24yr old moving to North Port. Advice? (Sarasota, Siesta Key: insurance, houses)

[Sunshine Rules]

Originally Posted by StepHome941

actually, Sunshine, NP is the only city in the region that is set to roll back taxes for next year. Our Sarasota County taxes will go up but NP taxes are being cut. Sarasota, Venice, all the other cities in this area, are set to raise taxes. We passed a road bond referendum so over the next few years 266 miles of roads in NP will be repaired and repaved, this will add $46 to the tax bill.

First, I do apologize for an error that was pointed out -- I meant to say General Development was the company that originally developed North Port. I blame it on a senior moment.


I do however have a different view regarding North Port's new budget.

First, there have been various articles in the Sarasota paper about North Port government's struggles with budgets vs needs of the community for services such as fire, police, trash service and road repairs.

Reuters put out a very in depth, informative article back in April of 2012 analyzing North Port's financial outlook. The article stated that Fitch had downgraded North Port's credit rating because the city has had 6 straight years of deficit operations, using reserves to make up the budget deficits. (Note: according to the Sarasota Herald Tribune, North Port's latest budget calls for taking another $1.6 million out of reserves.) The city is facing major infrastructure needs, pension funding issues and service needs. The article also mentions that the wealth levels of North Port are below the state average and unemployment levels are above the state average.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/17/idUS223673+17-Apr-2012+BW20120417


Yes, North Port's latest budget does not raise tax rates. As I already mentioned, even with increased property values the city will need to dip into the reserve funds for a 7th year in order to balance that budget. It also means general employees will go without a pay raise for a 3rd year, and services will be working with minimal budgets.
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20130727/ARCHIVES/307271011?p=all&tc=pgall


It was mentioned about North Port voters approving the issuance of up to $46 million in bonds to repair city roads that are below standard. Those bonds will be repaid by city home owners over a 26 year time period - which isn't exactly "a few years." There is no such thing as a free ride.



Which comes to the point I made in my original post on this thread -- North Port will eventually have to bite the bullet and deal with three large, looming financial issues: pension deficits, infrastructure deficiencies and expanding services needed for an expanding population.

If you consistently pay only the minimum amount required each month on your credit card, the total balance owed will keep growing and compounding, and eventually there will be a day of reckoning when you reach your credit limit.

[ArmyChief]

Originally Posted by blueherons

Please tell me where a 24 year old is going to start a career in North Port Sarasota County? Something other than civill servant.

Where are these career jobs here?

Again..please reread my above statement. I did not say in North Port or a career.

[Rushmore]

Don't move to the area by purchasing a house in North Port. Move to the area by renting an apartment in Sarasota or even Ft. Myers.

Decide from there.

Yikes.

[nphomeowner]

Or just rent where ever you want and travel to work, that's what a LOT of people do.

[Nancy in Nokomis]

We know nothing about the O.P. - he can buy a home on his own and does not seemed worried about finding a job - he might be a trust fund baby - who knows?

[Rushmore]

Originally Posted by Fairfax Mom

We know nothing about the O.P. - he can buy a home on his own and does not seemed worried about finding a job - he might be a trust fund baby - who knows?

He mentions housing prices and asks about the job market.

I think that's enough to counsel him not to buy a house in North Port without living in the general area first.

[StepHome941]

You seem to continue to want to bash on North Port, Sunshine, while ignoring the fact that budget problems are county wide for all of Sarasota County, which by population is dominated by the unincorporated areas with Sarasota zip codes.

Sarasota County will exhaust budget reserves by 2016

North Port is at least moving in a positive direction as the new Commissioners who will only have been on the job 1 year come November, are doing as they promised during the campaign which is reducing the budget and being fiscally responsible. As mentioned, we are the only City in the region that is rolling back taxes but unfortunately this will be offset by the irresponsible governance of our Sarasota County Commission. It should also be noted that the City of Sarasota has serious problems with unfunded pensions too and will be raising taxes on her residents not rolling them back, so City residents will take a double hit, between the city and the county problems. I am not saying that North Port does not have issues, every city and county in America do, but you are painting a bleak picture of North Port and ignoring that Sarasota and Sarasota County have even bigger issues than we do.

[nphomeowner]

Tried to give you rep points but it wouldn't let me!!

[LIFL]

Originally Posted by StepHome941

You seem to continue to want to bash on North Port, Sunshine, while ignoring the fact that budget problems are county wide for all of Sarasota County, which by population is dominated by the unincorporated areas with Sarasota zip codes.

Sarasota County will exhaust budget reserves by 2016

North Port is at least moving in a positive direction as the new Commissioners who will only have been on the job 1 year come November, are doing as they promised during the campaign which is reducing the budget and being fiscally responsible. As mentioned, we are the only City in the region that is rolling back taxes but unfortunately this will be offset by the irresponsible governance of our Sarasota County Commission. It should also be noted that the City of Sarasota has serious problems with unfunded pensions too and will be raising taxes on her residents not rolling them back, so City residents will take a double hit, between the city and the county problems. I am not saying that North Port does not have issues, every city and county in America do, but you are painting a bleak picture of North Port and ignoring that Sarasota and Sarasota County have even bigger issues than we do.

Couple of things....
1- North Port for the past 4-5 years haven't given raises to city workers,
2- Even if Sarasota raises taxes, for a 200000 home, it would be a third of what we paired in NY,
3-In response to the OP, North Port is sleepy, probably the most boring suburb in the area, and that I've seen.

[ArmyChief]

Originally Posted by isles20

Couple of things....
1- North Port for the past 4-5 years haven't given raises to city workers,
2- Even if Sarasota raises taxes, for a 200000 home, it would be a third of what we paired in NY,
3-In response to the OP, North Port is sleepy, probably the most boring suburb in the area, and that I've seen.

1. Other than teachers....my research shows nor have Sarasota City workers.
2. Ok, so....people working in professional careers in NY city get paid a lot more..to compensate for the cost of living. I'm from Maryland..I would expect a home to cost more in NY.....that statement has NO merit if you do not take all variables into the equation. Oh, and good luck finding a late model home in a good school zone, within 15-20 minutes of the gulf for $200,000 in Sarasota City limits.
3. You apparently have not traveled the great state of Florida. I've been up/down, east and west.....I can tell you there are worse. If your comparing ONLY to Sarasota City, then yes, North Port has less activity...for now. However, most of us like the elbow room and less traffic from snow-birds.