Thinking about leaving Ohio??? Get in line and fill this out (Columbus: public school, colleges)

[OhioUberAlles]

People who think Ohio is a dive are welcome to leave, they're just holding back the state anyway.

If Ohio was its own nation, it would rank in the top 20 in terms of GDP.

Ohio's workers are more productive than the workers of Canada. They have a higher GDP (of course), but per person, Ohio is more productive.

People who want to go to Florida or California "because the weather is great" can enjoy hurricanes, forest fires, earthquakes, and other such things. As far as I am concerned, the weather here is fine.

[OhioUberAlles]

Obviously I live in Ohio, and while I might be moving soon, it will be to another location within Ohio. I live within 25 miles of Cleveland and am sick to death of Cleveland's problems spilling over into my community. I'll probably be moving somewhere in Appalachian Ohio. I'm sick to death of suburbanites with their yuppy attitudes. Even when it comes to farming, it seems they believe food just falls from the sky and somehow winds up on the shelves. They're hostile towards individualism and clean-living. They want everything to be paved over and turned into condo developments or strip-malls.

Cleveland acts as though it is special and above the law, having to be sued by the State's Attorney General to honor labor laws, concealed carry laws, and a host of other laws. Cleveland is as corrupt as Chicago and it pollutes the county it is contained in, with its filthy corruption. Cuyahoga County suffers because of the presence of Cleveland within its boundaries.

[OhioUberAlles]

To the people who talk about how Los Angeles has greater job opportunities than any particular location in Ohio, I would sure hope so! There are three million more people in the LA Metro area than there are in the entire state of Ohio! I would expect that the LA area has more job opportunities than any particular location in Ohio since the LA area has more people than the entire state of Ohio, let alone any particular location/city in Ohio.


Moving from anywhere in Ohio to Los Angeles is not really so much moving from one state to a city in another state, as it is moving from one state to a city in another state that has a population larger than most states and some countries.

Los Angeles has enough people to be its own state, if not indeed its own country.

[Donna7]

Originally Posted by OhioUberAlles

As far as I am concerned, the weather here is fine.

Good, then you stay here. The rest of us who want to leave are taking our jobs (and tax money) elsewhere (My husband is a pharmacist and I am an accountant) - to a state where we're actually going to enjoy living in vs. living in bad weather and supporting second and third generation welfare mongers. I spent my 20's and 30's holding out hope for generational welfare mongers, but I realized in my 40's that some people are just going to milk the system for all it's worth generation after generation. By the way, don't go accusing either of us of "elitism". My husband comes from a very large family who was able to provide food, shelter, and love, but not much more as far as tangible items are concerned, including cash, college educations, cars, etc. Same for me. Everything we have, we worked very hard for and we're raising a larger than average family. I'm tired of seeing scraggly-toothed people who say "warsh" for "wash", their Bingo Troll dolls, their Ohio Lottery tickets, cigarettes, and greasy hair.

Secondly, I'll be personally darned if I'm going to have our younger children pay $6,000 to $8,000 per semester at a lower tier state college in the state of Ohio because Ohio keeps cutting funding to state colleges. Our older children have already either graduated from college or are going to finish this Spring. One is already living in S. Korea for a year, the other one will be leaving the state and moving to where there are more job opportunities in his major.

We're also sick of businesses leaving the area and leaving the tax burden all to property tax owners. By the way, while our home values have fallen significantly the last few years, we just got a tax assessment in our county stating that our taxes will be rising because our homes are being taxed on a higher value. Are the county tax assessors smoking something? We've been here almost 40 years; I think that we know what we're talking about.

Again, you (and others) like it here? Then stay here and enjoy. For us, it's bye-bye-o to Ohio.

[OhioUberAlles]

Originally Posted by Donna7

Good, then you stay here. The rest of us who want to leave are taking our jobs (and tax money) elsewhere (My husband is a pharmacist and I am an accountant) - to a state where we're actually going to enjoy living in vs. living in bad weather and supporting second and third generation welfare mongers. I spent my 20's and 30's holding out hope for generational welfare mongers, but I realized in my 40's that some people are just going to milk the system for all it's worth generation after generation. By the way, don't go accusing either of us of "elitism". My husband comes from a very large family who was able to provide food, shelter, and love, but not much more as far as tangible items are concerned, including cash, college educations, cars, etc. Same for me. Everything we have, we worked very hard for and we're raising a larger than average family. I'm tired of seeing scraggly-toothed people who say "warsh" for "wash", their Bingo Troll dolls, their Ohio Lottery tickets, cigarettes, and greasy hair.

Secondly, I'll be personally darned if I'm going to have our younger children pay $6,000 to $8,000 per semester at a lower tier state college in the state of Ohio because Ohio keeps cutting funding to state colleges. Our older children have already either graduated from college or are going to finish this Spring. One is already living in S. Korea for a year, the other one will be leaving the state and moving to where there are more job opportunities in his major.

We're also sick of businesses leaving the area and leaving the tax burden all to property tax owners. By the way, while our home values have fallen significantly the last few years, we just got a tax assessment in our county stating that our taxes will be rising because our homes are being taxed on a higher value. Are the county tax assessors smoking something? We've been here almost 40 years; I think that we know what we're talking about.

Again, you (and others) like it here? Then stay here and enjoy. For us, it's bye-bye-o to Ohio.

If you think you can find somewhere where the government doesn't take money from you and give it to people who are unproductive, then great, more power to you! Let me know if you find this utopia because I'll consider moving there.

Unless you're moving from Ohio to a state such as Montana or Alaska, you're probably going to be griping a lot more about taxes...


Also, you complain about taxation but then groan about how the state government is cutting funding to state colleges. Where do you propose the state get the funds to support state colleges? I'm not saying taxes are correct, appropriate, or Constitutional, I am simply asking... How can you have it both ways? Well-funded state schools with little to no taxes... Sounds like magic to me...

[Donna7]

Originally Posted by OhioUberAlles

If you think you can find somewhere where the government doesn't take money from you and give it to people who are unproductive, then great, more power to you! Let me know if you find this utopia because I'll consider moving there.

Unless you're moving from Ohio to a state such as Montana or Alaska, you're probably going to be griping a lot more about taxes...


Also, you complain about taxation but then groan about how the state government is cutting funding to state colleges. Where do you propose the state get the funds to support state colleges? I'm not saying taxes are correct, appropriate, or Constitutional, I am simply asking... How can you have it both ways? Well-funded state schools with little to no taxes... Sounds like magic to me...

This thread was started for those who are thinking of leaving Ohio; I'm sorry that you're threatened by that. Do you honestly think that age my age of 46 that I'm so stupid and naive? I don't know what the problem is for the die-hard Ohioans that have to attack other Ohioans for wanting to move somewhere else and keep repeating the "grass isn't greener elsewhere, there's no utopia mantra. I know why my family moved here from Europe after WWII, starting with my grandfather (along with many other foreigners). It was due to the manufacturing base that NE OH had. Times are different now; that was over 60 years ago. People move to where they want to live at some point in their life for various reasons. Like I said, we've given it 40 years. I think that's more than enough and now it's time for another chapter. That's all there is to it. I don't want to go back and forth with you about leaving Ohio. If you like it here, stay and if you don't like it here, go. If the grass is not greener elsewhere, I think that houses selling for a $1 will still be available here. I'm not that worried about it.

[Clevelander17]

Originally Posted by Donna7

Good, then you stay here. The rest of us who want to leave are taking our jobs (and tax money) elsewhere (My husband is a pharmacist and I am an accountant) - to a state where we're actually going to enjoy living in vs. living in bad weather and supporting second and third generation welfare mongers. I spent my 20's and 30's holding out hope for generational welfare mongers, but I realized in my 40's that some people are just going to milk the system for all it's worth generation after generation. By the way, don't go accusing either of us of "elitism". My husband comes from a very large family who was able to provide food, shelter, and love, but not much more as far as tangible items are concerned, including cash, college educations, cars, etc. Same for me. Everything we have, we worked very hard for and we're raising a larger than average family. I'm tired of seeing scraggly-toothed people who say "warsh" for "wash", their Bingo Troll dolls, their Ohio Lottery tickets, cigarettes, and greasy hair.

You're right, this is a big problem in Ohio, but it's a big problem in an almost any large city. And in places like California, Arizona, and Texas, you get to pay even more for services for illegal immigrants who don't any taxes.

Originally Posted by Donna7

Secondly, I'll be personally darned if I'm going to have our younger children pay $6,000 to $8,000 per semester at a lower tier state college in the state of Ohio because Ohio keeps cutting funding to state colleges. Our older children have already either graduated from college or are going to finish this Spring. One is already living in S. Korea for a year, the other one will be leaving the state and moving to where there are more job opportunities in his major.

So you want someone else to pay for your child's education? Isn't that exactly what you were railing on above? In some places, like California for instance, college is free for kids that meet certain requirements. But of course nothing in life is free and someone is paying for that education.

Originally Posted by Donna7

We're also sick of businesses leaving the area and leaving the tax burden all to property tax owners. By the way, while our home values have fallen significantly the last few years, we just got a tax assessment in our county stating that our taxes will be rising because our homes are being taxed on a higher value. Are the county tax assessors smoking something? We've been here almost 40 years; I think that we know what we're talking about.

Businesses are leaving because local leaders have made some bad decisions and have refused to "race to the bottom" like other cities and states have. If there's anything that the recent growth in the Sun Belt has shown us, it's that areas can turn things around with the right leadership and policies. Ohio isn't doomed to failure.

Originally Posted by Donna7

Again, you (and others) like it here? Then stay here and enjoy. For us, it's bye-bye-o to Ohio.

This is the type of attitude held by some residents that have contributed to many of Ohio's problems. I'm sure you'll find some things to complain about in your new locale, so I'm glad they'll have to put up with it instead of us.

Again, if you're leaving the state, that's fine. I just don't know why you (and others) find it necessary to trash it on your way out the door. It's almost as if you're angry and bitter that others like it and actually found ways to be happy here.

[Clevelander17]

Originally Posted by Donna7

I don't know what the problem is for the die-hard Ohioans that have to attack other Ohioans for wanting to move somewhere else and keep repeating the "grass isn't greener elsewhere, there's no utopia mantra.

This is like a case of the chicken and the egg. It's like those who are leaving or who have left Ohio want everyone to believe that they're not instigating any of these arguments while they're blatantly trashing the state.

Every place has it's positives and negatives. No place is perfect. I don't understand the need to trash certain places and try to convince others that a place is so bad. People see things differently and have different tastes. What's right for one isn't right for everyone. It's almost like people are insecure about their decision to leave a certain place and want to make themselves feel better about their new place of residence.

[Joe 4520832257]

Originally Posted by Clevelander17

It's almost like people are insecure about their decision to leave a certain place and want to make themselves feel better about their new place of residence.

That's a fair observation. You'll find this attitude all over the city-data forums anyway. You should look at the Florida or even Hawaii forums. Plenty of people who absolutely hate the lifestyle and can't wait to move back to their respective home states. To each his own.

HOWEVER ... I do think it would be foolish to ignore the huge number of people want out of Ohio. It's not some mirage or the work of malcontents. A seemingly disproportionate number of people want to leave, and it must be for a reason.

As a recent transplant from Florida to Ohio, I have been surprised at local reactions. The vast majority of people who find out where I came from ask me: "Why [the hell] would you move here from Florida??" This is totally unsolicited, and I have heard this from dozens upon dozens of people. If not hundreds. To me, that's a very odd thing to tell a stranger, but I hear it over and over and over again.

Clearly Ohio is full of people who would leave if it were practical (i.e. jobs, family, or something else is keeping them here). So there's no need for people to bury their heads in the sand about it.

Ohio can't fix the weather, but it can fix the taxes. Again, as a recent transplant I actually got a little physically ill as I compared the hard numbers of how much more tax we are paying here as opposed to Florida. It's a huge lifestyle changing difference. I don't care what other people say when they rationalize ... the taxes here (at least in the cities) are very high. They counteract the supposedly low cost of living, and make people more likely to leave.

[Donna7]

Originally Posted by Clevelander17

You're right, this is a big problem in Ohio, but it's a big problem in an almost any large city. And in places like California, Arizona, and Texas, you get to pay even more for services for illegal immigrants who don't any taxes.



So you want someone else to pay for your child's education? Isn't that exactly what you were railing on above? In some places, like California for instance, college is free for kids that meet certain requirements. But of course nothing in life is free and someone is paying for that education.



Businesses are leaving because local leaders have made some bad decisions and have refused to "race to the bottom" like other cities and states have. If there's anything that the recent growth in the Sun Belt has shown us, it's that areas can turn things around with the right leadership and policies. Ohio isn't doomed to failure.



This is the type of attitude held by some residents that have contributed to many of Ohio's problems. I'm sure you'll find some things to complain about in your new locale, so I'm glad they'll have to put up with it instead of us.

Again, if you're leaving the state, that's fine. I just don't know why you (and others) find it necessary to trash it on your way out the door. It's almost as if you're angry and bitter that others like it and actually found ways to be happy here.

We DO NOT want someone else to pay for our children's education, that's why we sent our kids to Catholic Parochial school and pay private tuition AS WELL AS pay property taxes to support the public school system.

And to answer your last question, why don't YOU and OTHERS who don't want to leave Ohio stay OFF of this thread and quit your bullying. Obviously, it's NOT fine that people want to leave Ohio, because you (and others) keep telling them that they're stupid or crazy for wanting to do so. Then if that isn't enough, you have the nerve and audacity to accuse those who are working and paying taxes as being the leeches, the ones that want something for nothing.

Then you say that I'm angry and bitter that others like it and have actually found ways to be happy here? Really, is that so? Obviously, YOU and the other bully posters are angry and bitter that others who have lived here for 40 years plus want something different than what Ohio has to offer at this point. Did you EVER think, that just perhaps, people move on at some point in their life???

And "Ohio isn't doomed to failure" - who said that it was? Sounds to me like you're the one that's insinuating that someone said that. Maybe you're the one that secretly believes that it is and now you're transferring your belief onto other people. At this point, I do NOT care what the state of Ohio does or does not do. My husband and I have gone to school in Ohio our whole lives, have gone to college in Ohio, have graduated college in Ohio, have worked faithfully in Ohio and paid our taxes since I was 14 and he was 16 (the time we started working and paid taxes). So that means that we've paid Ohio taxes for 32 years. If that isn't enough "support" for Ohio, then that's too bad. Maybe the 2nd and 3rd generation Ohio welfare leaches have done much better than we have; they've offered Ohio so MUCH support. If "leach off the system" = "we support Ohio" - then by golly, we ARE the problem because we aren't leaching off of the system enough.

Finally, I thought that this thread was for the people "who are thinking of leaving Ohio." Who wants to post when they're going to get attacked? Perhaps that's your MO (and the MO of those like you). If Ohio works for you, fine. You have no right to attack and belittle those who post on this thread. I have no clue why you take it so personally or why it matters. Maybe you just need to know that you're right. If that's so, then fine, "Oh, you're right, oh you're so right, yeah, you're right" (done in the Marissa Tomei voice from "My Cousin Vinny").

This thread was going fine with a few interruptions from those who couldn't handle other people's comments. Now the people that are posting (that want to leave) have to have a running debate with the ones that want to stay. Why don't you (and the other Ohio die-hards) go to the Cleveland thread entitled "Are you staying or are you going"? That thread will at least offer you a voice and opinion on staying in Ohio.