[TANaples]

My husband works for a small software house in Naples. For the past 6 years, his health insurance (Blue Cross) was employee free, with a $400 deductible and a $25 co pay for doctor visits. This year it is now $125 a month employee alone, with a $2,000 deductible and $50 co pays. My older daughter works for a retail store in NY. She has Blue Cross. Her monthly cost is nothing for employees. She has no deductible, and her co pay is $10 for doctor visits. I will not even go into what my younger daughter's school health insurance is in NYC is like in comparison to mine in a Florida school, or even her sister's private employer in NY. You probably wouldn't believe me. It would make you DROOL.

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by TANaples

My husband works for a small software house in Naples. For the past 6 years, his health insurance (Blue Cross) was employee free, with a $400 deductible and a $25 co pay for doctor visits. This year it is now $125 a month employee alone, with a $2,000 deductible and $50 co pays. My older daughter works for a retail store in NY. She has Blue Cross. Her monthly cost is nothing for employees. She has no deductible, and her co pay is $10 for doctor visits. I will not even go into what my younger daughter's school health insurance is in NYC is like in comparison to mine in a Florida school, or even her sister's private employer in NY. You probably wouldn't believe me. It would make you DROOL.

And the average New Yorker (New Jersey isn't far behind, although the new governor is changing things for the better) ends up paying some of the highest property, income taxes and sales taxes throughout the country to keep all of that spending going. Taxpayers in NY are held hostage by corrupt politicians who are bought and paid for by public sector unions for the police, teachers, firefighters etc. California has the same problem.

[TANaples]

Originally Posted by chopchop0

And the average New Yorker (New Jersey isn't far behind, although the new governor is changing things for the better) ends up paying some of the highest property, income taxes and sales taxes throughout the country to keep all of that spending going. Taxpayers in NY are held hostage by corrupt politicians who are bought and paid for by public sector unions for the police, teachers, firefighters etc. California has the same problem.

Yes, still cheaper than the $9,000 on LI, but my sister-in-law lives in Queens and pays $2,500. You do know that private homeowners in NYC pay less property taxes because of the commerical real estate base in the City?

My auto insurance also increased. Geico, which we had for over 20 years in NY, told us that it is not just based on you personally, but where you live. They told us that because there are more uninsured drivers, no state inspections, and the percentage of accidents, where we live in Florida is more expensive than LI. I pay about $125 for AC year round, and I paid $135 for gas heat on the budget plan in NY. Spread the payments out year round when I didn't need heat, or some months even AC. Cheaper to heat with gas than oil.

Generally, at least in Naples, cheaper for some things, more expensive for others, it just about amounts to a wash, since we also make less money in Naples than in NY.

[Jlopes26]

I payed $2500 in car insurance full coverage in nj and pay 900 now in sarasota.. Things vary but living down here is generally cheaper..

[Uuujjj]

Florida is #5 in the country for violent crime, # 3 for violent crime against children, 57.4% of high school graduation, one of the highest states for unemployment last heard 11.6%, one of the highest states for auto insurance, is a right to work state (employer can terminated an employee just because they do not like the glasses employee is wearing or the color of the outfit, etc), humidity is so high you feel like you have just stepped out of the shower before drying all the time, women's clothing choices are hoochy mamma, come to USA state or Florida to visit another country Spanish seems to be the primary language, etc. I detest living in Florida and can hardly wait to get the hell out of here. I moved here for a job that got outsourced to India not because I wanted to live here.

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by Uuujjj

Florida is #5 in the country for violent crime, # 3 for violent crime against children, 57.4% of high school graduation, one of the highest states for unemployment last heard 11.6%, one of the highest states for auto insurance, is a right to work state (employer can terminated an employee just because they do not like the glasses employee is wearing or the color of the outfit, etc), humidity is so high you feel like you have just stepped out of the shower before drying all the time, women's clothing choices are hoochy mamma, come to USA state or Florida to visit another country Spanish seems to be the primary language, etc. I detest living in Florida and can hardly wait to get the hell out of here. I moved here for a job that got outsourced to India not because I wanted to live here.

There are plenty of negatives you can list for NY/NJ, including some of the highest income, property and sales taxes in the country. NJ has plenty of violent crime too (Camden or Newark anyone?)

At least in FL, the median house price is far affordable in regards to median income here than in parts of NY and NJ near NYC.

[Mike1306]

Originally Posted by Uuujjj

Florida is #5 in the country for violent crime,WRONG # 3 for violent crime against children,WRONG 57.4% of high school graduation,WRONG one of the highest states for unemployment last heard 11.6%,Things are tough all over one of the highest states for auto insurance,WRONG is a right to work state Eliminated the untrue part, humidity is so high you feel like you have just stepped out of the shower before drying all the time,Florida's weather has been the same for hundreds of years, if you don't like warm weather don't move here women's clothing choices are hoochy mamma,Moronic come to USA state or Florida to visit another country Spanish seems to be the primary language, etc.If this was a thread about diversity the post would be exclaiming how great it was to be able to hear so many different languages in NY/NJ I detest living in Florida and can hardly wait to get the hell out of here. I moved here for a job that got outsourced to India not because I wanted to live here.

I am sure most of the people that know you probably can't wait for you to leave either.

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by Mike Peterson

I am sure most of the people that know you probably can't wait for you to leave either.

Another awesome post from Mike Peterson!

[southernnaturelover]

Originally Posted by Uuujjj

FL is a right to work state (employer can terminated an employee just because they do not like the glasses employee is wearing or the color of the outfit, etc),

Where do you people come up with this stuff. LOL

[ktobia23]

Originally Posted by compelled to reply

Sounds like a crazy block! I have no burglaries, thefts, vandalism to report in 6 years. No sex offenders in my neighborhood or near my neighborhood. Homicide not far away though- although it was suspected to be suicide, it was a mentally unstable couple from Sri Lanka.

And as you said, it's a city, crap happens. I don't exactly feel immune to burglary or crime out here,and you better believe my doors are locked every night (I would lock them if I lived in a small town), but I live in the kind of neighborhood where my neighbors look out for each other and we keep things secure.

And yes, it's true that the northeastern states are safer than southern states. Broward actually does have low crime rate compared to some other FL counties, but it's still not exactly low. The suburbs outside of NYC are some of the safest in the country and in the city...well, depends on where you are but overall it's not as bad as others.

Where do you live in Florida? My family may have to make a move and selling our house in NJ to FL would leave us no mortgage and 1/4 of the property tax. I am looking at Wellington. The school rating is a 4-5 (A) but is crime really that much worse than Jersey? Is it because Jersey is the size of one of Floridas cities?