I guess I was wrong about Florida families?
Posted: Sunday, June 10, 2007
by straight talk
According to today’s St. Pete Times more and more people are moving to Florida from the northeast. In fact they evidently are no so bad off financially. They sell that little cape cod for a mil or so and move down to heaven. They go from being a have-not to being a have. Pretty good and you can’t blame them. It’s the luck of the draw. Get out that golf cart, the captains hat, the condo in Jamaica or the Virgin islands and let's live.
They can drop $250,000, or a half a mil, or even more on a home and not bat an eye. They have those big city pensions and those NE benefits. Something you will never find in an At Will State. They can buy that 40K vehicles and that 20k plus boat and live the good life. They are the new haves. Now the fact that they moved from N.Y, or the northeast our taxes are a drop in the bucket compared to what they had. They can’t understand why we complain. They even take our jobs in those food chains and retail stores. "Don’t need the benefits, I just like to keep busy" and they don’t think anything about who they impact. In fact they even get mad when they read something like this. Yes, these are the same ones who say why can’t these teens find a job instead of hanging out all day. Well as they say “you can’t fix stupid".
So I have to admit that I was wrong about this state when it comes to families not having. There is evidently quite a few who have the bucks and are living the good life. Oh yes, they will complain but in reality they have the very best of it all. Jealous, I guess you can say that, but it has nothing to do with them just an opportunity that will never be here. I and others will just never see it. That’s just the way it is. This is not a state for workers.
So to you retired living on a fixed income, to you families living on minimum wage and to you middle Americans who just can’t make ends meet anymore here in the “Sunshine State“, I guess the answer is that’s the way the cookie crumbles.
Now in my opinion here are your options if you are not one of these new have's. I am not saying you should do this or have to but you may want to consider them. Option one is sell and get out. Sometimes to cut and run is better then to fight it out. Option two is sell and get out. Sometimes it is better to take the loss and recoup later. Option three is, you got it sell and get out because it isn’t going to get any better. In fact those great low wage jobs are going to more and more illegal workers who have preferred treatment in everything.
Why sell, you ask. Well these people who migrated here, like many of us come from high tax states. They are used to it and they expect it. They want more and more services, services cost money and money means taxes in one way or another. In fact they find no fault with it, why, they have it and we don't.
Of course they will complain but that is only human because no one likes to lose money. The fact you don’t have it will only increase your hardships. If you expect your legislators to help then lets hope they do, I don’t. What they give they will take somewhere else. Just look at them now debating taxes in “our" legislation branch of the state government. If anything it will be next year before it goes into effect. Well I don’t know about you but next year is for someone else.
So I do owe these people an apology. I though they were average to low income Americans and now I have been straightened out. Thanks for your understanding. I though you were one of us who work those 89 day jobs, MLM adventures and multiple low wage jobs and I was proven wrong? So I learned leave well enough alone.
You see we all can learn, so I have to thank the paper for letting me and others know just how many of you above average northerners are here. So now that I have tried the north, the south I guess the only option left is go west young man. But that isn’t so good either I hear. Maybe the old sod? Nope, too much like here. Oh well, I hope those states where time has stood still awhile can still afford someone with little an opportunity to rest easy in their last years? Somehow I think if there is such a place that will somehow get corrupted in the same way because when it gets too expensive here, guess what, they will all show up there and the cycle will repeat itself.
Robert T. Melaccio Sr. 2007 Copyright ©2007 Robert T Melaccio Sr.
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Top-level comments on this article: (3 total)Sir David, I was reading the news online that you taxpayers down there may get a tax break on property taxes. I'm praying it will be passed on the 22nd. And about the article, I'm sure it's not the first time you've been wrong and it won't be the last. As least you were the gentleman you always are and apologized. Oh, the news article said the "snowbirds" won't get a break. Has to be primary residence. How does that make you feel? (I'm grinning.) Have a marvelous week, David. Hope you're well. Blessings!Please log in to respond to this comment.It seems everyone has David on their mind. I just got anther from Judi the same. You both need to slow down. Only kidding. I found it interesting because I have always written about the plight of young families here in this state. In fact todays paper is full of those moving out. It also really indicates what I stated about those new businesses and the groups who just can't make it here. We are trying to et our home in a positon to sell and move. Two of our three kids are rady to go but we have three homes to dispose of. My older boy has been out of work for over a year. My daugther works for minimum and my other son, while doing well is getting tired of all the add on expenses. No govenment money for school or retooling, and the big pat in this area is $8.00 to $10.00 and hour. If you rive to Tampa you can do the math on a 100 mile plus a day trip. No, as my article said The re is no Sunshine in the Sunshine State unless you have it. Take care and God Bless.Please log in to respond to this comment.
Robert! Please forgive me. If you notice the hour I left my comment, I should have been in bed. My apologies for calling you David. I guess he was on my mind after reading his poem again about his father. And, he lives in Florida as well. I hope you're smiling but don't laugh, it's nothing serious. Insomnia. (laughing) Have a great day!Please log in to respond to this comment.Hope all is well? You can buzz me anytime. Yes, David does a good job. Now go and catch a few good winks. Good night!Please log in to respond to this comment.
Well Mr. Melaccio, I didn’t know I was so popular among search warp readers where they had me on their minds while commenting on another’s article. Ha ha, but like Avis said she was tired and it was past her bedtime. Regarding your article I’ve lived here in Fl. for 10 years now. I too moved here from the N.E. I’m retired and living on a pension, I don’t know about your property taxes in Tampa however up here in Hamilton county coming under homesteading I don’t pay property taxes as long as I live in an under 25,000 dollar home which I do. I have a one acre lot which is going up in value every year. Do I consider myself a have? Well I’m certainly not a rich man but yes I consider myself as being fortunate at 58 years old to be able to live in my own place and get by comfortably with my pension, I can’t complain of course I’ve never been married or had any children to support if I did I think I’d be struggling to get by like everyone else. But like you say Florida is alright for the retiredPlease log in to respond to this comment.Well David I define the "haves" as those in the top 20% bracket of the nations wealthiest. I suspect you are not but are probably like me living on a fixed income? There is certainly nothing wrong with having anything. People worked for it all their lives and are entitled to it. However, what I talk about are people who "have" it and continually want more at the expense of others. Those who really don't care about the plight of average or poor. Now certaily these poor illegal workers are exploited. Yes, they do way betetr here then in Mexico or anywhere else. But what they do is frive down wages and eliminate jobs. That is an untruth about Americaans not wanting these jobs and thats a fact. Perhaps reading my recent family article if you have not done so will enlighten you more? Anyway, I enjoy hearing your comments and reading your work. Take care, regards.Please log in to respond to this comment.
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