Why Do People Leave Vermont? (Burlington, Rutland: work, health, houses)

[flu189]

Originally Posted by 68vette

We are at that point already. "Pass the budget" is what we have been hearing for the last few years now. One of the main reasons why our taxes are out of control. I work in health care and I only wished my benefits were as good. I'm not saying I need better benefits, but make it fair. Due to the union teaching jobs are hard to eliminate despite the decrease in the number of students statewide.

Bingo! The NEA in Vermont has got the legislature in a full nelson and until folks wake up and realize what schemes are played out in terms of special interests and the mantra "for the children" we will fall deeper into the sink hole. I have read quite a bit of the stuff that the NEA here puts out and to be quite honest when the time comes to leave a good amount of the credit will fall into their manipulation of feeding off of deep pockets.

[chaz longue]

Originally Posted by Grybas44

Ian...At least the cities you mentioned have had manufacturing to lose. Besides IBM, there are no large companies with higher paying jobs, and no large companies can or want to come here. Vermont makes it nearly impossible for them to open or to thrive if they do open. I am trying to figure how Burlington is thriving. Give examples...please!

Here's one example of a thriving Burlington business:
Burlington Free Press.com | Top Stories

David Beckett

[chaz longue]

Originally Posted by ian_m

sure......Plattsburgh, NY has done impressive things with its old air- force base.
i think i'm trying to simply say, "Burlington is nice" ---and will never attract a company that employs 15,000 people.

I think you're right in suggesting Burlington will never attract a company that employs 15,000 people...but Burlington (and other parts of VT) may simply continue to create successes like Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Vermont Teddybear, Ben and Jerry's, National Life, Fletcher Allen, Orvis, NRG, Seventh Generation, etc etc etc

Then there's iTech US inc, started in VT by a guy from India which grew 39,392 % (not a typo...) over the last five years.

I'm thinking that having dozens of very small businesses is even more attractive than relying on just a few large ones.

[68vette]

Originally Posted by chaz longue

I think you're right in suggesting Burlington will never attract a company that employs 15,000 people...but Burlington (and other parts of VT) may simply continue to create successes like Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Vermont Teddybear, Ben and Jerry's, National Life, Fletcher Allen, Orvis, NRG, Seventh Generation, etc etc etc

Then there's iTech US inc, started in VT by a guy from India which grew 39,392 % (not a typo...) over the last five years.

I'm thinking that having dozens of very small businesses is even more attractive than relying on just a few large ones.

I agree that it's safer to have more small businesses than a few large ones, but many of these small businesses are in for a real test and may end up reducing the number of employees they have or worse yet some of the newer buisnesses may fail. My gut feeling is that we are heading for a big recession. The bottom is droping out everywhere you look. Not just in Vermont , but nationwide. We use Green Mountain Coffee and Seventh Generation, but we are finding that we are needing to cut back more and more with the types of purchases we make and these are a few of the items we have had to replace with more affordable, comperable brands. These companies will survive, but the impact may hit the state for a long time if we end up in a deep recession that lasts for a while.

[flu189]

Just read where Blodgett the maker of commercial stoves/ovens needs to expand it's manufacturing space by 250,000 square feet here in Chittenden County. Will be curious to see how the state reacts and how the permitting obstacles will go. Let's hope that a suitable and timely solution will be found to keep another good sized employer and manufacturer here to help with the economy. Speaking of spending, this weekend has been sort of an economic summit at my house in that we now for the first time in a very long time have to actually cut costs and quite a few discretionary niceties will be on the chopping block. The sad thing is that these expenditures fall heavily on local merchants. Let's all hope that this cycle like a bad cold will run it's course and be as limited in duration as possible.

[ian_m]

Originally Posted by chaz longue

I think you're right in suggesting Burlington will never attract a company that employs 15,000 people...but Burlington (and other parts of VT) may simply continue to create successes like Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Vermont Teddybear, Ben and Jerry's, National Life, Fletcher Allen, Orvis, NRG, Seventh Generation, etc etc etc

Then there's iTech US inc, started in VT by a guy from India which grew 39,392 % (not a typo...) over the last five years.

I'm thinking that having dozens of very small businesses is even more attractive than relying on just a few large ones.

I agree completely. Relying on one big company is a huge mistake in a global economy. Americans simply cant compete w/ Asian wages.

[OhBeeHave]

Originally Posted by 68vette

We are at that point already. "Pass the budget" is what we have been hearing for the last few years now. One of the main reasons why our taxes are out of control. I work in health care and I only wished my benefits were as good. I'm not saying I need better benefits, but make it fair. Due to the union teaching jobs are hard to eliminate despite the decrease in the number of students statewide.

The teachers union has us by the throat here.

[1luvvt]

Originally Posted by OhBeeHave

The teachers union has us by the throat here.

i maybe mistaken but, i think NJ's teacher unions are the worst(or best, depending which side your on) in the country. again JMO. I personally don't think you can put a price on education, to me it is almost the most important thing to the country. on the other hand, i don't think it should cost the millions the buget claims they need. it is my opinion that if they had to itemize to the cent where money is being"spent" they wouldn't be able to acount for it all.
again sorry , JMO.

[GypsySoul22]

Originally Posted by OhBeeHave

The teachers union has us by the throat here.

It's the main problem taxes are so high on Long Island, Bee. (oh, and add to it local corruption, including stealing from the schools..)

[a1engineer]

Leaving Vermont???? I am starting a new position in Rutland next week.... Now I find this forum... lol!!! oh well, I'm only renting first. I have to say, the rental prices are higher there than here in Cleveland. What sucks is paying my mortgage here & also having to pay rent there until this place is sold.... To all the posts about the snow... I live in Cleveland... it is nothing I'm not used to.... can you say "lake effect"? lol the fuel tax is .20 cheaper than Ohio according to Mapquest. I know they have those stupid deposits on plastic bottles & cans. One thing I do find odd though is that most houses use heating oil..... Why no natural gas? Natural gas burns clean & is much cheaper.... What is up with that? All in all, I am looking forward to the move...