Sarasota - Manatee counties still getting older..... (Jacksonville, Tampa: crime rates, employment)

[Sunshine Rules]

Interesting story. According to the latest info released from the Census Bureau, Sarasota & Manatee counties are still getting older:


Sarasota-Manatee is still getting older, census shows - News - Sarasota Herald-Tribune - Sarasota, FL

[bbronston]

I know I am

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by bbronston

I know I am

Haha - me too!

[loves2read]

No other option really...

[beach43ofus]

I'm just past the median age of Sarasota, so I'm guilty too! I like to think I'm not old, just highly experienced! I can still run a mile in under 9 minutes, so the pop-up Internet says I'm just fine.

[choff5]

Can you say lack of diversity? Confirms my personal joke that the only diversity in Sarasota county is age. To be fair, I’ve lived in a very diverse area in the past so it hits me when I’m there.

[Nancy in Nokomis]

Yes - all those people on here that keep saying it is getting younger must be wrong

[beach43ofus]

There are still pockets getting younger. Lakewood Ranch is a great example.

[macyny]

I'm retired and older. I wish Sarasota had more 'young blood.'
I love the new Whole Foods and see a bunch of younger people there. Makes me hopeful. However, the state of salaries and lack of good employment keep people away.

I'm originally from New York City. The salaries/benefits here are terrible. I know people who have been offered transfers to Florida. They only accept if they can keep the same salary/benefits they were getting in NY.

Some companies agree to get skilled people to fill positions in Florida. But Floridians who apply for the same job are give the piddling Florida salaries.

Had a friend in NY who was offered a transfer to Tampa at Bristol Myers. She said she would take the position if the salary and benefits stayed the same. They accepted and she moved to Tampa. Her friend who worked at Raymond James in St. Pete applied for the same position (there were three offers). She told them she wanted the same salary and benefits and they refused saying she was a Florida resident. The offers were only for people moving from NY.

She stayed at Raymond James. Lousy salary after 15 yrs. but still higher than Bristol Meyers was offering for Florida.

If Florida wants to attract young families, they need to do something about salaries and benefits.

[beach43ofus]

macyny,
When you say FLA needs to do something about salaries & benefits, who needs to do something, and what should they do?

Do you mean the State Government should pass laws to force the private sector to raise wages? How has that worked out for cities/states who have tried that?

Or, should companies just voluntarily pay more even though they are not having any problems hiring at current wages? If you owned a Florida company, would you give everyone a raise, or just the younger employees to get them to stay? Would you increase prices to offset the cost of the raises, or just take the money out of your own pocket to pay the raises?

Or, something else? Unionize the entire workforce? How did that work for the Rust Belt of the U.S.? Or, Detroit?

What would your suggestions do to the economy of Florida? If wages grow, don't the prices we pay for things go up too?

If we attract a lot of young people, wouldn't we have to pay more property taxes to build more schools, and wouldn't the crime rates go up?

How are the higher wages in New York impacting population growth in the State? I keep reading where New Yorkers are fleeing the State for places like Florida where everything doesn't cost so much.

If NY lowered wages, prices for things would go down, and taxpayers might stay.

Why did you move from NYC (where there are lots of young strivers) to Sarasota Florida, where it's mostly old retirees, if you enjoy seeing younger blood? Jacksonville may have been a better choice for you since its much younger.