It's not the money -- we love Miami for other reasons (Everglades: schools, universities)

[Ache]

A 3-year survey shows people like where they live for aesthetic reasons -- and not necessarily jobs and schools.

``We've found that you can measure attachment and engagement, and that it does matter,'' said Paula Ellis, vice president for strategic initiatives for the Knight Foundation.

``Because it highly correlates to the growth of a community. How [people] feel matters to their well-being and to the economic prosperity of their community.''
Residents of Miami-Dade said social activities (especially nightlife), education (at least colleges and universities) and aesthetics were reasons to stay.

For Geane Brito, 40, it's Miami's wealth of beaches and access to the Everglades and other natural riches. Also, the area offers activities for daughter Isadora, 10, and son Magnus, 8, and cultural similarities to Brito's native Brazil that have kept her and husband Daniel Kron happy since leaving New York eight years ago for what Brito dubbed the ``flip-flop republic.''

``There are a lot of public services for kids available to everybody,'' Brito said. ``In New York, you feel like you have to have money to live well. Here, there is a certain freedom. . . . It's more down to earth.''

It's not the money -- we love Miami for other reasons - Miami-Dade - MiamiHerald.com (http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/11/15/1927850/its-not-the-money-we-love-miami.html - broken link)

[hurricaneMan1992]

If you believe that "civic affection seems to drive economics," you have to conclude that quite a large number of people are NOT happy with living in the "Magic City," a point severely downplayed by Levin in this article.