New Jersey Falls From Top Ranks in Population

[Comrade]

The west is best!

[bryson662001]

New jersey is overwelmingly suburban (anyone with options doesn't live in New jersey cities) and it is expensive. If you can't afford it (or don't think it is worth it) and/or don't like the suburban lifestyle you will leave. Simple enough.

[PhillyRising]

Originally Posted by Sulley

Well.

After living almost two years in Buffalo, I'm tired of the north. The property taxes on my $110,000 house are $4,000 per year, almost doubling my mortgage payment (it's 603 vs. 432 for the escrow account). The state sales and income tax are sky high as well. What do we have to show for it? Nothing. This area's infrastructure is from the 50s (at best) and everything is crumbling and neglected -- our DMVs and most libraries in Buffalo had to close because of budget shortfalls a few years ago.

In addition, the city and county governments are controlled by union interests and are muddled by layers upon layers of bureaucracy, driving me absolutely insane. I am all for some government regulation to protect the people, but it's just insane here. Things could easily change, but the population is so insular that they will never vote any differently... they're afraid of becoming something different than they've been for the past 50 years.

Add all of that to an area that looks like it's stuck in 1977 and I'm done. I've seen the error of my ways, that's for sure! Thank goodness I'm flying into Nashville tonight for Christmas. Yay Southwest

But that's just Buffalo.....and what you speak of is not the case in cities along the Northeast Corridor.

[Sulley]

Well Buffalo is bad for the Northeast's PR department then. Have them rectify the situation

[bryson662001]

Originally Posted by Sulley

Well Buffalo is bad for the Northeast's PR department then. Have them rectify the situation

Buffalo? Where's Buffalo? Is that the place near Toronto where it's always snowing?

[sharkfood]

This is the bottom line, folks: It's becoming increasingly difficult to build new housing in New Jersey. I mean, hell, look at the Highlands Preservation Act; you now have 83 acre zoning in parts of Northwest New Jersey that would otherwise absorb growth from the New York City metro area. You also have 10 to 20 acre zoning in some of the townships in Hunterdon County that could also be a magnet for growth. You can celebrate this as putting a stop to sprawl but the fact is the restrictions in rural areas are not being matched by any substantial growth incentives in urban areas. New Jersey has become anti-growth period. And the byproduct of that is that pro-growth states like North Carolina will surpass New Jersey's population.

[Jersey Mentality]

Originally Posted by sharkfood

This is the bottom line, folks: It's becoming increasingly difficult to build new housing in New Jersey. I mean, hell, look at the Highlands Preservation Act; you now have 83 acre zoning in parts of Northwest New Jersey that would otherwise absorb growth from the New York City metro area. You also have 10 to 20 acre zoning in some of the townships in Hunterdon County that could also be a magnet for growth. You can celebrate this as putting a stop to sprawl but the fact is the restrictions in rural areas are not being matched by any substantial growth incentives in urban areas. New Jersey has become anti-growth period. And the byproduct of that is that pro-growth states like North Carolina will surpass New Jersey's population.

New Jersey is not anti-growth by any means its more anti-sprawl. The main reason why Jersey did that was to perserve and protect those areas in the northwest corner of the state. Jersey as been pretty good at that considering it in the Northeast megalopolis between NYC and Phila. We have the largest tract of untouched woodland between Maine and Virginia on the East Coast and thats the Pinelands. Many of the towns in North Jersey and the shore towns have condo development and Newark and Jersey City are experiencing an office and housing boom with skyscrapers. But the bottom line is it was enevitable for North Carolina to pass Jersey. North Carolina is 47,000 square miles, Jersey is less then 8,000. Its not like Jersey is a much older and established state. North Carolina was an original colony too and is coastal. Sunbelt states are growing fast, its still a surprise Jersey has had more people then NC for so long. It took this sunbelt state over 200 years to pass little New Jersey. Jersey still has more people then states like Virginia, and we had more people then Georgia until recently too. It just like when New York State was passed by California and Texas, it was enevitable its not beacuse New York State is anti-growth, its becasue California and Texas are many times larger. Larger states should eventually have more people then smaller states.

[Canasian]

I've lived in both the Northeast (Albany, Maybrook, and Goshen NY) and the Southesast, (Atlanta and Norcross GA) and i have to say I really did'nt care for GA.

[sprtsluvr8]

Originally Posted by Canasian

I've lived in both the Northeast (Albany, Maybrook, and Goshen NY) and the Southesast, (Atlanta and Norcross GA) and i have to say I really did'nt care for GA.

You can see what Err and Ignignokt think of your opinion...Adult Swim characters brought to you by the creative team right here in Georgia.

"Our culture is advanced beyond all that you can possibly comprehend with 100% of your brain."

[gERoNimO]

Originally Posted by Optimus Prime

Well.

After living almost two years in Buffalo, I'm tired of the north. The property taxes on my $110,000 house are $4,000 per year, almost doubling my mortgage payment (it's 603 vs. 432 for the escrow account). The state sales and income tax are sky high as well. What do we have to show for it? Nothing. This area's infrastructure is from the 50s (at best) and everything is crumbling and neglected -- our DMVs and most libraries in Buffalo had to close because of budget shortfalls a few years ago.

In addition, the city and county governments are controlled by union interests and are muddled by layers upon layers of bureaucracy, driving me absolutely insane. I am all for some government regulation to protect the people, but it's just insane here. Things could easily change, but the population is so insular that they will never vote any differently... they're afraid of becoming something different than they've been for the past 50 years.

Add all of that to an area that looks like it's stuck in 1977 and I'm done. I've seen the error of my ways, that's for sure! Thank goodness I'm flying into Nashville tonight for Christmas. Yay Southwest

Buffalo, NY is not a good representation of how great the North can really be. I have family who have lived in suburbs of Buffalo since 1991 and they will be moving to Raleigh, NC early in 2008 for the better weather, economy, jobs, etc. But there are many cities in the Northeast that are just as good in terms of quality of life as there are in the South.

Originally Posted by bryson662001

Buffalo? Where's Buffalo? Is that the place near Toronto where it's always snowing?

LOL! Oh come on, you know where Buffalo, NY is. Yes, it is close to my city, Toronto, Canada. Buffalo's cool, thanks to my family who live there it's my second city.

[dante2308]

I think its natural for people to move from densely populated areas to less densely populated areas. As soon as cities began to take hold in the South and Southwest, people found that they could have everything they had up north with better weather and more space.

I really did wish Georgia would get a little bluer but for some reason the suburbs are redder than most of the state...

[Renton]

I found it interesting that the states with the highest foreclosure rates where all the boom states of the past decade. Like California, Nevada, Arizona, Florida. Guess things aren't working out in those places. As for NJ. They make it so damn hard to live here. Highest taxes, highest car insurance. Tolls everywhere. But for whatever reason, i still love this state. Would never leave.

[Gordo]

Originally Posted by Renton

I found it interesting that the states with the highest foreclosure rates where all the boom states of the past decade. Like California, Nevada, Arizona, Florida. Guess things aren't working out in those places. As for NJ. They make it so damn hard to live here. Highest taxes, highest car insurance. Tolls everywhere. But for whatever reason, i still love this state. Would never leave.

It seems pretty obvious to me that the states with the highest growth rates would have had the most speculative development and overbuilding - leading to higher rates of foreclosure later.

[erm1981]

Originally Posted by bryson662001

I'll take New Jersey over North Carolina any day......and I'm not kidding!

Give me some of that stuff your smoking.....must be some good shit.

[slymjym]

Originally Posted by PhillyRising

Exactly. Which is why I could never be happy living down south. I just get a bit touchy when people imply that people are moving south because living in the Northeast is somehow awful.

It is absolutely HORRIBLE!!!

...and before you can give me advice to "well then leave!"...I would like to answer you with an "I can't!...yet." I am counting down to the day I get to escape this rotting corner of America! Then back to the South I go...

[Canasian]

[QUOTE=sprtsluvr8;3174985]You can see what Err and Ignignokt think of your opinion...Adult Swim characters brought to you by the creative team right here in Georgia.

[QUOTE]

They were thought up in GA? Awesome!