[TNRyan23]

Originally Posted by floridasandy

florida has so much going for it that it will always be a popular retirement state and a popular tourist state. retirees come from all over and tourists come from all over, including europe. if people are paying too much for their auto insurance here it is because they don't shop around. my insurance is only about 560 a year for a honda civic. it is the same two bashers on here all the time whining about florida and one of them doesn't even live here now and i don't know what the problem is with the other one. people think that florida's economy is hurting (and it is) but look around and realize that the whole country is hurting economically. you can't just blame a state for an economic downturn when it is a national problem. i predict that florida home sales will rise faster than the national average in the coming months.

We'll see.

I've talked to so many retiries up here that have moved from Florida to retire up here. Many of them said they can't afford to live in Florida anymore and that they're scared of what would have happend to them if they continued to stay.

Most of them sold their condos or houses down in Florida and bought something in a suburb or out in the country but many of them are buying up property in East Tennessee. One guy I see alot because we've had repeat business with him, He was a lawyer in New Jersey and is only in like his 50's and retired literraly on top of this HUGE hill about 50 miles south of Nashville and he loves it there and said he's been telling his friends not to go to Florida. I'm sure with the housing prices falling down there that they'll be back though.

As far as car insurance goes, I was given quotes from Progressive, Geico, Farm Bureau ( who I have now ) and All-State. As far as my " not living in the state anymore " goes, I lived there for 20 years and continue to be in the state atleast 1 month out of the year as well as having several friends and family members that still live in the state. My opinions are just as relevent as some snowbird that moved to the state 2 years ago or some guy that lived there for 20 years. I'll assume that the state didn't pull a 180 on everything in the last 10 years that I haven't lived there 100% of the time. I still cary dual residency and still hold a valid Florida Drivers License.

[cuba libre]

Originally Posted by TNRyan23

We'll see.

I've talked to so many retiries up here that have moved from Florida to retire up here.

The transition has already begun. The nanny state is starting to take shape. A couple more nudges from Obama and they'll almost have it. Just wait till the rice and chicken riots start in Miami...

[TNRyan23]

Originally Posted by cuba libre

The transition has already begun. The nanny state is starting to take shape. A couple more nudges from Obama and they'll almost have it. Just wait till the rice and chicken riots start in Miami...

I don't get the joke...

[ACTS Mom]

Originally Posted by TNRyan23

What's working ?

You know more then anyone the jacked up stuff that goes on in Florida in reguards to employment. The overall cost of living and how people can't even afford to pay rent. Tell me, honestly without anything getting hateful.. What other states forum gets as hostile and negative as Florida's ?

Oh, and ACTS Mom, I'd rather pay a 10% sales tax then have to pay close to $15,000 a year in combined auto insurance, homeowners insurance, and property tax.

Hey Ryan...
I've been out of town for a few days but had to answer this one. I have no clue who pays that much for insurance in Florida unless they're living in one of the huge McMansions you mentioned earlier, on the Atlantic Coast in Miami, with a half dozen vehicles and yachts.

We're rather middle class, not upper middle class either, but live in a decent area in a house nice enough for two with all the amenities we want. We have 2 vehicles plus a motor home. Our total insurance bill plus property tax this year will be about $3100. That's really a far cry from $15k.

[trueicon]

Well, reading this thread convinced me to register to chime in on the subject. This is not directed at anyone in particular, but I, for one, am getting pretty sick of people who choose to vacation their money at Disney thinking that the rest of the state owes them a kiss on the lips. Their questionable motivation to spend 10 times as much to ride the same Mad Tea party at Disney than they could spend to ride the one in their local Six Flags park is doing us Floridians no favor. You're feeding the hands of Disney, which, by the way, is technically set up so that Disney is its own municipal government, meaning very few of your tourist tax dollars are funneled into the state's (and local) economy. Further, Disney is footing the bill to drive you from the airport right onto property, to prevent the chance of any benefit to a local amusement attraction.

Meanwhile, Disney pays a bulk of its employees- both temporary (non-Floridian) college students as well as temporary work visa holders from other countries- minimum wage. What you are doing (provided you're driving) is emitting pollution in our air and contributing extra wear and tear on our roads/highways. So no, the little tax we get off of you isn't helping anyone else in this state- the best case scenario is that it pays the bill for us to clean up after you.

Orlando (and the neighboring space coast) is home to some of the nation's best engineers. South Florida is home to many tech companies. Countless firms have their headquarters in Florida. Florida, with 18,328,340 citizens, has 11 research universities, and is the 4th most populous nation. Six of our counties are in the top 100 richest counties. So no, Florida is no longer dependent on tourist dollars. That might have been true at one point, but since the advent of air conditioning, the rapid growth of Florida (which DOES include a significant amount of relocated northerners) makes the misconception that the state shuts down when tourist season ends quite laughably dubious.

Nevermind the fact that Florida existed long before any tourist destinations were set up- and that many of the best places in Florida, like St Augustine, Tallahassee, Pensacola, etc. are among the country's oldest cities. The best places to visit around here are off the beaten tourist trail; the primitive beaches of St George Island, the REAL lazy rivers of our many state springs, or the impressive geological parks such as the natural caves in Marianna, Fl.