[MTK1]

Vermont I believe still hasn't recognized any Native American tribe in the state due to the fear of casinos. The native Abenaki have been fighting for years for recognition. Every surronding state has granted them recognition, some decades ago. They want recognition to be able to recieve federal funds reserved for Native Americans for scholarships and to be able to sell their arts and crafts as "native made".

Caisno's bring insane revenue to the states they are in. Look at CT's 2 and now Massachusetts realized and is giving the go ahead for them to be built.

[ChiliPepperGarage]

I left VT in the mid 80's because of the lack of long term employment opportunity. I witnessed the slow (maybe not so slow!) decline of the machine tool industry in Springfield followed by the decline of pretty much the whole town.

As a young person, there was really no alternative but to move away. I did so and have become very successful. I now live in Southern CA and am retired but my wife still works.

Most of my friends from back then have left too for the same reasons. The town just died and to this day, doesn't have much going for it, economically.

We go back and visit and have considered moving back but my wife doesn't like the cold weather (native Californian!) and the taxes there are just crazy.

Maybe just as well as my memories of the late 70's and early 80's when we all had great jobs and were making money and had nice cars, sleds, trucks, etc and good friends are just that, memories. I guess you really can't go home again.

[citylover94]

As a teen in vermont I can say from experience that there just is not much to do in most of the towns and a "large town" has about 10,000 people which I consider tiny and a town that size just cannot give me the same variety of things to do as even Burlington which is still in Vermont but has 40,000 people.

[momnh]

Interesting article today about school enrollment in NH. NH student enrollments down yearly since '02 | New Hampshire NEWS04

Enrollment is down double digits in the last decade. Given NH is the 'boom state' in New England, it shows to me that this is an all over New England problem and not a VT problem.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by momnh

Interesting article today about school enrollment in NH. NH student enrollments down yearly since '02 | New Hampshire NEWS04

Enrollment is down double digits in the last decade. Given NH is the 'boom state' in New England, it shows to me that this is an all over New England problem and not a VT problem.

I think that has to do with the run up in property values in the corresponding taxes in the last decade in particular. Younger people are initially priced out of the market or move closer to employment in the bigger cities. Some return to raise families, but many come back by retirement age- particularly the Lakes Region with a reasonable property tax burden relative to most other areas of the state.

[momnh]

Sounds right. Its the same thing that happens all over northern New England and other rural areas, I'm assuming, just wanted to point it out since it's often described as a VT problem but even NH with its healthy economy has that dynamic going on.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by momnh

Sounds right. Its the same thing that happens all over northern New England and other rural areas, I'm assuming, just wanted to point it out since it's often described as a VT problem but even NH with its healthy economy has that dynamic going on.

I agree as well. I just don't see a huge increasing number of younger people that can afford a 250-300K house with 6-7K in property taxes, even with the low unemployment rate that NH has.

[arctichomesteader]

The cost of property simply should not be so high in a rural state with few good jobs. It's too driven by outside money, not the local economy. The economy in VT, ME and to some degree NH, is more like the rural parts of the rust belt, but it doesn't show in real estate prices.

[momnh]

That's what's unique about the northeast - we have lots of cities within short driving distances, so city money can have country property. I'd blame it on geography more than anything. It's a small land area compared to most of the rest of the country.

[arctichomesteader]

We could demolish the interstates (at least where they connect at the state lines), convert a few highways to gravel roads, and we'd solve the problem.