[JViello]

Originally Posted by Yankeerose00

Jviello you have a hard decision because you have so much family in CT. When I was younger I didn't care as much but I found the older I got, family played a role in where to live. Had we had family in CT, it would have been very hard to leave. Plus growing up in a place definitely gives you more roots. So I can't imagine how hard your decision is going to be.

Yea, it really sucks. I really have to look in the mirror and decide if I'm going/willing to be one of those dads that my kids remember "worked a lot" and "missed stuff" just so I can give them a good quality of life. (Decent house, relatively safe town, good schools, enough money to get them started in college or business when the time comes etc.) There is also our own personal lives to consider such as retirement.

I am currently looking into a local municiple job that pays about $20.00 per hour. Good pay by most standards, especially when you factor in benefits.

However, just to afford what we have, I will have no choice but to work in my business at night and on Saturday to make ends meet. ($40K per year - $20 per hour, doesn't go very far here in CT.)

As I've said many times in the past. Aside from my work truck, my wife's car and our very modest ranch home...we don't spend much or have many other obligations. Having a $2300 per month mortgage payment on a ranch home in Manchester...to be blunt, sucks.

Originally Posted by dazzleman

However, I do question whether I can stay here once I retire. The combination of the high cost of living and high taxes might be too much. I also worry about the prospects for a lot of young people, who find it necessary to leave the state in order to start their lives.

Part of the issue is something beyond our control -- high housing costs. This has been caused, IMO, by a too-loose monetary policy that keeps housing prices artificially inflated. And places near major population/job centers are most affected by this. So there's not a lot we as a state can do about this; it's more a problem of national policy.

In the past I've mentioned what I consider a fairly bad "bubble" that's going to burst here. Retirees. Many parents in the early 90's told their kids to not bother with CT after college...and indeed there is a gap in our demographics that correlates with that age group.

Well, those parents - 20 some odd years later, are now looking at retirement in the face. Will they stay? I don't think so. I think many...many will move to lower tax and COL states, and/or go where their kids settled to live out their days as grandparents etc. We are a very "gray" state. That's going to have a huge impact on housing, employment (Will all of our headquartered companies that set up campuses in GA, NC etc rehire here or mothball basic operations and hire in Georgia?) and our economy overall.

This is real, it's not hype, it's not hate it's not any of that stuff. I'm genuinely concerned about the future of this state.

Having a healthy interest in demography and sociology and a degree (It's how I found CD to begin with. lol) I can tell you I'm not guessing at this. I see this in our demographics, our social climate and in my own experience sampling 3-5 lives and homes a day with my business.

Originally Posted by jp03

Oh man did this OP stir up a hornets nest..you guys all fell right into the trap. I know many people in CT and most love living there. All agree there are problems though ..especially with taxes and a ridiculously high cost of living, but "in trouble" ? no more than anywhere else.

Nah, he didn't set up anything. BigHouse has been on here for years. Probably even gave you advice when you were looking to relocate to Charlotte 3-4 years ago.

I'll tell you this...there are a lot, LOT of people up here who are fed up and not happy with what's going on. This last governor election and tax increase has been the straw that broke the back of a lot of people.

Originally Posted by itscolduphere

I think a lot of us have tried to politely tell the poster of this type that we're tiring of it.

My problem is my "polite" fuse is pretty short with some people and I get in big trouble and suspended for saying "Your f*cking crazy...take your medication and S-T-F-U". Call it being a brash blue collar jobsite kind of guy sometimes when pushed. Sorry. I'll never forget seeing the newb almost crying about an infected sliver while one of the old dogs was digging his own out with a razor knife not saying word. Talk about perspective.

[bobtn]

JViello"Retirees. Many parents in the early 90's told their kids to not bother with CT after college...and indeed there is a gap in our demographics that correlates with that age group.

Well, those parents - 20 some odd years later, are now looking at retirement in the face. Will they stay? I don't think so. I think many...many will move to lower tax and COL states, and/or go where their kids settled to live out their days as grandparents etc. We are a very "gray" state. That's going to have a huge impact on housing, employment (Will all of our headquartered companies that set up campuses in GA, NC etc rehire here or mothball basic operations and hire in Georgia?) and our economy overall."

Sounds like my family. In the 90s, with extended family, there were over 50 Ct residents. Today, there are 8 (3 65 plus, 2 60-65, and in aggregate, far below avg US income, so they do receive more in services than the taxes they presently pay) . In 20 years, 7 of the older ones died. That leaves 35 or so elsewhere , over 2/3 in a handful of states. That group-Almost all at minimum have Bachelor's degrees, many MBAs, two lawyers, and not many children of their own. That means 35 who collectively pay several times their cost in services. That is a microcosm of why demographics matter. Few pay precisely the cost of the services they use, and for a state to be healthy, more must be "net payers" than "net takers".

[Dude111]

Originally Posted by dazzleman

I'm guessing the utilities cut the size of their crews in order to save money, and now they're paying for it. This is what is being done across American business. There's nothing unique here.

Yup and its quite sad.......

Important things like this SHOULD NOT BE COMPROMISED LIKE THIS!

[JViello]

Originally Posted by bobtn

Sounds like my family. In the 90s, with extended family, there were over 50 Ct residents. Today, there are 8 (3 65 plus, 2 60-65, and in aggregate, far below avg US income, so they do receive more in services than the taxes they presently pay) . In 20 years, 7 of the older ones died. That leaves 35 or so elsewhere , over 2/3 in a handful of states. That group-Almost all at minimum have Bachelor's degrees, many MBAs, two lawyers, and not many children of their own. That means 35 who collectively pay several times their cost in services. That is a microcosm of why demographics matter. Few pay precisely the cost of the services they use, and for a state to be healthy, more must be "net payers" than "net takers".

Interesting. Small sample size, but relevant non the less.

Originally Posted by Dude111

Yup and its quite sad.......

Important things like this SHOULD NOT BE COMPROMISED LIKE THIS!

You can have whatever you want if you are willing to pay for it. Used to be a SNET tech was always "nearby" but long distance was 30 cents a minute too.

[bobtn]

JViello, I knew many families with similar histories. Ct is amongst nations leaders in loss of 18-30 kids , with a higher percentage of them college-educated than the state average. One of the business mags studied college-grad migration last year to/from major cities, comparing in vs outbound. States almost never lose those who use vast services, and pay no tax, just as families don't lose the cousin sleeping on the couch for free, who refuses to work. So not losing 18-30 is critical for the demographic reasons you previously detailed well. The ratio of payers to users drops radically if the 18-30 wave bye-bye once they start to progress from baggers at Stop & Shop to true, middle class and beyond, wage earners.

[DanaMarley]

Originally Posted by Dude111

Yup and its quite sad.......

Important things like this SHOULD NOT BE COMPROMISED LIKE THIS!

That's a very good point, one I've been struggling to make since I got here!

That ended how many lives? 4, 8? well, I guess it doesn't matter to the indifferent ones in this state, like mels, who won't even LET you voice your opinion, if you're afraid your safety is endangered!
He called me "whining" b/c I posted an article about a pitbull roaming loose in Middletown which had killed someone's pet and attacked a guy two times!

Considerin how god awful expensive CT is to live in, these days, then WHY do people have to pay SO much money to literally have their lives put in danger, when the power goes out?

To me, that's just a giant ripoff and tyranny. I mean, let's face it, CL&P is basically a monopoly!
I'm glad there's leglislators who are getting in & conducting reviews. I say that Butler needs to go! This doesn't need to happen again... but I'm fearing it will if they keep him on!

[Arm&Hammer]

^ This lady is a broken record I cant even stop laughing here LOL

[JayCT]

This thread has turned into a rant so I am therefore closing it down. JayCT, Moderator