Grew up here because the schools are good here on LI. Stayed here for the same reason - for our kids. It's all about giving them the best chances to succeed. Rest of family and friends we graduated with are 90% here too, which makes for a more eventful lifestyle.
I don't think we can retire here because of the cost of living. And I do want to see what's out there (for living) by that age - maybe we'll leave this place to our kids as a loan in case we don't like where we are.
Pros include having access to everything. NYC, best pizzas (food in general), countless beaches, parks, entertainment, 4 seasons, safe towns, plentiful jobs. Everything you'd want for raising a family.
Cons include friggin corrupt local gov't who take and spend your money on BS (like (1) $6mil to rip down 200 trees spanning 3 towns so their buddies in the tree business can profit from it or (2) spending untold sums to put up automated school zone speed cams for revenue so the police can get their raises - irony, only to have them removed 4 months later at more cost due to rushed & poor implementation). 6-figure teachers and cops that mean high taxes. Basically - unions are the cause of all this. I have respect for school teachers in general, but here - it doesn't matter if you're in a poor-performing school district, if you're in the union, you get paid based on experience. Some teachers in the worst-performing schools in the entire state make over $115k. The same as our Kindergarten teachers who make $120k. No, nothing wrong with those points at all, right?
Other cons - 100x60 lots and most people's homes are under 2000 sqft. It's suburbia but we're nearly on top of neighbors. Some people list traffic too, but I don't go out at peak hours or try to avoid it.
Assumptions - some people assume LI is all rich, but the exorbitant taxes (we pay $15k/year w/ $10k of that going to schools) make that impossible. We're here for the good of our kids and spend relatively frugally. We're not hurting (because of the higher pay in the area including NYC jobs), but we're not swimming in it either. That'd only be possible if we're both teachers. There are pockets of rich areas sprinkled throughout, but the majority is typical suburbia, being shaken down by unions in the name of schools and safety.
Rudeness of NY'ers - I don't get it. There are ALL kinds here and that includes the city. Maybe people who say that are from areas where people fake-smile at you all day and aren't used to being around people having actual emotions.
I don't think we can retire here because of the cost of living. And I do want to see what's out there (for living) by that age - maybe we'll leave this place to our kids as a loan in case we don't like where we are.
Pros include having access to everything. NYC, best pizzas (food in general), countless beaches, parks, entertainment, 4 seasons, safe towns, plentiful jobs. Everything you'd want for raising a family.
Cons include friggin corrupt local gov't who take and spend your money on BS (like (1) $6mil to rip down 200 trees spanning 3 towns so their buddies in the tree business can profit from it or (2) spending untold sums to put up automated school zone speed cams for revenue so the police can get their raises - irony, only to have them removed 4 months later at more cost due to rushed & poor implementation). 6-figure teachers and cops that mean high taxes. Basically - unions are the cause of all this. I have respect for school teachers in general, but here - it doesn't matter if you're in a poor-performing school district, if you're in the union, you get paid based on experience. Some teachers in the worst-performing schools in the entire state make over $115k. The same as our Kindergarten teachers who make $120k. No, nothing wrong with those points at all, right?
Other cons - 100x60 lots and most people's homes are under 2000 sqft. It's suburbia but we're nearly on top of neighbors. Some people list traffic too, but I don't go out at peak hours or try to avoid it.
Assumptions - some people assume LI is all rich, but the exorbitant taxes (we pay $15k/year w/ $10k of that going to schools) make that impossible. We're here for the good of our kids and spend relatively frugally. We're not hurting (because of the higher pay in the area including NYC jobs), but we're not swimming in it either. That'd only be possible if we're both teachers. There are pockets of rich areas sprinkled throughout, but the majority is typical suburbia, being shaken down by unions in the name of schools and safety.
Rudeness of NY'ers - I don't get it. There are ALL kinds here and that includes the city. Maybe people who say that are from areas where people fake-smile at you all day and aren't used to being around people having actual emotions.
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