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"the average weekly wage during the third quarter of 2014 was $1,022 in Nassau County and $1,031 in Suffolk County. The national average was barely less, $949."
"the average U.S. home sold for $212,000. But on Long Island, homes sold in the first quarter of 2015 went for an average of $360,000."
"the median property tax bill in Nassau County in 2010 was $9,289. In Suffolk County it was $7,768. Nationally, it was $2,043. So in round terms, property taxes on Long Island are quadruple the national median."
"Long Islanders at almost every income level have practically nothing left for savings, college or retirement funds after paying housing and living expenses that were the norm in their income brackets"
Ok here is my beef with this article. Ok I understand completely how cost of living is high on LI and housing/taxes go up while wages are stagnant. Blah, Blah, BLAH.
Yet... stores at RF mall are packed to the gills, waiting lines at places like Cheesecake Factory, Olive Garden and Red Lobster, even more "pricier" restaurants like Ruth Chris' steakhouse are packed with long waiting times; lines at Walmart and Target are long 90% of the time. People of all ages and income levels are dining with no problems paying food bills of over $30-100 a pop. Hmm... Yea, no recession there.
I have a hunch that people like to complain about some of these things because if people really had trouble paying their mortgages or unable to buy a decent starter house due to 'low' income on Long Island, they wouldn't be going out to eat every weekend at Outback steakhouse or leasing that 2015 Lexus SUV. This is just my observation.
Last edited by LegalDiva; 07-10-2015 at 02:03 PM..
The only solution takes testicles to accomplish (which nobody there has), and is basically to layoff a quarter of the police force and cut their salaries & benefits by 50%. It's counterintuitive but that will slash property taxes which will increase disposable income and grow the economy to increase jobs and wages.
Lol! Uh laying off half the police force will hardly solve the problem, considering the vast majority of our property taxes go to schools.
True, sorry I left that out. School board funding should also be slashed by 50%
I'm sorry, did I stumble on to the Fantasy Island thread?
These cuts you all are suggesting, they aint ever going to happen! This is New York, and even worse, it's Long (Wrong) Island and that means the unions are delivering votes to our fearless (brainless) leaders, making our idiot politicians minions of the unions. One only has to see how fast Bellone signs off on any increases concerning SCPD. Snewsday ran an article stating by 2020 veteran SCPD officers will be making salaries of $200k! That's before OT and other bennies.
Oh and those school levies... forget any huge concessions, the NYS Teacher's Unions are among the most powerful in the nation. And they're already litigating to have Cuomo's Swiss cheese 2% property tax increase cap repealed. You know what they're after.
No, something really awful will need to happen, such as widespread mortgage and/or property tax defaults. And even then, some wealthy real estate company will come in and buy the tax lien.
The only solution takes testicles to accomplish (which nobody there has), and is basically to layoff a quarter of the police force and cut their salaries & benefits by 50%. It's counterintuitive but that will slash property taxes which will increase disposable income and grow the economy to increase jobs and wages.
That could be done at contract time, but I wouldn't count on it.
I'm sorry, did I stumble on to the Fantasy Island thread?
These cuts you all are suggesting, they aint ever going to happen! This is New York, and even worse, it's Long (Wrong) Island and that means the unions are delivering votes to our fearless (brainless) leaders, making our idiot politicians minions of the unions. One only has to see how fast Bellone signs off on any increases concerning SCPD. Snewsday ran an article stating by 2020 veteran SCPD officers will be making salaries of $200k! That's before OT and other bennies.
Oh and those school levies... forget any huge concessions, the NYS Teacher's Unions are among the most powerful in the nation. And they're already litigating to have Cuomo's Swiss cheese 2% property tax increase cap repealed. You know what they're after.
No, something really awful will need to happen, such as widespread mortgage and/or property tax defaults. And even then, some wealthy real estate company will come in and buy the tax lien.
Fantasy... pure fantasy.
You are absolutely correct except for the fantasy part. The fantasy becomes reality when inevitably the county goes into bankruptcy and receivership, which is as certain as the night is dark
Ok here is my beef with this article. Ok I understand completely how cost of living is high on LI and housing/taxes go up while wages are stagnant. Blah, Blah, BLAH.
Yet... stores at RF mall are packed to the gills, waiting lines at places like Cheesecake Factory, Olive Garden and Red Lobster, even more "pricier" restaurants like Ruth Chris' steakhouse are packed with long waiting times; lines at Walmart and Target are long 90% of the time. People of all ages and income levels are dining with no problems paying food bills of over $30-100 a pop. Hmm... Yea, no recession there.
I have a hunch that people like to complain about some of these things because if people really had trouble paying their mortgages or unable to buy a decent starter house due to 'low' income on Long Island, they wouldn't be going out to eat every weekend at Outback steakhouse or leasing that 2015 Lexus SUV. This is just my observation.
So even when presented with the facts you doubt them and trust your anecdotal evidence that because some people are able to "shop at RF, eat at Cheesecake Factory, Olive Garden and Red Lobster, even more "pricier" restaurants like Ruth Chris' steakhouse, and the lines at Walmart and Target are long 90% of the time and people of all ages and income levels are dining with no problems paying food bills of over $30-100 a pop".
First, the average weekly wage for a position on LI is slightly above the national average. This is the same illusion as the median household income on LI - which includes all incomes in the household - husband, wife, kids in college with jobs and the ones still living at home. This skews the data. Two average weekly incomes go to buying so of the things you mention.
Second, again, this is the average weekly wage for a position on LI. Since LI has a large population, it is a given that those on the upper end of the scale who make more (or considerably more) than average weekly wage for a position on LI are the main purchasers of these items. That leaves a lot of people out given LI's population. So maybe these are the people complaining?
Third, LI is under retailed for the size of it's population, explaining the long lines at Walmart and Target. Many other areas of the country rarely experience the same kind of crowds in these kinds of stores, yet they manage to stay open somehow.
Fourth, since the majority LIers say they spend upwards of 50% of their income on housing, they may be the ones complaining.
The numbers do not add up other than more than one income per person or multiple incomes per household. More people doing more work to pay for the higher costs on LI since the average weekly wage for a position on LI is only 10% or so above the national average.
Ok here is my beef with this article. Ok I understand completely how cost of living is high on LI and housing/taxes go up while wages are stagnant. Blah, Blah, BLAH.
Yet... stores at RF mall are packed to the gills, waiting lines at places like Cheesecake Factory, Olive Garden and Red Lobster, even more "pricier" restaurants like Ruth Chris' steakhouse are packed with long waiting times; lines at Walmart and Target are long 90% of the time. People of all ages and income levels are dining with no problems paying food bills of over $30-100 a pop. Hmm... Yea, no recession there.
I have a hunch that people like to complain about some of these things because if people really had trouble paying their mortgages or unable to buy a decent starter house due to 'low' income on Long Island, they wouldn't be going out to eat every weekend at Outback steakhouse or leasing that 2015 Lexus SUV. This is just my observation.
Yup. You're onto something here. The masses cry at high COL and ever rising taxes, but just can't give up the $5 soy vanilla macchiato they get twice a day. You and I know damn well that they aren't maxing out their 401k's, 403b, 457 and IRAs. They're living day-to-day, and will enjoy the napa leather seats and 12ch high fidelity audio system until Moderator cut: language removed
Last edited by nancy thereader; 07-10-2015 at 05:28 PM..
Status:
"Let this year be over..."
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Location: Where my bills arrive
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I'm actually shocked to read references to the "waiting lines at places like Cheesecake Factory, Olive Garden and Red Lobster, even more "pricier" restaurants like Ruth Chris' steakhouse are packed with long waiting times". I have read post after post how locals consider "chain restaurants" to be garbage and one of the advantages to living on the island is the fresh local seafood and local eatery's. I'm just shocked.....
Migration is going TO urban centers, not away from them- housing markets don't move solidly in one direction- they may have during the baby boomers lifetimes, but that isn't the case during that of their children.
Those looking to raise families on the Island will go to the desirable places. No one is going to refute that housing values in Great Neck, Manhassett, Merrick etc. are going to change- but I don't see bright futures for the housing stock in the middle of the island, especially with skyrocketing taxes.
LI is an area of rapid decline.
I agree. Most millennials have zero interest in suburban life. City? Yes. Rural and in a cool area? Yes.
The Burbs? No.
And LI is so difficult to leave. People from NJ go to NYC far more than LIers do.
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This is just my observation.
