[MisterNY]

Florida Exodus: Rising Taxes Drive Out Residents - Yahoo! News (http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20090903/us_time/08599191991600 - broken link)

Wild Style and I have been saying this for quite some time. Articles have been written a few times over the issue.

Florida leaders/politicians must have fallen on their heads a few times growing up.

Things are getting worse. These clowns have no clue what they're doing.


This article hit the nail on the head. Good read, then let's discuss it.

[Moderate Guy]

Originally Posted by MisterNY

Florida Exodus: Rising Taxes Drive Out Residents - Yahoo! News (http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20090903/us_time/08599191991600 - broken link)

Wild Style and I have been saying this for quite some time. Articles have been written a few times over the issue.

Florida leaders/politicians must have fallen on their heads a few times growing up.

Things are getting worse. These clowns have no clue what they're doing.


This article hit the nail on the head. Good read, then let's discuss it.

A very well-written, poignant, insightful article, MisterNY.

It's alarming that the magnitude of such mismangement, nepotism, incompetence, and fiscal irresponsibility could continue unabated.

The days of champagne and caviar should have long since expired and been buried alongside the other relics of lavish lifestyles and splendor from the boom days that are no longer the order of the day.

It's not the heat and humidity alone that's driving a net outflow. Heat and humidity have always been a part of Florida's legacy, a price one willingly paid to enjoy the glamorous winter months in the Sunshine State. It's the inability of public officials to trim their lifestyles, the reluctance to come to terms with the fact that the nation's fourth most populous state, and perhaps most popular one, can no longer operate in an environment of bureaucaric incompetence and fiscal irresponsibilty - and still retain its luster and splendor.

The article is a reminder and a wake up call to what's wrong with Florida today and what needs to be done to set it right - both for its current and prospective residents.

[**NoodLes**]

Its amazing how such a beautiful state can have the most idiotic and incompetent people running it.

They can't get property taxes right, they can't count votes right, they increase the tolls, driver license and vehicle registrations are almost doubling, all this during a recession and employers cutting hours and benefits. Floriduhhhhh!!!!!

[FLBob]

While taxation and insurance are problems in Florida, I think there is a lot to do about this latest data point of 58000 reduction in the population of Florida.

Compared to the rate of growth we were experiencing (1100 a day for over 2 years) we are talking about 56 days of people leaving the state in one years time.

During the over growth period, many of the people that came to reside here were people in the construction business, many left to find work else where ... Like New Orleans and Galveston.

Some of the influx of people into this state has moderated as retirees are unable to sell their homes to be able to move here.

In relative terms Florida is a very young state. The majority of the population has only arrived here in the past 25 years. Managing the doubling of population over that period of time is a monumental task. Especially when so many want things to be done like they did it up north.

I think government grew with the expectation that population would continue to grow at the rate of 1000 people everyday. Now that that has stopped, well the bills are the same but the revenue is reduced. Hopefully each taxing district will work to reign in spending, although when you've built the infrastructure for growth - schools, water treatment, police etc... it's hard to cut back.

Insurance companies have moved into the state while the large insurers are cutting back. I was surprised when I checked the states web site www.shopandcomparerates.com that I was paying at the top end of the scale and could save almost $1500 by changing companies. I also discovered that by getting a wind mitigation inspection I saved an additional $450 on my wind coverage.

Things are not all bad, and I don't believe that there will be a mass exodus from Florida. The problems with government are in every other state and the Feds, the issues with electricity costs/ energy costs are in every other state. Hopefully with the slowdown in growth this state can have a few years to plan for the next round of growth. Maybe instead of building new gated communities and shopping malls we can improve what exists and the people in Florida can mix and learn to appreciate what we all bring to the table.

[seeriously]

My property taxes fell $1,400 since 2005 and I pay way cheaper taxes than I did in MA, IL or VA. In my estimation, property taxes in Florida are a bargain.

[kristin4]

Originally Posted by verobeach

My property taxes fell $1,400 since 2005 and I pay way cheaper taxes than I did in MA, IL or VA. In my estimation, property taxes in Florida are a bargain.

I have to agree. In Pa, I had a small attached home (twin), 1/4 acre lot and paid about $2,800 more than I do now on a 2000++ sq ft single home on almost 3 acres. Plus the taxes are going up there as well (and they NEVER go down), and the tolls, and gas tax, and water and sewer, and electric is doubling, etc... I could go on and on.

Moving to Florida is saving us lots of money.

[TANaples]

My taxes actually went DOWN almost in half while at the same time drivers licenses and car registration fees have nearly doubled. What the right hand giveth the left hand taketh away. When it comes right down to it, it is all a wash when you add up all the increaased fees.

Why did our taxes go down? Because property values are going DOWN.

[kshe95girl]

My property value fell 27k last year, but the tax man wants to increase my tax bill $200, to $1604.
There will be a public meeting on 9/10 about these taxes, I would LOVE to ask the powers that be why they are not imposing a 10% pay cut on all city/county employees, as so many other places have done.
Ocala seems to be the center of the universe for idiot city/county commisioners.

[GLS2010]

Im kinda glad ppl are leaving FL, It has been getting over crowded, esp with annoying ppl. The ones who are leaving, for the most part, are the ones who are financially unstable, which are usually the annoying ones. Lets let them leave.

[TXRyan23]

Originally Posted by GLS2010

Im kinda glad ppl are leaving FL, It has been getting over crowded, esp with annoying ppl. The ones who are leaving, for the most part, are the ones who are financially unstable, which are usually the annoying ones. Lets let them leave.

It'll be rough when the stable ones want fastfood or groceries but the people that used to fill those positions are long gone in another state..

afterall, who's going to take minnimum wage to flip your burgers ?