What is with Ocala? (crime rate, lawyer, unemployment)

[aranamor]

Originally Posted by YAPHET A BELLAMY

My wife and I live in upstate NY and see a lot of bi-polar people and homelessness . We have children that we want to raise in an environment where people are productive and warm as the temperatures in fl.. Hopefully, Ocala is not as bad as some have described,but those negative wouldn't discourage us from at least looking at it .

I read that as 'I want to raise my kids somewhere where they can't directly witness that there's actual suffering in the world, and not everyone is exactly like them'.

[k9s4life]

Wow. I am new to this forum and can't believe the negativity on this thread. Nowhere
is perfect.

I have lived here for 12 years and yep, there are red-necks, but for the most part,
my time here has been great. My husband is not enjoying it as much LOL. We moved here from Pt Charlotte (12 yrs there) via CT (30 yrs) and we both prefer Ocala to Pt Charlotte.

Love the "seasons", love the topography, love the horsiness.

If we keep putting negative info out there, we'll never get anyone to
move here! And as a self-employed small-business person, we NEED people
to move here, especially those that can afford it!

[kshe95girl]

Originally Posted by k9s4life

Wow. I am new to this forum and can't believe the negativity on this thread. Nowhere
is perfect.

I have lived here for 12 years and yep, there are red-necks, but for the most part,
my time here has been great. My husband is not enjoying it as much LOL. We moved here from Pt Charlotte (12 yrs there) via CT (30 yrs) and we both prefer Ocala to Pt Charlotte.

Love the "seasons", love the topography, love the horsiness.

If we keep putting negative info out there, we'll never get anyone to
move here! And as a self-employed small-business person, we NEED people
to move here, especially those that can afford it!

Theres been nothing said here that sint true about Ocala.
Are you perhaps employed by the Chamber of Commerce?

[HomesickFloridian]

Originally Posted by Dr Rich

I've lived here for 7 years. I really do like the show pace and its quiet for the most part. But the OP's friend does have a point. Some of the people here are completely unhinged. I've never met so many bi-polar people in my life.

Bi-polar huh? And on your weekends you double as a psychologist I suppose?? nothing like throwing around a serious ailment like it was the common cold ...

[HomesickFloridian]

Originally Posted by =^..^=

Your friend may be the one with a problem. We were there part of last winter and found the people friendly and warm.



Since when does an education and income make people happy or unhappy. Some of the happiest people I've met in my life were those with the least material possessions and educations and vice versa.

Well stated, many of my friends who have higher education and are well healed are some of the crankiest, unhappy people I know.. They never get to enjoy their success as they're always too busy trying to climb higher.. Personally to me though that's also part of the fun as I'm very competitive..

[HomesickFloridian]

Originally Posted by AmericanLeader

My friend is a very likeable person.


I did not say anything about material possessions.


People with an education are more well rounded.

Snobbish, nonsense generalization. What is considered "educated"? Most I know (which is thousands of personal clients) basically can't figure out how to turn on their own water faucet if it came down to it since they lack so much practical knowledge and common sense always trying to rely on their "education" where it doesn't apply..

[cheypepper]

Originally Posted by YAPHET A BELLAMY

My wife and I live in upstate NY and see a lot of bi-polar people and homelessness . We have children that we want to raise in an environment where people are productive and warm as the temperatures in fl.. Hopefully, Ocala is not as bad as some have described,but those negative wouldn't discourage us from at least looking at it .

Funny you said that about upstate N. I'm from Upstate and I'm always telling people there's less homelessness there then here. I'm in central Florida btw. One reason you don't see as much homeless up there ( Finger Lakes area), is because the taxes are higher and therefore social services has more money to help the homeless...Florida has virtually none. Their charities are broke and Florida is the # 1 toughest on unemployment in the nation. If you are denied benefits it is for the duration of your unemployment...there is no time period where after say so many weeks you can re-apply...which causes homelessness. They are also one of a few States that use the "violation of company policy" as a denial for benefits which for some companies covers all kinds of insane infractions that ends up in termination.

Also, not being bilingual doesn't help in the job market in the central Florida area. Just heard that Florida's Hispanic population has grown 57% in one year in this area and there are 4.5 million Hispanics in the State. Also that Central Florida is the second largest Puerto Rican majority in the nation. More retirees are moving out West and into North Carolina/Tennessee/back to UpState NY, etc than here. There has actually been a decline over the last several years of anyone moving here. More leave than arrive...or arrive and go back. Why, you ask? Lack of jobs, weather ( heat, humidity, hurricanes, tornadoes, sinkholes), crime, lack of community in your neighborhood ( unless in you are a gated one), I would go on but this is a thead about Ocala and I got off on a tangent. I have lived in Florida for over 30 years, 20 in South Florida, then 16 in Central. I have considered moving to the Ocala area, however many people I know have left there to move further up North...it is cheaper than the rest of Florida though in housing and rentals. Anyway, good luck in your move and I hope you find what you are looking for. Peace

[Ga Jerk]

Originally Posted by Mamma Miiagi

...the people I know here in Michigan have always had excellent things to say about Ocala...

I'm a born and bred Southern Redneck.

Some of the nicest folks I have ever met have been when I visited Michigan, NYC and Chicago.

Folks are folks.

When I read threads that are negative towards the people of a certain area I always assume that the person with the negative feelings is the one with the problem.

When I have been in Ocala(my FIL lives in Inverness), everyone that I have met has been good people, be it the Crackers, the Yankees or the normal folks.

[Teamlonghorn]

Originally Posted by HomesickFloridian

Snobbish, nonsense generalization. What is considered "educated"? Most I know (which is thousands of personal clients) basically can't figure out how to turn on their own water faucet if it came down to it since they lack so much practical knowledge and common sense always trying to rely on their "education" where it doesn't apply..

What is considered educated? To have some common sense about the world around you and to talk like a normal person is well educated to me.

I would love to live in your world where having successful years of post-secondary education is looked down upon. Maybe you should run for office.

This kind of attitude is a prime example of what the OP is talking about.

[HomesickFloridian]

^ Not quite sure what it is your trying to say? You're contradicting my response and not really making a coherent response.. On one hand you seem to be agreeing and on the other you seem to disagree ..