern neighbors, as I said) and a below average percentage of people below poverty (see Hillsborough or Duval County, Florida).

[jojajn]

Originally Posted by compelled to reply

Didn't I just explain why that's not 100% true? If it were a haves or have nots situation, you would have a relatively high median income shared with an extremely high percentage of people below poverty (see Palm Beach County, Florida where that IS true). Florida has an average median income (only high in comparison to it's Southern neighbors, as I said) and a below average percentage of people below poverty (see Hillsborough or Duval County, Florida).

What is the poverty rate there? Below what income is considered the pverty level there?

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by jojajn

What is the poverty rate there? Below what income is considered the pverty level there?

What do you mean "there"? There is a US census study, here you go.
Florida
Florida - Fact Sheet - American FactFinder
United States
United States - Fact Sheet - American FactFinder
(sample southern panacea) North Carolina
North Carolina - Fact Sheet - American FactFinder
(wealthiest state) New Jersey
New Jersey - Fact Sheet - American FactFinder

In case you are wondering, the cost of living overall in Florida is considered to be 4% above the US average. Of course that varies significantly between which part of the state you are in.

[lmonti89]

I have lived in florida my entire life. It isn't a bad place to live but its definitly not the best!! I am between Orlando and Daytona and the crime is getting worse all the time. There was just a break in a few houses from me..I know you find that everywhere but its scary! The weather is soooo hot too. Our winters usually don't get colder than 30 degrees and thats only a few times out of the season. Our summers are very hot! A couple days ago it was 97 degrees out! There are many attractions in FL but most of us take it for granted that Disney and the beach are so close to us. I visited Tennessee a few years ago and the people seemed much friendlier there! There are pros and cons to FL...But you should do some research if you are planning to live here..Stay away from Jacksonville, Orlando/Sanford and Deland/Deltona!!! Good luck! =)