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There have been numerous articles over the last 4 years about how the populations swing to the South has declined. That doesn't mean their populations aren't increasing, but the massive numbers of people moving daily have dropped considerably. At the peak of southern relocation, Atlanta was getting 10,000 new residents a day!
The sales tax in Charlotte was 9.25 or 9.75 percent last time I was there (last year). Mecklenburg County probably tax on something. Wouldn't surprise me since Mecklenburg County is a bit odd. Slaes tax where I live in NY is 7.50%. So yeah 2.25% higher is a lot!
I don't doubt what you are saying, but according to what I've seen online, you should have paid 7.25% unless it was a prepared meal or hotel stay. Mecklenburg County has some additional local sales taxes for transit included in the 7.25%. Most of NC is 6.75% - 7%.
Either way, sales tax down South and in NY is pretty similar. Unlike a lot of people on here, I'm not trying to make NC look better to the detriment of NYS- I like both areas very much. I'm just showing the facts for relocators.
Atlanta is a whole different animal than Raleigh. The size, the traffic, the urbanity, etc is so much larger. So, I can see growth slowing there.
I probably shouldn't be doing this, but: Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed
Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed
Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed
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Good sites, and it pretty much comes down to a wash, with Wake County and Onondaga County both at around 4% above the average cost of living.
The NC personal property tax is approx. $130 per person, on average, which is about what I thought. So, it's a pretty minor tax for most people, when compared to property taxes which average in the $4-5 thousand in the Northeast (or double that in some areas like NJ and LI).
Your primary link shows Virginia #1 at $376 I am afraid your data source is obsolete. PPT on vehicles has been reduced by the relief act of 2005 ( Personal Property Tax Relief ) that said the current rate (same ref) is %63 so my tax burden on the #1 bill of $376 would actually be $140. Either way my total tax bill of property. personal property tax is less on a $100,000 home here than in your neighborhood ($1010.00 here Vs $2500.00 in Onandaga).
Regardless VA is viewed far more favorably for buisness than NY currently is.
Good sites, and it pretty much comes down to a wash, with Wake County and Onondaga County both at around 4% above the average cost of living.
The NC personal property tax is approx. $130 per person, on average, which is about what I thought. So, it's a pretty minor tax for most people, when compared to property taxes which average in the $4-5 thousand in the Northeast (or double that in some areas like NJ and LI).
Keep in mind that not everyone pays that tax. So, it only applies to those they would pay it. Meaning, children aren't going to pay that tax, but I could be reading that incorrectly. So, I'm not sure why it went by per capita. It will vary by county too. Personal property tax is more than just vehicles as well.
It isn't used to compare to property taxes here, but it is to show that property taxes in other states aren't just real property taxes. That seems to be the only thing used, when personal property tax isn't considered. This on top of the fact that home prices will be higher on average. So, it is either the government or the real estate industry, you are still going to pay for it.
I actually feel safer in Nogales and Rocky Point than the NE Rustbelt cities like Philly, Buffalo and Syracuse. The Free Trade Zone in MX caters towards American Tourism so safety is a priority in Sonora. Rocky Point has Gulf of Mexico water and great seafood. $250 hotels in SD are $100/night in Rocky Point. I've been to Tecate but not to Tijuana yet in Baja but will go to TJ next time I visit SD in April.
Mexico safer than the US rustbelt is a joke. Many parts of Mexico make the US rustbelt cities look like Beverly Hills. Yeah there are nice areas of Mexico and the cities have a lot of culture, but most of it is a dump fiscally and socially. I would never drive or go to a beach there.
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Originally Posted by magnum0417
I never said AZ is perfect. My biggest complaint in over a year here is the drivers on the freeways that do not signal and cut you off at high speeds. However, that is my biggest complaint so life is good here. I see more money in my salary than back in NY as stated before too.
Oh I can think of worse problems in AZ than drivers. How about the fact that meth is a bigger problem there than NY, that AZ has a higher teen pregnancy rate than NY, or how AZ will face water problems in the future.
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Originally Posted by magnum0417
Arizona is boring for couch potatos. However, if you like to hike and explore way more variety in geographical amenities than NY can dream of, then it is a great place to live. There are people that I know who are sedentary and live for the casinos. That's not me. I can be active doing summer activities or winter activities within 2 hours in the same day.
My cousin lived in Phoenix for two years. She moved back to NYC because she said AZ was bland and unoriginal compared to NY. She is also an avid mountain biker and loves the outdoors, yet she prefers NY. Doing summer activities during the winter isn't everything. Some people also like the winter and change of season change.
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Originally Posted by magnum0417
You talk like people are "exiled" to AZ as if they are poor. It's called being smart. Small businesses are setting up shop here from CA for the tax benefits. Orange County has a lot of transplants here in PHX. Met many of the upper middle class variety and they are happier seeing more bang for their buck. OC is conservative in a lot of ways as is Maricopa so they feel at home. That's the thing with CA. If it weren't for LA County and The Bay Area, CA would be a Red State and have a far different political vibe. SD, OC and most inland regions are as Red as AZ.
Sure maybe some Californians want lower taxes. But lets be real, most Californians move to AZ because they couldn't afford the overall high COL in CA. More people would rather live in SoCal than AZ if they have the money. I'd much rather live in San Diego which feels like a beautiful, resort city compared to Phoenix which is more like concrete desert sprawl.
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Originally Posted by magnum0417
Lets talk NY and So Cal Beaches. I find the beaches less rocky in So Cal than the NE and New England. Plus looking at cliffs and palm trees is something the NE beaches are void of besides only having access to swimming in for 4 months.
Why are you mentioning New England beaches if you want to talk only NY and SoCal beaches?
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Originally Posted by magnum0417
I will say the only So Cal Beach that rivals Jones Beach and Jersey Shore for pollution is Imperial Beach because of sewage and Tijuana overspill. I personally stay away from anything south of Coronado Island for that reason. Now surf as you acknowledge, So Cal from La Jolla up to Dana Point has the BEST SURF in the country hands down. I tend to stay near La Jolla only because places like Carlsbad lack big city amenities when I am not out in the water.
I am a huge fan of Ocean and Pacific Beach. Ocean Beach has a dog friendly beach I take advantage of every time. I do not believe NY has anything like that. If it does, it only has a few months of access. The boardwalk/bike path in Pacific Beach blows the crap NJ has away hands down. The Newport strip in Ocean Beach and the Garnet strip in Pacific Beach are far superior for entertainment and diverse amenities too.
I got sick as hell and missed a friend's wedding in 1989 from swimming in Seaside Hts. That was the year of needles and sewage. While in the water, I saw soiled toilet paper all over the place. I was sick as a dog and on the pot for days after that disaster.
Jones Beach and Seaside Heights polluted? Are you seriously basing this off from an 24 years old experienc. I venture to Jones Beach frequently during the summer and been to Seaside heights and I found it very clean and didn't see any needles and sewage. Like I said, I've seen some nasty CA beaches..ever been to Topanga State Beach, Poche Beach, Cabrillo Beach, or Puerco Beach?..disgusting, filthy beaches and much dirtier than any beach on LI or NJ. Point is, pollution is everywhere as long as humans live on this planet.
Again, why are bringing up NJ beaches? You said you only wanted to talk NY and SoCal beaches.
Also, speaking of beaches AZ has none. The beautiful beaches you keeping mention are located in CA. That's a win for CA, not landlocked AZ. AZ is not SoCal, as much as they want to be.
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Originally Posted by magnum0417
Face it. New York and New Jersey are still living off of their glory years from the 1960's and 1970's. Totally yesterdays news.
Yes, NYS being home to a first class world city in the US, considering the number of immigrants and young professionals that move to NYC every year, the new nanotechnology research center upstate (and there are very few nanotech centers in the US), home of two ivy league universities...NY has absolutely nothing going for it.
Last edited by ThinkingElsewhere; 02-14-2013 at 08:01 PM..
Basically.....Do we really need 697 school districts? No and I think it is the same for fire, police and other districts. In turn, it will lighten the load for people and also for companies. This could help keep, create and attract jobs.
Why the hell did we ever need that many school districts? That's RIDICULOUS! Same with fire, police, etc. Our population was never insanely high Upstate that warranted that many school districts. Our state population is close to 50-50 Upstate and NYC. Even they don't seem to have the number of school districts that we have and there's 10 million people on a freaking island!
Part of the problem with consolidation is that many people don't want to give up something. They think that life will be destroyed because a village has always been a village and they've always had their own police department for all 250 residents. But if many of them look back into the village/city/town/hamlet's history, they'd see that wasn't always the case. Far from it for many places!
I'm watching this with many of the small school districts in the FLX. Parents are freaking out because Johnny will have to ride the bus 10 minutes longer and it won't be his school. His school will be wherever he attends school. Kids adapt to change well and they survive. Military kids move at the drop of a hat with ZERO choice and they live as do their parents.
One argument I heard was the parents - not the students - didn't want to combine schools because then the football program would be combined. SERIOUSLY??? Is that even an argument? Can't afford new textbooks or toilet paper, but by golly we gotta have football!
Why the hell did we ever need that many school districts? That's RIDICULOUS! Same with fire, police, etc. Our population was never insanely high Upstate that warranted that many school districts. Our state population is close to 50-50 Upstate and NYC. Even they don't seem to have the number of school districts that we have and there's 10 million people on a freaking island!
Part of the problem with consolidation is that many people don't want to give up something. They think that life will be destroyed because a village has always been a village and they've always had their own police department for all 250 residents. But if many of them look back into the village/city/town/hamlet's history, they'd see that wasn't always the case. Far from it for many places!
I'm watching this with many of the small school districts in the FLX. Parents are freaking out because Johnny will have to ride the bus 10 minutes longer and it won't be his school. His school will be wherever he attends school. Kids adapt to change well and they survive. Military kids move at the drop of a hat with ZERO choice and they live as do their parents.
One argument I heard was the parents - not the students - didn't want to combine schools because then the football program would be combined. SERIOUSLY??? Is that even an argument? Can't afford new textbooks or toilet paper, but by golly we gotta have football!
697 is for the whole state. I believe there are 430 in "Upstate" NY and I'm not sure if that includes districts that don't have high schools like Lyncourt or Menands.
Another thing that wasn't always around is the county executive. Onondaga County did have one until 1962.
Why the hell did we ever need that many school districts? That's RIDICULOUS! Same with fire, police, etc. Our population was never insanely high Upstate that warranted that many school districts. Our state population is close to 50-50 Upstate and NYC. Even they don't seem to have the number of school districts that we have and there's 10 million people on a freaking island!
Part of the problem with consolidation is that many people don't want to give up something. They think that life will be destroyed because a village has always been a village and they've always had their own police department for all 250 residents. But if many of them look back into the village/city/town/hamlet's history, they'd see that wasn't always the case. Far from it for many places!
I'm watching this with many of the small school districts in the FLX. Parents are freaking out because Johnny will have to ride the bus 10 minutes longer and it won't be his school. His school will be wherever he attends school. Kids adapt to change well and they survive. Military kids move at the drop of a hat with ZERO choice and they live as do their parents.
One argument I heard was the parents - not the students - didn't want to combine schools because then the football program would be combined. SERIOUSLY??? Is that even an argument? Can't afford new textbooks or toilet paper, but by golly we gotta have football!
Agreed. That's a major problem on LI and the reason taxes are insanely high there. People are very provincial about what town they live in and what school district they attend. It's ridiculous. The quilt patch local government is a major problem in NY and getting rid of that can solve many tax issues.
I'm not personally for or against consolidation but I do have some questions.
On small police departments, one I can think of is Sherril, how much of there money comes from the state?? Because if a local area wants a small police department and they are footing the bill then god bless em'.
On schools bigger doesn't always mean better. All the largest SD's in NY are lined right up at the bottom of the list like ducks in a row. Some of the best are the smallest.
More kids would need a bigger school. 50 brazillion dollars for a new school isn't gonna be offset by a 200K superintendents job being wiped out.
Are parents gonna be ok with this?? Many people have made long term decisions based on SD. Is it fair to make changes that can wipe out home values?? On paper having Syracuse schools take over/merge with Fayetteville might save a buck or two but would have the effect of wiping out home values in Fayetteville and forcing those people to move, most likely out of state.
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I venture to Jones Beach frequently during the summer and been to Seaside heights and I found it very clean and didn't see any needles and sewage. Like I said, I've seen some nasty CA beaches..ever been to Topanga State Beach, Poche Beach, Cabrillo Beach, or Puerco Beach?..disgusting, filthy beaches and much dirtier than any beach on LI or NJ. Point is, pollution is everywhere as long as humans live on this planet.
Is that even an argument?
Can't afford new textbooks or toilet paper, but by golly we gotta have football! 
