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If it's not obvious, you hear the negatives on message forums all the time - the majority of people who are happy or content or feel the value of remaining here is sufficient will never post here.
you are of course correct but note Nassau's population is still lower than it was in 1970. All the growth is in Suffolk.
New York State has grown 8% in 45 years.
The US population has grown 58% in 45 years.
So it's less about 'Long Island is dying' and more that it is slipping in importance - representation in Congress, proportion of Federal funds, etc. NY faces the challenge of high cost of living downstate combined with progressive social programs and many business regulations, meaning that if companies can relocate or start up elsewhere they will.
People should strive to be content whether they live, but many locations make it easier than LI to do it financially.
Agree parfleche. He imagines himself a winner, and will desperately try to convince anyone who listens that he is.
Absolutely! For those of you who don't know, he has described his lifestyle as he and his wife both working 70 hours a week, and having hired help raise their kids. I would not consider myself a "winner" if I had that lifestyle, no matter how much money I made. He doesn't even live on LI. So I don't understand why he spends so much time on the LI forum, calling us all "losers", just because we choose a different lifestyle than him and his wife.
Full disclosure, my sister moved to NC two years before I did, and my parents followed her a year later. My other sister moved the same time we did (although she has moved on to FL). I have one sister left on LI and she will be gone by this time next year.
DH and were planning on moving to Bucks County or Chester County, PA but once everyone started heading farther south, that's what we did too. Ironically we have friends in our neighborhood from Nassau who went through the same process 20 years ago and moved here instead of PA.
Many people I know here have had at least one relative precede or follow them here...and if not exactly here, then close by. We have neighbors that moved here a week after college and their families laughed and said they'd be back in a week. That was over 20 years ago and now both sides of the family live down here.
And mowmylawn, you're right - it does take some kahunas. You truly do have to have some faith that it will all work out and be open to possibilities and something different. You simply cannot take on a move like this with a negative mindset, about anything. This is especially true when you have kids, who will follow your lead. No matter what I was feeling about the move I made it out like it was the best!thing!ever! even when there were days we wondered if we could really make it happen or would live through it LOL.
Ok, so do you admit that your situation was easier than most others who relocate, and that most of what I've said about relocation (in this thread and others) don't really apply to you? And, do you realize that based on personality and circumstances, some people prefer to relocate, and others prefer to tough it out on LI / NYC. The decision is based on an individual or family's situation and personalities. Neither is better than the other, despite what some posters here may think.
Yes, I am well aware of the recession combined with the consolidation of defense companies that resulted in their lower presence on LI.
The fact is that the US as a whole didn't have the same population dip. While a lower population means less crowding, especially in an area as densely populated as Nassau, unless you replace the lost industries with something else it'll hit your tax base and finances. Then you end up with NIFA.
This chart is telling - services are growing as a percentage of the workforce as well as contribute a large share while manufacturing wages continue to shrink.
The only true bright spot is biomedical. Everything else is declining or services-based which depends on consumer spending and a growing economy.
"Negative net economic migration when the country’s economy is performing strongly (e.g. the 1990s, the mid 2000s) indicates that workers attempt to capitalize on economic growth by leaving Long Island and seeking job opportunities in other regions of the country."
This is what is happening today - the new portability of 'work from home' technology jobs and the feeling that you get more for your dollar elsewhere is contributing to the slow leak. Companies reduce their footprint and new ones aren't aggressively looking to start up on, or move to, LI.
While I believe every word that comes out of Cuomo's mouth is said for personal political gain, in one respect he is correct. Without further investment for growth LI will continue its slow slide when compared to the rest of NY and the US. This may be fine for an individual, but it's not good for Nassau and Suffolk.
Ok, so do you admit that your situation was easier than most others who relocate, and that most of what I've said about relocation (in this thread and others) don't really apply to you? And, do you realize that based on personality and circumstances, some people prefer to relocate, and others prefer to tough it out on LI / NYC. The decision is based on an individual or family's situation and personalities. Neither is better than the other, despite what some posters here may think.
That's a totally fair statement.
Of course, there are people out there who love LI for many reasons but are getting tired of 'toughing it out'. One of the most depressing shows to watch for the middle class is House Hunters, when you see what you get elsewhere, and how the families seem to do well even on one salary when the struggling LI family needs both parents to work to afford the tax bill and upkeep on an old ranch or cape cod. Again, many reasons to love LI but the COL isn't one of them.
Wow! Just read through some of the latest responses and must say many of you get it. For those who chose to argue that LI is still the 'premier' suburb, glad you're happy and continued luck in the mess that is now LI. For those who have left, leaving extended family and moving school aged children, I'm in awe and appreciate the words of encouragement. It takes some real kahunas to execute the move and come out ahead, especially when moving a family.
And to those of us who are ready to go, godspeed. It's a big country, with lots of opportunity. Escape your shackles and prosper.
Meh, I was so happy to be leaving NY, that I gladly would have lived in a pup tent on a hillside if I had had to- and been happy!
T'is true though- it's a big country, with something for everyone- and after LI, almost any place seems like a bargain, and offers a better quality of life.
The big thing, is just to get out of NY. Once you're out, it's easy to rest and regroup- and it's not as big a deal to move somewhere else if you don't like your new place (I've known a few people who did that)- Just getting out of NY is the biggest hurdle. Once you've overcome that inertia, everything else is easy.
I know a guy who's going from Queens to FL- even though he knows FL will not be the place he ultimately settles. Just to get away from the expense and traffic and distaste of NYC, and to have a place to operate from, from whence he can leisurely take trips and explore and take his time to find "THE" place, is a good plan.
Unlike myself- 'cause with me, finding the place I wanted to go, and then finding the specific piece of property I wanted to buy, was the hardest part, still living on LI and having to take quite a few 2000 mile round-trips, and always being hurried to get back, because i had a life to support there...and worrying about the timing so I wouldn't have to come through NYC/Nassau during rush hour, etc.
I was really very lucky that it all worked out so well for me, because i really didn't take the necessary time to do things as i should have- but rather, just ended up kind of doing things on a wing and a prayer. Thankfully, it all worked out better than I ever could have made it work had I planned every little detail!
It's weird; It's like LI, being the 'rhoid on the anus which is NYC, has some sort of strong gravitational pull which makes it very hard to escape the ____hole. Some of the cling-ons [Uh...those characters from Star Trek...yeah...yeah...that's it!] just don't want to let go.
I responded to your incredibly general all-encompassing statements about LI'ders specifically in a sarcastic manner - that wasn't obvious? Do you honestly believe that everyone leaves specifically because "the island is declining"? That everyone thinks of "value" as only money like you clearly do? They stay for different reasons and they leave for different reasons. This is not utopia and we all know that, but we do not all fit the same mold.
The biggest issue I see repeatedly is the categorizing of families. Yet I never see anyone talk about the sensical dual income family who works hard at their regular jobs that happen to pay more because of our metro area. The median income here is under $100k and there are nearly 3 million residents which is only going up. I gave 2 examples of how regular people in my reputable town are making it in modest homes - which also means less desirable towns make out even easier given average income. This "middle class" "average family" "are all leaving" "unless they are union" BS is getting tiresome (stupid that anyone actually here would believe it for real). What is the majority of the people on LI, exactly? Obviously not all union and obviously not all paying $20k taxes and obviously not all leaving, and more importantly not all drowning (I see it on weekends and I see it in all the extracurriculars we participate at with people from all towns rich or "poor").
If it's not obvious, you hear the negatives on message forums all the time - the majority of people who are happy or content or feel the value of remaining here is sufficient will never post here.
No sarcasm isn't obvious in this medium, it's always an issue with writing and misconceptions occur when inflection is not present in communication. We can agree to generalize, but that doesn't mean we're talking everyone... it's reasonable to conclude we are talking about "a lot of people" whenever we do generalize, it's not reasonable to say it is about the entire island. That's a weak counterpoint when one is generalizing themselves and citing anecdotal evidence as "proof" of a larger picture. "Well, sheesh, not everyone leaves!"
We've discussed the fact that raising a family on LI requires dual income ad nauseum. It's one of the big reasons people leave - burdening family with raising your kids or paying strangers for day care is not "sensical" to me. It's one of the major downsides to staying on LI to raise a family. Your "strong roots" helps logistically in this regard, but it does not make it ideal... far from it.
The population of LI is essentially flat and has been for some time now, Nassau still has not reached its peak from 1970 and Suffolk most recently has stayed the same over the past 4 years. You can't write this off because you linked a wiki of a recession in the 80s. The demographics are just changing. Regardless, the density of LI and its limited access are 2 of the bigger downsides to LI life. Sitting in traffic everywhere and trying to get on or off the island is beyond painful. At the end of the day, more people and migration further East are not long term positives - just more crowded with antiquated infrastructure.
This message board attracts relocation people, it always has and always will. So, guess what - the majority of the people who become regulars here are people who have or are considering a relocation. I actually find it weirder that people who don't want to relocate post here. Why bother? This site was incredibly helpful to me leading up to, during, and after my relocation so I stay here posting from time to time to try and pay back those who helped me. I have no clue why anyone would regularly post here if they don't plan to ever go anywhere.
Another thought came to mind. If Nassau's population stabilized, how would growth be achieved?
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