why are people not moving into kentucky? (Lexington, Louisville: loan, attorney)

[timelesschild]

There are probably certain careers and/or industry sectors which are doing well in Kentucky and others which are not.

For certain career fields, Kentucky has NOTHING going on. It would be foolish to pretend otherwise. Other fields are doing fine, and the folks in those fields don't perceive a lack of opportunity because it isn't affecting them. It really isn't anything to argue about.

If money were no object and I could live in a Kentucky location just for its natural beauty, give me Owen County or Woodford County any day.

The economic opportunities are really much stronger elsewhere in many fields.

[EclecticEars]

Originally Posted by Siberia

Income taxes are high, IMHO, versus states close by and versus states of similar job opportunity and state services:

Kentucky collects income taxes from its residents at the following rates:

-- 2% on the first $3,000 of taxable income
-- 3% on taxable income between $3,001 and $4,000
-- 4% on taxable income between $4,001 and $5,000
-- 5% on taxable income between $5,001 and $8,000
-- 5.8% on taxable income between $8,001 and $75,000
-- 6% on taxable income of $75,001 and above.


5.8% on anything over $8,000...with ZERO personal exemptions....Wow, that is high compared to connected states! Kentucky is like the Fed government...crush the middle class with taxes (25% fed, 5.8% KY), and allow the super high income families above $250,000 to pay only slightly higher percentage rates (31% fed, 6.0% KY).

How does this compare? Some states don't even tax income, Tenn being one of them just South, and INdiana and Illinois are mid 3% flat income tax. Even high tax Michigan, fiscally bankrupt and all, is only 4.35%, with a huge $13,300 personal exemption for a family of four.

Basically, Kentucky seems to be shooting itself in the foot on the job growth by hitting those who work, verus those who consume. They would be better off raising the sales tax 1% and droping the income tax 2%, IMO....

And some say the property taxes in Kentucky offset the income tax, but fail to realize that Indiana is passing laws as we speak to cap property tax at Kentucky's 1% rate, along with Tenn having extremely small property tax, and every state, if you look hard enough, has counties that have similiar property taxes, along with counties in those same states that take tax their citizens up to 3-4% on home values. Property taxes can be controlled by where you live in each state, but income, and sales taxes to some extent, cannot...

Thank you!

We're lucky to have the nine (I think) Fortune 1000 companies that we have hq'ed here. I don't think Kentuckians realize how much taxes are taken out of our yearly earnings until we analyze all of the forms of taxation--property, income/dividends, motor vehicle (this one's a one-time-pinch killer), city and county income taxes.

[Sundance]

There is a lower cost of living here, but for a reason....the economy isn't exactly booming.

But, it's a safe place to live. And land is cheaper than elsewhere...

[llgator]

Tn has a really high sales tax though. One reason that I won't go to Nashville to shop!

[Michie1013]

It's a beautiful state, and the cannabis crop is its most valuable cash crop. That it's safe, depends on the area. That illegal crops provide illegal income, expect corruption at all levels. It's one of the most poverty strickened states in the country, and nobody knows where the illegal drug revenue goes. 1/6 of the population suffers from substance addiction, which is common for poverty areas. Yet the wealthy folks are among the wealthiest in the universe, tight-knit, family oriented and many are kinfolk. It's a great place, like the rest of the South, if you're "IN."

[cobolt]

This has become more of a sticking point with me in my quest for relocation. And as much as people would like to believe what they hear or otherwise, logic dictates that with our Fed deficit, taxes will go up regardless of who is elected President. I love KY but the income tax is a real problem for me and would prompt me to either live across the border in IN or TN. We'll see....

[urbancharlotte]

Originally Posted by Michie1013

It's a beautiful state, and the cannabis crop is its most valuable cash crop. That it's safe, depends on the area. That illegal crops provide illegal income, expect corruption at all levels. It's one of the most poverty strickened states in the country, and nobody knows where the illegal drug revenue goes. 1/6 of the population suffers from substance addiction, which is common for poverty areas. Yet the wealthy folks are among the wealthiest in the universe, tight-knit, family oriented and many are kinfolk. It's a great place, like the rest of the South, if you're "IN."

Kentucky is NOTHING like the rest of the South. I grew up in eastern KY. I will never go back!!! POINT BLANK PERIOD!!!

[EclecticEars]

Originally Posted by urbancharlotte

Kentucky is NOTHING like the rest of the South. I grew up in eastern KY. I will never go back!!! POINT BLANK PERIOD!!!

Where in EKY did you grow up? Just curious to know why you don't care for Kentucky.

[urbancharlotte]

Originally Posted by jcm1986

Where in EKY did you grow up? Just curious to know why you don't care for Kentucky.

I grew up in Greenup county. I am a 37 year old white female. I can't tell you exactly why I HATE my former home so much without getting too personal so bare with me on my descriptions of what I've gone through. I will say that almost five years ago, I met a wonderful man from North Carolina. He lived in the Greenup area with me for nearly 3 years before we decided to move to his home town of Charlotte. I have three sons from a previous marriage. They began to love and enjoy their time with my current husband more than they did with their biological father. My current husband NEVER NEVER NEVER tried to take my sons father's place. My current husband even paid a child support payment to my ex-husband while I was in nursing school. I had joint custody of my son's but their dad still demanded and got an order to make me pay him money. If he did not get paid, he was going to put me in jail. He was a VERY abusive man all throughout our marriage and he decided that he would now use our children as a means to abuse me even more. I got fed up and decided to fight him back in court. When I did, he brainwashed my kids into thinking that I was a liar and a no good mother. I am a freaking nurse on my second marriage. Their dad is some payday loan employee on his 4th marriage. He's even got another kid on the way!!! I am living in a 4 bedroom townhouse and their dad is renting. The courts in EKY gave my ex EVERYTHING he wanted!!! Eventhough they knew I had a better home and two out of three of my sons wanted to live with me before their father brainwashed them against me and my current husband. My current husband took those boys on camping trips, their first ever NBA game, and funded a trip to a UK basketball camp that their father couldn't afford. He did LOTS LOTS more for me and my sons that their lousy father either didn't have time to do or simply did not have the money to do. My current husband even put me through nursing school while paying my ex child support on my behalf. I am currently furthering my education in Charlotte and my current husband is still having to pay my ex a child support for kids that won't even visit or call. The courts in EKY told me that I needed to leave my current husband if I wished to have a relationship with my sons. They told me this because this is what my kids told the courts. My kids never felt that way until their father brainwashed them. The courts know that my kids have been brainwashed because it is documented that all three boys have changed their stories more than once during this whole court mess. No woman in EKY has had my problems with the courts. I am convinced that I am being punished for falling in love with a black man. I HATE EKY WITH A PASSION!!! I wished I had left back in 1989 the day I graduated Greenup County High and never looked back. Life would have been so much better for me. EKY just doesn't represent the person I am nor does it represent my spirit. My relationship with my sons may be lost for good, but at least I have a step-son and a husband that loves me. I think my son's in KY loves me too. They are just too afraid to show it right now because of their father. I beat myself up everyday for failing to get them away from their dad. I seriously thought at one point that their biological dad was what they needed. I was DEAD WRONG and I'm not afraid to admit that now. I wish anybody that's reading this listen to my warning. If your first marriage failed due to an abusive narcissistic husband, DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO PROTECT YOUR KIDS FROM THEIR FATHER'S INFLUENCE. I was young, naive, and just plain stupid. The prejudice court system did not help the matter neither. At any rate, I am currently enjoying my new found hobby in Charlotte. My husband and I go around town taking videos of Charlotte's growing urban side. The city is still considered by many to be suburban but we enjoy showing it off on youtube anyway. Here is our link www.youtube.com/urbancharlotte

My hatred for EKY is just an EKY hatred. Louisville and Lex are okay with me!!!

[urbancharlotte]

Here is a link that works www.youtube.com/urbancharlotte