leaving wisconsin survey (Milwaukee, Madison, Two Rivers: 2010, sales tax, cost of living)

[notmuch69]

Great attitude! I love Wisconsin for the simple, small town, country, outdoor life that it has to offer. I would probably feel much different living in a Wisconsin city.

[BrianPK]

I have a post in the Milwaukee section of this forum in the "I love Milwaukee but I gotta leave" thread. It details the taxes,weather, etc. One thing I noticed on this thread is people complaining about the wind. Milwaukee is the 7th windiest city in the USA.

We have everything we own up for sale and intend to relocate to the upstate of South Carolina. The loss of business in this state is incredible, and, no one is going to come in and fill the gap. Jobs are leaving and none are coming.

Search for the "Rich states, Poor states" report on Google. It is a long report but worthwhile reading. When you look at the Wisconsin population table the outflows in the last 5 years are tremendous. The state and local governments will continue to go to the "property tax well" to fill the void.

I did a comparison between two similar properties, one in Greenfield, WI (Mlwaukee county suburb) and a property in Greenville,South Carolina. Both suburban homes sold recently for $369,000. The taxes on the house in Wis. were $7900 per year. The taxes on the home in SC were $1480.

Even if I am to be unemployed due to the recession I would rather pay lower taxes and be warm. I'll last longer before I hit the soup lines.

Good Bye, Wisconsin

[ccjarider]

I am guessing from the damage the Democrat legislature and Governor did to the state budget this week; there will be a lot more people posting to this question. Last one out of WI, turn out the lights!

[rbehs]

I grew up in Wisconsin, but left when I was in high school. Now I live in California, but have returned to Wisconsin many times to visit friends. There are a lot of things I miss about Wisconsin, and a couple things I don't.

Things I miss:

Country roads through rolling, verdant farmland.
Friendly bars where you can get a pizza and beer and watch a football game.
Cross-country skiing.
The convenience stores that serve as small grocery stores/fast food outlets/general stores for tiny towns.
Waterskiing at the lake in the summer.

Things I don't miss:

Late winter/early spring
Lack of good asian food
When I return to visit, there do seem to be a number of people out in public who don't seem to care about their appearance. Not sure if this is a sign of changing economy/culture or what, but it's something I don't remember growing up.

[Latrice McCullough]

I want to leave Wisconsin because: the weather is too unpredictable, there's not a lot of places to go for fun, the people here are either snooty, too ghetto or just plain ole boring. Wisconsin is too segregated.

[suecen]

Brian: Agree, agree, agree. I'm going to check into Greeneville as well - property taxes are killing me here; don't know how long I can keep paying them and we know they'll go up.I can't count anymore how many people I know have left this state. I stay now basically for my mother and until daughter graduates college. I'd like to enjoy whatever life I have left in the warmth and not working myself to death paying high taxes on a small condo with no land.

[suecen]

P.S. Again, heavy winds here yesterday - bad hair day everyday - ha!

[Milwaukee City]

I live in the 5th Ward, wind is always here I feel like I live right on the beach with all the wind I have however on a 95 degree day you won't here me complaining!!! When I open my row house door I feel like I'm walking into the metrodome!

[notmuch69]

I know Wisconsin property taxes are high but other states that don't have high property taxes probably make up for it somewhere else.
- I know here in Phoenix the sales tax is around 8.5%, I think it's only 5% in Wisconsin.
- Our monthly water/trash bill is $95, never lived in the city in Wisconsin so I don't know what it costs there.
- Vehicle registration license tax in Arizona every year costs about $250 for every $10K that the vehicle is worth ($500 annually for a $20K vehicle), I think it's just a flat $40 or so in Wisconsin.
- Auto insurance is high in Arizona, we pay $200 a month for an 08 Nissan Titan, 08 Nisan Altima, and a 2000 Pontiac Grand Am. I'm 40, my wife is 33, and we have clean records. When I purchased a car in Wisconsin a few years ago the insurance was $40 a month, when I registered and insured it in AZ the insurance went to $120.

We'll probably save $5k+ a year just from those expenses when we move back to WI.

[BacktoNE]

I LOVE these cool breezy Spring days. This is the first time since we moved here 3 years ago that we have gotten thru the entire month of May without turning on the A/C. (I have NO tolerance for heat)

We are, finally, approaching the end of the to-do list to get this "fixer upper" finished and back on the market. Should be listed immediately after July 4th. Then as soon as it sells, we are going home. It's no cheaper back there, but it's home. Friendlier people, ocean, mountains... can't wait.