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If Buffalo really is turning a corner, then I'm glad to hear it. But that's hard to square with the continuing population decline not just of Buffalo proper but the entire metropolitan area. It's possible the Census estimates are wrong though. I suppose we'll find out for sure after the 2010 census.
Well according to the Census Bureau's estimates, it won't be good at all:
Population Estimates (http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/SUB-EST2007.html - broken link)
Buffalo will have lost the fifth greatest percentage of its population in cities over 100,000.
Buffalo will have lost ~20,000 people, or 6.8% of the population, leaving the population at about 272,600 down from 292,600
It's bad. It's time to stop saying "Buffalo is the greatest city in the history of mankind and we need no changes." We need lower taxes right now! It's not a lost cause, but it will be before long if businesses keep leaving and staying away because of stupid Liberals who think that more entitlement spending is worthwhile because "rich" businesses can afford it. There are smart Liberals who realize that we need businesses to come to WNY if we want the area to survive, and we need tax cuts today. Unfortunately in NY they are few and far between. I have never been to a place where regular folks believe that the solution that will make our already overtaxed area more hospitable to new residents is more new taxes (as they have just past this month).
I will sadly be leaving, and it stinks. All my friends live here (well, many have moved, actually) and moving to a place where you know no one is so tough, and I don't want to. Unfortunately, I need to live in a place where I can thrive and not have the government's so deep in my pocket that I lose half my money each paycheck.
I'm not the only one, ask the other 20,000 people who left, and the countless others that are packing to move elsewhere. They agree with me for the most part.
This area has a cloud over it and no one cares to do anything about it. We just leave for greener pastures.
Sorry you feel you have to leave. I've done the "trying to make a life in a declining rust belt city" thing. It probably hits you harder than it hit me since I had only lived in Pittsburgh for less than 2 years. But the ex and I really liked it and we wanted to stay. But we couldn't justify working for just enough pay to get by when others elsewhere were willing to pay us what we were worth. So we ended up back home.
Sorry you feel you have to leave. I've done the "trying to make a life in a declining rust belt city" thing. It probably hits you harder than it hit me since I had only lived in Pittsburgh for less than 2 years. But the ex and I really liked it and we wanted to stay. But we couldn't justify working for just enough pay to get by when others elsewhere were willing to pay us what we were worth. So we ended up back home.
I hear ya! But why Chicago?!? I would have picked a place with more sun
As far as a can tell Chicago and Illinois as a whole are reasonable tax-wise, and it must be nice to live in a city where you can see new construction (that is actually beautiful, the Spire, right?).
I personally I am going to look at Clarkson TN, Roanoke VA, Greenville SC, or anywhere in Texas, once I graduate next year.
I hear ya! But why Chicago?!? I would have picked a place with more sun
As far as a can tell Chicago and Illinois as a whole are reasonable tax-wise, and it must be nice to live in a city where you can see new construction (that is actually beautiful, the Spire, right?).
I personally I am going to look at Clarkson TN, Roanoke VA, Greenville SC, or anywhere in Texas, once I graduate next year.
Why Chicago? Because 1) I like four full seasons, and b) it's home.
As for being reasonable tax-wise... you know, if they don't get you here, they'll get you there instead. The income tax in Illinois is only 3%. But the sales tax ranges anywhere from 7.25% to 11.25%, depending on where you buy stuff. Property taxes are outrageous here too, though they're usually worse in the suburbs than in the city itself because the city has a huge business and industrial sector in its tax base so they don't have to hit residents as hard. But out in the suburbs it can be absolutely brutal. My parents pay about $8,000 a year on a home valued at around $300K. And as for the city, they also make up a fair chunk of their budget by giving you parking tickets for the stupidest things, many of which have absolutely nothing to do with the way you've parked. They're not even above lying about where you've parked in order to turn a non-violation into a violation, and then when you fight it, it's your word against theirs and strangely enough their word always wins. Between parking tickets and red-light cameras, the city generates over 200 million dollars a year.
Buffalo will have lost ~20,000 people, or 6.8% of the population, leaving the population at about 272,600 down from 292,600
It's bad. It's time to stop saying "Buffalo is the greatest city in the history of mankind and we need no changes." We need lower taxes right now! It's not a lost cause, but it will be before long if businesses keep leaving and staying away because of stupid Liberals who think that more entitlement spending is worthwhile because "rich" businesses can afford it. There are smart Liberals who realize that we need businesses to come to WNY if we want the area to survive, and we need tax cuts today. Unfortunately in NY they are few and far between. I have never been to a place where regular folks believe that the solution that will make our already overtaxed area more hospitable to new residents is more new taxes (as they have just past this month).
I will sadly be leaving, and it stinks. All my friends live here (well, many have moved, actually) and moving to a place where you know no one is so tough, and I don't want to. Unfortunately, I need to live in a place where I can thrive and not have the government's so deep in my pocket that I lose half my money each paycheck.
I'm not the only one, ask the other 20,000 people who left, and the countless others that are packing to move elsewhere. They agree with me for the most part.
This area has a cloud over it and no one cares to do anything about it. We just leave for greener pastures.
You're out of your mind if you think the debt is due to 'stupid liberals'. You conservatives love to throw that around and I call B.S. Here is the bottom line, one party doesn't spend any less then the other. You have witnessed 8 yrs of an administration who dumped an unfathomable amount of money we dont even have into a war we don't even know how to fight. That DIRECTLY effects how we are taxed at the local level. Our local politicans arent going to cut their precious services or payrolls because W. had a war and cut off aid. If the governement lowers taxes the local raises them, some way or another you will pay. The only decision you need to make is how it is spent.
Nobody ever claimed that this is the greatest city in the world, you are posts are dripping wet with cry baby tears. true Buffalonians will be glad to see you leave since your negative morale is exhuasting to say the least.
If you don't like the current state of affairs so much, try being proactive and make change.
I hear ya! But why Chicago?!? I would have picked a place with more sun
As far as a can tell Chicago and Illinois as a whole are reasonable tax-wise, and it must be nice to live in a city where you can see new construction (that is actually beautiful, the Spire, right?).
I personally I am going to look at Clarkson TN, Roanoke VA, Greenville SC, or anywhere in Texas, once I graduate next year.
I would be careful in choosing places like the ones you mentioned and do proper research. The South is still pretty poor compared to the North and you might not get as good services down there. Crime is prevalent in many cities down there such as Memphis, Atlanta, and Dallas as it is up here so you won't be getting away from it. With the economic downturn, many places aren't even hiring anymore. The situation with taxes may come to shock you too.
You're out of your mind if you think the debt is due to 'stupid liberals'. You conservatives love to throw that around and I call B.S. Here is the bottom line, one party doesn't spend any less then the other. You have witnessed 8 yrs of an administration who dumped an unfathomable amount of money we dont even have into a war we don't even know how to fight. That DIRECTLY effects how we are taxed at the local level. Our local politicans arent going to cut their precious services or payrolls because W. had a war and cut off aid. If the governement lowers taxes the local raises them, some way or another you will pay. The only decision you need to make is how it is spent.
You just don't see. We are the highest taxed state. I am not talking about the Federal tax levels. NY is the highest taxed state, Erie the 4th highest taxed county. Regardless of the amount of "aid" cut off, we are still number 1. That's the point. Yes W wasted tons of money, and anyone who doesn't acknowledge that is an idiot (so is anyone who doesn't acknowledge Obama is).
Let me put it very simply in ESL words for you: US government taxes have gone up for the whole country, every state is equal in the amount they pay in Federal taxes. Where they aren't equal is state and county taxes. Buffalo is the fourth highest in that metric. So while local governments may have to increase tax rates because of "Bush's illegal and immoral war of oil" and no other reason, it goes up more in Buffalo because the government doesn't realize that we need to cut entitlement spending.
You can try and spin our high taxes and deflect all you want, but most reasonable people know it doesn't add up. Surely you do too.
I would be careful in choosing places like the ones you mentioned and do proper research. The South is still pretty poor compared to the North and you might not get as good services down there. Crime is prevalent in many cities down there such as Memphis, Atlanta, and Dallas as it is up here so you won't be getting away from it. With the economic downturn, many places aren't even hiring anymore. The situation with taxes may come to shock you too.
I know that taxes are high in some of the South, but not those places, and they are all pretty high in average income. I have visited the South a lot, and the really poor parts and the inner city and rural areas (more the rural areas though). The South isn't really as poor as Northerners stereotype it as being. If you stay in cities it's fine there, but I wouldn't wander to places I don't know.
I will never step up to defend our local politicians. 99% just hide from reality and feed from the trough. By your stats, we are the 4 highest taxed county in America? We have some of the cheapest housing and that offsets alot. What you might not realize is that those lovely low tax areas of the nation have an awful lot of neighborhood association dues and HOA fees which at the end of the day are nothing more then a private tax. Its rough all over
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