Then there's the cost of living in New York City. A 2009 report by the Center for an Urban Future found that "a New Yorker would have to make $123,322 a year to have the same standard of living as someone making $50,000 in Houston. In Manhattan, a $60,000 salary is equivalent to someone making $26,092 in Atlanta." Even Queens, the report found, is the fifth most expensive urban area in the country.
I remember a DBA from New York back about 10 years ago who wanted $250.00/hour. Real fat guy. Too bad for him the internet got fast. Someone in Mumbai probably has his job now. Or maybe even Houston or Atlanta.
Here's a good comment from an honest New Yorker.
I was born in Brooklyn more than 50 years ago, and have lived on Long Island nearly all my life. I LOVE New York and had really hoped so spend my whole life here, die here, and be buried in Brooklyn a short distance from my place of birth. But taxes have driven me out. I just returned this week from a trip to New Mexico looking for a place to live there. If the damn politicians do not lower taxes, the only people who will be remaining in New York are those that cannot afford to move elsewhere. It's the damn politicians fault for the sky-high taxes, and poor economy. God help New York because the damn politicians certainly won't.
It would have been nice if the Repub candidate for Governor up there hadn't been kind of a nut. Imagine what a Chris Christie could for the Empire State.
My nephew lives in New York and loves it. He's finishing up a two-year highly paid high-finance-type internship and is about to join a hedge fund. He spends more than I make on his apartment etc. yet still has surplus funds for pleasure jaunts to Spain and China. I would be envious except that the very idea of living in any large city, let alone New York, fills me with fear and loathing.
ReplyDeleteDiane, posting anonymously because blogger doesn't like me anymore
As a native New Yorker living in an area of the country not much cheaper than NY, this is just depressing. What has become of my former home?
ReplyDeleteNYC is:
ReplyDeletefilthy
lawless
filled with deviants
makes Soddom look good
resembles the bar room scene in Star Wars
filled with arrogant, cretins who think Bloomburg is a good mayor
peopled by the rich, st6ruggling, and old
If you love NYC you must be from Newark
I had a really awesome comment on this post 2 days ago, but blogger kicked me out that day, too. I'm good with it again, apparently.
ReplyDeleteI was going to say that NY doesn't care whether you live there, they'l tax you anyway. My law partner's wife is a partner in a law firm with a large office in NYC. They get to pay NY state income tax (and NYC income tax too, I think) by virtue of the firm's income, even tho she gets none of her work from NY nor ever works there herself.
New York might still be better than California these days though.
I also remember when JCPenney was moving its headquarters from NYC to suburban Dallas. A local TV station interviewed some of those about to move, for their reaction. One lady was distressed, saying that the great thing about New York is that she could go to the Metropolitan Opera whenever she wanted. When asked whether she ever went, she of course replied, "No. But I could if I wanted to."
ReplyDeleteYes, but was she "st6ruggling"?
ReplyDeleteShe was probably from Newark.
ReplyDeletefilthy
ReplyDeleteEh, it depends where you go. Chinatown business ain't gonna win any health awards, that's for sure.
lawless
Actually it's the safest big city in the country. This ain't the David Dinkins NYC anymore.
filled with deviants
Not so much since I've moved.
makes Soddom look good
Having never seen Soddom I can't really remark on the veracity of this comment.
resembles the bar room scene in Star Wars
Not really sure what this is even supposed to mean.
filled with arrogant, cretins
Again, decidedly less so since I departed.
who think Bloomburg is a good mayor
Mercifully he's losing favor. Then again, the alternatives are Democrats that would make Bloomberg look like Reagan in comparison.
peopled by the rich, st6ruggling, and old
That pretty much defines ever metropolitan area in the US.
Whoops, last one was me.
ReplyDeleteAnon poet: "peopled by the rich, st6ruggling, and old..."
ReplyDeletePZ: That pretty much defines ever metropolitan area in the US.
Yes, certainly fits most cities in Tom Wolfe's "blue parentheses states". Even folks I know in Cleveland are either trying to get out to the suburbs, or they have to live there because of their job, or they are just old or poor and resigned to stick it out.
Companies are moving out like crazy, too. The latest stunt was pulled by American Greetings when they head faked that they would leave the state. So Kasich gave them a big tax break, so they're staying in OH. But they're leaving Brooklyn (OH) which is basically Cleveland for Crocker Park in Westlake, Republican capital of Cuyahoga County.