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we hate it down here. its refreshing for a couple weeks. then its like "get me into a city with more than 1000 people!!!!!". lets not get political or anything, but rush limbaugh being from that city would make me NOT want to live there lol. we dont really like cape either. it wouldnt be so bad if there something. anything other than corn. i would kill to live back in dayton right now. we hate it down here so much. dont even get me started on the horrible drivers!
anyways - when we go back to ohio in july we will breathe a sigh of relief.
I thought this would be an interesting and informative thread for those who may be looking to relocate here. Feel free to add your own reasons. Caveat: I live in Cuyahoga County and my opinions may be specific to just this county.
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-Property taxes are TOO HIGH and grossly out of step with the local economy.
-School systems are in the toilet, yet they keep presenting levies each year to try to put a green band-aid on the issues effecting the schools...and of course that raises the property taxes on an already over-taxed population.
-Sales tax is TOO HIGH, and they are getting ready to raise it again in September. See above statement.
-CRIME: because the economy is in the toilet, people are getting desperate and gangs and violent crime are on the rise.
-Weather: Who needs short summers and long, cold as f*ck winters? I literally get to see my yard in full lush green for 4-5 months before everything begins to turn brown and die. And then here comes the snow...
-Pollution: Ohio, true to its manufacturing, steel belt history, is one of the most polluted states in the Union. 3 out of 7 people in my immediate family have all developed asthma living here.
-The People: Not all, but too many are cold, unfriendly, racist (but in that quiet, unconfrontational way), undereducated...I could go on and on. Most of them don't even make eye contact on the street, let alone say "hello".
-Entertainment: Football, Basketball...College Football, College Basketball...Baseball...and our teams mostly suck.
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There it is, my Ohio hate list. Thank God I'll be leaving this hell hole soon.
I'm with all the way on your Ohio hate list. But lets not forget one more.
It has become a WELFARE state and we can't even claim the 40,000 little welfare bratts on our taxes under dependents. We should be allowed to, we're paying for the parents laziness.
Everybody claims the same reasons for leaving, whether its Ohio or California or Florida or New York. So, I think its pretty obvious that people move for non-objective reasons . . . because their individual life sucks at this time in this or that place . . . and it is an American tradition when things look bleak to pack it up and go elsewhere.
I'm staying because:
We have four serious seasons that are more genuine and less extreme than anywhere else. (I am a Northeast Ohioan, so this is specific to our area of Ohio). We get REAL snow in Winter and white Christmases. We get REAL hot Summers to spend on our beautiful beaches (which because Lake Erie is a lake, not the ocean, has a temperature in summer conducive to swimming). We get the joyous rebirth of Spring in our relatively more forested metro area. And we have, perhaps, the best Fall in the country. (just try a fresh Ohio Apple (or pie or cider) or our legendary sweet corn).
In Northeast Ohio, unlike perhaps anywhere else in the country, we have a National Park smack dab in between two major cities (Cleveland and Akron). In addition to this incredible recreation/natural resource we also have Lake Erie, which provides all the benefits (except fresh lobsters) of coastal living. Need I mention the Lake Erie Islands and the tourist areas west (and east) of Cleveland?
Ohio's people are incredible. By all measures, we're average Americans. But in one of the most populous states, that we are average means we resemble the complete distribution of talents and treasures. Our three largest cities are large by anybody's standards: Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati. Our next cities would be first, second, or third in all but a handful of states: Akron, Dayton, Toledo.
The corporate presence throughout Ohio is legendary--the old money that was made here IS the old money that was made ANYWHERE in our country. (Rockefeller was a Clevelander). We still are making money--even if it does look like we will never make it again in the old ways (iron & steel).
We have about as many colleges and universities as any state in the union. Our best, Case Western Reserve University, Oberlin College, Miami University, and Kenyon are nationally known. Our largest, The Ohio State University is incredible . . . and we have gazillions of other GREAT schools statewide.
We've got the arts. In Cleveland alone, we have what is, perhaps, the best or second best orchestra in the world. Our art museum could be plopped down in New York City and even they would ooh and ahh. Other cities have venerable institutions: Cinci's orchestra, Columbus's Wexner Center, etc. Cleveland's Playhouse Square is the largest single-location performing arts district outside New York.
Can we talk animals? The Toledo Zoo is world class. As is Columbus's.
And hospitals: Cincinnati Children's, Univ of Cinci Hospitals, Ohio State University Hospitals, Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, University Hospitals of Cleveland, and the great Cleveland Clinic are all here.
Finally, I guess, more about the people. We resemble America a bit more than almost any other state. If you exchanged Ohio's vote for President with that of the nation as a whole, you'd get the same result every time. We're rich and poor, black and white (and Asian and Hispanic and immigrant and etc), we're fat, lazy, and stupid sometimes and healthy, productive, and intelligent others. We're accused of some kind of racism (mine is usually against New Yorkers and Southerners, though I secretly love Long Island and the South). Yet, we WERE the Underground Railroad in both body and spirit. And Cleveland relative to the rest of the country is an Eastern liberal big city. Our immigration history is different all over: southern Ohio folks came via southern routes from Maryland and Virginia, etc. Northeast Ohioans are direct descendants of their Connecticut forefathers. Western Ohio farmers are, by and large, later German immigrants. And then the 20th century filled ALL our cities with Poles, Italians, Irish, etc etc etc. Find more diversity anywhere. Okay, you named New York, LA, and Frisco. Whoopee ****. Here, we don't keep these immigrants down, however.
Finally, I live in a house that would be $1.5 million bucks between San Jose and San Francisco. It would be $500 to $600 on Long Island. An easy $400 in Atlanta or Chicago or Houston. The real-life actual purchase price of my home was $225. For this reason alone, folks should be packing up and moving here. Especially when the Global Warming floods Manhattan and a few other low-lying places.
Of course, I'm glad they don't come here. And I'm glad folks who need to leave are leaving (they're not much more than dead wood to us in their present state, anyway). That leaves more of the Great State of Ohio for ME. And I do truly mean that. I could enjoy the economic growth we'll be experiencing as the ice-caps melt, but I really enjoy this place just the way it is.
So, on your way out, don't let the door hit ya!
But, seriously, after you find out the grass is NOT greener wherever you end up, please come back re-energized to put something into Ohio and get something better back out.
Sincerely,
ClevelandBill
Bay Village, Ohio
ClevelandBill - it was GREAT to read your post. It was like being back in Elyria and discussing with my friends exactly why we were SO DAMN LUCKY to grow up in Cleveland!! One thing I notice (almost across the board) is that these people who bash Ohio or Cleveland are directing their "hatred" to a very, very specific area of Cuyahoga County. Let's face it - EVERY major area, no matter how loved by residents and visitors, has an area or two that it wishes were more [insert whichever you prefer: clean, modern, wealthy, opportune]. After traveling to so many other places in this great nation (and it is great!), there is no place I find more welcoming than Ohio. The people, the entertainment, the SPORTS, the weather, the natural beauty - no other place in the country provides such a perfect mix of all of them!!
Sorry ClevelandBill, but the grass is greener on the otherside if you know where to look.
I have been in all of the lower 48 states and Hawaii, not to foget 15 other countries outside our own borders. I've not been one keep my head stuck in the sand like most folks around here. Oh, and as long as a person doesn't mine swimming with the needle on Lake Erie's shores, well I guess thats Ok, but thats not for me.
I have found that the folks in Oklahoma are hard working, friendly and the taxes aren't as bad as they are here in Ohio. And you can breath without get all of your minerals in one breath (pollution). And, I have found that the kind folks out there, if they don't agree with what you have to say, they just smile and say "good day". With out copping an attitude or getting mad.
Give me the small towns anyday .
So then, Seabee, I take it from your previous post that you do not consider Ohio to be a "small town" state? We may have a number of major cities, but the majority of the population in Ohio is in smaller, more rural areas. Perhaps your experiences in this fine state were not kind, but I have found nowhere else, domestically or abroad, where the people treat each other with such respect. I would hope that generalizations of large metro areas are not bleeding into the small town fabric of Ohio and soiling the history and rich cultural heritage of the state.
Another sticky wicket. I could speculate and conjecture for days what the causes are for this (as you may have), however will boil it down to a simile: race relation is like a Grand Ball with no one on the dance floor.
This is another national problem that won't go away anytime soon, nor is there any clear solution in sight. Attitude changes comes from within, no matter how loud you yell.
I will tell you, however, there are plenty of places on the East Coast (NYC and Philly are BIG offenders) where eye contact and pleasantries are almost verboten.
Art,
I wanted to applaud you on your post. I really take too heart what you mentioned about race relations. It is within one's self that we should seek to uplift our attitude no matter who doesn't like us. And I agree big time with you about the East Coast. It is no better out there. I know from first hand experience visting one time in Greenwich, Conn.
People are anywhere and everywhere are simple going to be who they are ... People. No matter the color of skin.. People are going to have some reason not to like you. But we have to look beyond that sometimes and press on!
I agree alot with the sentiments of the first poster. But hey I was born here in Southwest Ohio. Its all I know. I'd be foolish to think race relations are so perfect somewhere else because its not. Its a NATIONAL problem. You just have to surround yourself with people who accept you for who you are,plain and simple.
Heck Im Black and I have seen some of the snootiness from folk who have the same skin color I have. Trust me the grass is not greener on the other side OP.
You will always find problem where ever you go as long as there are people involved
Lucky you are leaving I just got here. I agree that the taxes are out of control. People are not too friendly and I can see racial tensions. This state is predominately African American and Caucasian which is different to me. Back east where I am originally from it is more diverse than this.
I would not dare say Ohio is predominately Black . I don't know what part of Ohio you are in but from where I have lived a huge part of my life, there are tons of White folk here from cincy to dayton wall to wall. Heck if you take the whole state of Ohio its millions and millions of Caucasian people here(not that thats bad btw lol)
Us black folk in Ohio are nothing but a mere blip on the map if I might say. We are injected into small parts of the big cities here in Ohio. But I have yet to see many Black people live in the rural areas here in southwest ohio.
btw I say Black because Im in no way a African who came here to America. I was born black right down in cincy,USA
middy, I thought the same thing when I read through that post the first time. What the poster was TRYING to communicate is this: "Ohio is made up of only two predominant races: white and black. It lacks 'diversity' in the true sense of the word."
Haha, I don't know if I believe that... The poster should spend some time at the West Side Market in Cleveland or the Ethnic festivals in Toledo if they do believe it. Ohio may not have huge populations interspersed in every city, but in my experience, every major area has a concentration of many diverse backgrounds.
>-Property taxes are TOO HIGH and grossly out of step with the local economy.
ROFLMAO Go to NJ. THEN you will find out what too high property taxes are.
>-Sales tax is TOO HIGH, and they are getting ready to raise it again in September. See above statement.
7% is average now
>-The People: Not all, but too many are cold, unfriendly, racist (but in that quiet, unconfrontational way), undereducated...I could go on and on. Most of them don't even make eye contact on the street, let alone say "hello".
ROFLMAO Go to NJ. (or NYC) THEN you will find cold and unfriendly.
I grew up in Cleveland, lived in Lorain, Youngstown, Twinsburg, Shaker Hts., Akron; moved to South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Massachusetts, North Dakota, Wisconsin, North Carolina. After reading much of the Ohio thread on good/bad about Ohio I find myself moving back. Close to retirement years, my family in Ohio, I choose to move to where family is. I am able to compare locations and do understand the comments that are negative about Ohio. I have done research on several issues including the brain-drain (college-educated moving out) and the migration away from urban areas. Taking everything into consideration, however, I think all is relative among states and locations in states. I'm looking for feedback on areas of Ohio that are low-crime and relatively economically stable. Interested in all comments. Please don't add that you feel sorry for me for going home... geoflo
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. I don't know what part of Ohio you are in but from where I have lived a huge part of my life, there are tons of White folk here from cincy to dayton wall to wall. Heck if you take the whole state of Ohio its millions and millions of Caucasian people here(not that thats bad btw lol) 
moving back
