[pvjd]

For me, my problem was maintaining decent employment. My ex and I could only afford an apartment in the not so great end of Rutland, and once current jobs fell through it was hard to find anything else, especially that offered benefits, paid leave, etc. I worked at a couple of kennels and pet stores, did warehouse work, etc. She eventually moved away, and I moved back to Alabama. Cost of gas, car insurance, etc. was so high. If I didn't have such a nice landlord I probably would have been evicted.

[GypsySoul22]

Originally Posted by Dockside

And that to me is Vermont. It's beautiful, but it's hard. To make ends meet you have to work two or three jobs.

This is what one person told me a few months ago. She said to me, well I worked 3 jobs at one point.

I've worked 2 in my life (while saving for grad school) but that was when I was much younger and without a husband or child.

Life is too short for me to spend it scrapping just to get by.

I have a husband who currently works nights (which is not a pleasant life for any of us). I am hoping to get something 'family friendly' so he can eventually segue into working days again. But I doubt he will get anything that pays what nights pay.

The sad part is there are very rich people in Vermont. They are called second home owners. They live here part time and hang out in cities like Boston and Manhattan the other part of the year.

However, thankfully, we are simple people who want simple things.

We keep debating whether we will 'stay or go'...the deal breaker is if I can get a job very soon. If not, we are 'out of here'. (where, I do not know.)

My son is doing well as school but no matter 'what' if we do stay, we will leave as soon as he graduates high school. We will not stay and grow old in Vermont.

I'm sorry liberals from NY have ruined Vermont.

[ex-springfielder]

Times are changing everywhere across the country. The northeast was an industrial power until the mid 20th century because of the abundance of water power to drive the mills. As the world shrank and shipping became quicker and cheaper more of those jobs went overseas and vermont has been left with the one thing that can't be shipped out, it's natural beauty. I was born and lived nearly 60 years in vermont but now I'm in southern Maine and very glad I made the move. Like many who hate change I moved out of necessity to find a decent paying job, but since I moved I've come to find out I like this new location very much and am sure there are hundreds of other locations throughout the country I could have moved to and enjoyed just as much. The three northern New England states are very similar in climate and safe living but Vermont is the most expensive and offers the least opportunity for it's people. I have to agree with Gypsy soul, I too feel the demise of the real Vermont is the result of rich New Yorkers moving in and taking positions of power in the government and leading vermont on a course completely different than the yankee values it's reputation was built on.

[quickdraw]

Originally Posted by ex-springfielder

Times are changing everywhere across the country. The northeast was an industrial power until the mid 20th century because of the abundance of water power to drive the mills. As the world shrank and shipping became quicker and cheaper more of those jobs went overseas and vermont has been left with the one thing that can't be shipped out, it's natural beauty. I was born and lived nearly 60 years in vermont but now I'm in southern Maine and very glad I made the move. Like many who hate change I moved out of necessity to find a decent paying job, but since I moved I've come to find out I like this new location very much and am sure there are hundreds of other locations throughout the country I could have moved to and enjoyed just as much. The three northern New England states are very similar in climate and safe living but Vermont is the most expensive and offers the least opportunity for it's people. I have to agree with Gypsy soul, I too feel the demise of the real Vermont is the result of rich New Yorkers moving in and taking positions of power in the government and leading vermont on a course completely different than the yankee values it's reputation was built on.

It's funny, the country sees Vermont as full of liberals, but we have a Republican governor and even liberal Burlington just missed electing a Republican mayor on a second tie-breaker.

The people often seen as liberal "Vermonters" are transplants. There are a lot more conservative natives than people think here, they just don't end up in the newspapers or on television.

[Skiptomylou]

Originally Posted by quickdraw

It's funny, the country sees Vermont as full of liberals, but we have a Republican governor and even liberal Burlington just missed electing a Republican mayor on a second tie-breaker.

The people often seen as liberal "Vermonters" are transplants. There are a lot more conservative natives than people think here, they just don't end up in the newspapers or on television.

A Republican Governor doesn't mean much when the legislature is loaded up with liberals. They can just override his veto, like they recently have.

As for natives versus transplants yeah liberals love to move on in. Jez, look at some of these threads. WE NEED TO ESCAPE OUR BIBLE THUMPING NEIGHBORS HELL WE WILL EVEN PAY MORE TAXES AND TAKE PAY CUTS TO LEAVE>

It's ok though as long as our youth....oh wait a second they leave in droves

[Brave Stranger]

Originally Posted by GypsySoul22

This is what one person told me a few months ago. She said to me, well I worked 3 jobs at one point.

I've worked 2 in my life (while saving for grad school) but that was when I was much younger and without a husband or child.

Life is too short for me to spend it scrapping just to get by.

I have a husband who currently works nights (which is not a pleasant life for any of us). I am hoping to get something 'family friendly' so he can eventually segue into working days again. But I doubt he will get anything that pays what nights pay.

The sad part is there are very rich people in Vermont. They are called second home owners. They live here part time and hang out in cities like Boston and Manhattan the other part of the year.

However, thankfully, we are simple people who want simple things.

We keep debating whether we will 'stay or go'...the deal breaker is if I can get a job very soon. If not, we are 'out of here'. (where, I do not know.)

My son is doing well as school but no matter 'what' if we do stay, we will leave as soon as he graduates high school. We will not stay and grow old in Vermont.

I'm sorry liberals from NY have ruined Vermont.

Look at NH......nuch better job situation, even in these down times.

[momnh]

NH's unemployment rate is rapidly approaching VT's. And VT was only one of two states that did not see an increase in unemployment in the US in May. Look on the bright side, with our small population there is less competition for the jobs that open up.

With unemployment in double digits in over 12 states (14% in Michigan!), I feel grateful that VT's rate is only 7.3%.

I know it's bad out there. I just wanted to focus on what's good, comparatively.

[Brave Stranger]

The NH unemployment rate is 6.4% and it's flat, not racing to catch up to VT. NH historically is a much more stable state for employment. So GypsySoul22 look into it yourself, and don't just take the word of a poster with an axe to grind.

[momnh]

NH's rate went up to 6.5 while VT stayed flat at 7.3. There is now only .8 pts difference when there was 1-2 pts spread in the past. Also, the NH #s don't reflect the many, many people in southern NH that are on MA unemployment. I live in NH so I know it's not shangri-la over here. I don't have an axe to grind at all. I know many people out of work. I'm just trying to be realistic and not dump on VT.

[Brave Stranger]

Originally Posted by momnh

NH's rate went up to 6.5 while VT stayed flat at 7.3. There is now only .8 pts difference when there was 1-2 pts spread in the past. Also, the NH #s don't reflect the many, many people in southern NH that are on MA unemployment. I live in NH so I know it's not shangri-la over here. I don't have an axe to grind at all. I know many people out of work. I'm just trying to be realistic and not dump on VT.

I don't know, or care what your deal is since I was not addressing you. If you read my first post I stated things were "down" in NH too. I never said NH was perfect, and I never "dumped" on VT.....seems you are projecting here. Anyway......as I said to the OP NH has a better job history than VT, and that's a fact.