Sunday, December 12, 2010
In about seven weeks, we will be leaving New York for good. From the terrible winter weather to the highest property taxes in the U.S., living in New York is a miserable, grinding experience. And we are not alone.
According to a report by Forbes and published by Yahoo, New York is expected to wave goodbye to 49,000 more people than it gains this year. The state has seen a steady loss of residents over the past five years, losing an average of 100,000 people per year.
The Empire state may lose more people than it gains in 2010 because of the depressed job market, high cost of living and an ongoing trend of retirees and college educated job-seekers to head South and Southwest, where jobs are plentiful, weather is better and the cost of living is lower.
Good luck, Gov.-elect Andrew Cuomo. You’re going to need it.
From the Left 
I’m surprised California isn’t on the list. Our cost of living remains high and so is unemployment.
No state in the Union can equal the banana republic idiocy of New York.
Last year’s take over of Albany by billionaire Tom Galisano and his cadre of ambitious foot soldiers that effectively shut down state government all so he could get his property taxes reduced, was vintage Argentina circa’ 1971.
Add to the mix the punishing property taxes ($129,000 ranch homes are taxed between $4,800 to $6,500 a year — a year!) and it’s little wonder the Empire state lost 1.8 million residents in the past 15 years.
Two more will be leaving in seven weeks! Woo hoo!
There isn’t enough money in the Central Bank of China to get me to move back to New York or anywhere in the northeast. When I finally escaped I felt like a ton of bricks had been lifted off me. No more filthy cars in winter, no more slippery, icy driveways and scary roads, and best of all, my taxes went down by 75% and my local community services are better.
I love upstate NY. And I am confident that as the south and southwest get more radical, eventually this trend will freeze itself.
Here in Ohio, with our new crop of old corrupt Rushpubliscums, the trend will continue to accelerate, however.
So you are leaving NY finally? Hope to see you out west. It will be about 16 more weeks for me. Hoping to be there by May 1…we will see.