[flu189]

Originally Posted by mustmove

If this does attract a significant gay population it won't do much for the lowest birthrate in the Nation. Them expensive VT schools are going to be empty.

Last week the state announced that for the 13th straight year the student population in Vermont has dropped by over 1,000 students per year. In contrast the operating expenses and increases in staff has increased in each and every of those years. It's an amazingly strong rubber band we are stretching, but eventually it will have to snap. Let's just hope that any new in- migration comes with established assets and portfolios.

[ex-springfielder]

Vermont will probably see a spike in unemployment in the next month as the ski areas close down and the seasonal workers are laid off. I moved to maine a couple years ago, I still have lots of family in Vermont and read the Rutland Herald online every day and nothing has changed. You regularly read about companies closing or consolidating their operations in some plant they have in another state, you never hear about a company closing their plant in another state and consolidating their operations in vermont. Even Ben & Jerry's closed their plants in Springfield and Bellows Falls. Vermont is presently governed by liberals who concentrate on social causes like gay marriage or green causes like the anti nuclear group, or the anti development groups or the anti everything groups and of course social welfare for anyone and everyone while ignoring the reality of the state of the economy. It's a cycle that cannot sustain itself no more than the housing boom could. You cannot raise taxes 5% or more every year while earnings only go up 2% or less. I feel sorry for my family back in vermont, they have all lived there their entire lives just as I had and for the older members moving isn't something they will ever consider, they were born there and will die there. For me moving out of state was one of the best decisions I ever made and one I don't regret. As Flu189 mentions the states number of students declined for the 13th year, so vermonts younger generation is moving out and the population is aging, I think vermont is in for some tough years ahead. I can go back to visit whenever I want to ski or to look at the scenery, I don't need to pay the price to live there.

[leggo]

Originally Posted by Rubyduby in GA

My husband and I are looking into fleeing the backwards idiots that have taken over Georgia. We're extremely liberal so we feel like we're drowning in Christian Coalition land.

We would like to find out where some of the more progressive areas of VT are so we can look into possibly relocating to the state.

Come on up - Brattleboro is the epicenter of Liberalness in Vermont. You'll fit right in.

You can take my spot up here in the Liberal Great North As a native Vermonter who no longer recognizes my home state, I am glad to give it up to you.

I am heading down to the South in 13 months to join the rest of muh poorly edumacated brethren and "cling to my guns and religion."

But please don't come back, even after you have enough of the cold, snow, outrageous taxes and intrusive government policies that get shoved down your throat.

Enjoy!

[GrnMtnFire]

Originally Posted by brattpowered

Windham County is probably the epicenter of all things liberal in Vermont.

never been to Burlington/Chittenden County have you?

[GrnMtnFire]

Originally Posted by Smash255

Unemployment rate as of Feb

Vermont 7.0
Georgia 9.3

remember its based on population

9,544,750 vs. 621,254

[GrnMtnFire]

Originally Posted by flu189

Last week the state announced that for the 13th straight year the student population in Vermont has dropped by over 1,000 students per year.

And yet the taxes keep going up? 3/4 of mine (when I was living there) went to the schools!

[flu189]

Originally Posted by GrnMtnFire

And yet the taxes keep going up? 3/4 of mine (when I was living there) went to the schools!

Same here. This year I am looking at yet another 8% increase in property taxes and the lions share to education. God knows I value education as my entire entire family has achieved post secondary degrees, but this is getting absurd with the expenditures on K-12. It can only go on so long, but I know that any remedy, if in fact there ever will be one, will come long after we are gone.

[Smash255]

Originally Posted by GrnMtnFire

remember its based on population

9,544,750 vs. 621,254

Population really doesn't mean much when we are talking about unemployment rates. Total amount of people unemployed? Yes. The actual unemployment rate and % itself? No.

Fact of the matter is outside of perhaps portions of the northern plains & inter-mountain west the entire country has been hit hard by the economic downturn. Vermont has fared slightly better than the middle of the pack, where states like Georgia have been hit a bit worse.

[arctichomesteader]

Originally Posted by Smash255

Population really doesn't mean much when we are talking about unemployment rates. Total amount of people unemployed? Yes. The actual unemployment rate and % itself? No.

Fact of the matter is outside of perhaps portions of the northern plains & inter-mountain west the entire country has been hit hard by the economic downturn. Vermont has fared slightly better than the middle of the pack, where states like Georgia have been hit a bit worse.

Can't lose what you don't have. VT was already in about the state of economy those other states are now during a recession (depression?), during a booming economy. As the economy hits VT more with more and more job losses it'll get worse...

[Smash255]

Originally Posted by arctichomesteader

Can't lose what you don't have. VT was already in about the state of economy those other states are now during a recession (depression?), during a booming economy. As the economy hits VT more with more and more job losses it'll get worse...

Pretty much all of those states were in worse economic shape than Vermont even during the boom times.