Dusty as far as the dep I have no real quams with them. As far as living in CT I was raised here. I left for 4 years in the Army living in Missouri Louisiana, Germany and Greece. While living in these places I missed my home. I missed a short ride to the beach, fishing, getting a good pizza, grinder, and cultural diversity. The union I belong to published a chart in our newsletter that the median home in the Hartford area was 235k. To support this you would need to make 80k a year. Most high paying manufacturing jobs are leaving the state and going abroad because of the cost of doing busisness here ex; electricity and other utilities. Dusty if I was a younger man like yourself I would explore all options and base my decision on what would be best for my family. I live in southeast ct. I drive 40 mile 1 way to my job without much traffic at all. I have many lakes to fish in my area as well as walking distance to the Greenville dam on the Shetucket river. I enjoy 4 distinct seasons and my friends as well as my family. I have regular friends who we share over 40 years of friendship with as well as new fishing friends from my club and this site as well. I enjoy northern Maine as well Louisiana because of the french culture there. I don't know where I will end up. I just take it a day at a time. My youngest will be in college in 3 years. After that I will acess my life and make a decision. In the meantime I like SE CT. Good luck to you Dusty wherever you may end up.
If I fish more I need more lures. If I had more lures I would fish more. I don't think I'm addicted do you?
Because people pay BIG dollars for landscaping services . Was born here and just the thought of packing up all my families crap and move makes me shutter. Don't really know if one state is better than another. They all have some sort of issues
Just a country boy trying to survive CT's new governor
I lived here for 30 years,moved to AZ for 3.5 and ended up coming back because I did not want my child to go to school in a border town. And the fishing in Arizona sucks compared to here I've never seen such fussy fish.
Registered: 01/01/05
Posts: 2116
Loc: Western Mass
I travel all over the country for work and will always live somewher in New England but not Ct! Lived in Brookefield on Candlewood, Southington, Plainville and East Windsor. All o.k. in nice neighborhoods but way to expensive! Car insurance is double, home prices are way out of line, The traffic sucks on all the highways! Now in Mass, I live in a town with 3900 people, 1/4 mile away from the river ramp. 35 minutes to Vt/Nh where the smallie fishin is 10 times better than Candlewood and NO PEOPLE! I Do like the the striper fishin and high water bass fishin in Ct. I have to go thru 2 lights to get to Bradley and I live 55 miles from there with No traffic...until I get to Ct!
When my kids are out of high school I will probably seriously think about leaving CT. I live in the Naugatuck valley. To the north you have Waterbury, New Britain, and Hartford. Be careful where you park your car. To the south you have New Haven, Bridgeport, be careful where you park your car. Some of these places you don't want to walk on the streets at night. I agree with everybody else about the taxes and prices of houses. They are rediculous. I can't save a dime and my job is possibly going overseas because of Mr. Bush and his policies.
I would go to Southern NH if my wife wasn't so close to her family here. My lifelong friend and his wife live in southern NH and I love going there. Close to the Atlantic and the beaches, close to the mountains and snowboarding, lakes etc. Oh, and don't forget, "Live Free or Die"!
Simple answer-ROOTS!! Since the early 1600's and also I really like this state and the varied and complex outdoor opportunities we have here. With our topography and location we have so many things to do outdoors, no other state I've seen offers near the same. I feel very sad that the rapid growth and overpopulation takes a lot away, You deal with it. Buck said what I'm trying to say and that is diversity!! I believe he has done more traveling than I and I'm not claiming to be any type of high roller or traveler and the only places I've been has been as a low level diplomat of the U.S. Gov't working to achieve world peace through the use of armed force but managed to find fishing and hunting opportunity wherever I was sent. Conn. shouldn't be sold short on what's available to the average guy. Taxes, crime and politics are pretty much found everywhere. Our standard of living is very high in this state and we have a very rich outdoor history. I'm very proud of this state and the life it's provided me.
I've been fortunate enough to live in northern California, Tennessee, and most of my life in CT.
I'll take the colonial style herritage of New England hands down. 100 year old oaks surrounding large houses and barns. The diversity and color of the seasons, and hilly terrain spattered with lakes. Plus in CT it's about an hour to the beach, and 2 hours to ski.
I'd even move into VT or NH if a good offer or opportunity came along.
Great thread Dusty, and as one of the people that recently left I would be glad to tell people why.
In Connecticut I lived alone with my son. I worked a 40 hour week like anyone else, and I made OK money. I was able to keep my head slighty above water in CT, but it was always paycheck to paycheck for me... frustrating sometimes.
I don't have any other family... just my son and me, ad so for us,we are an island and we can go anywhere... I am surprised I stayed in CT for as long as I did. If it weren't for a few good friends, I probably wouldn't have stayed as long as I did.
The cost of living is set up in CT so that you almost need a two income household to have a better quality of life. Down here in Texas, I bought a home within a few months of coming down here and I am doing fine.
In CT, I can't count how many times some a$$hole was riding my a$ on the highway or back road like they were trying to get to a fire... and likewise, I can't count how many times I locked up my breaks and got out to ask them what the problem was...I truly have not had any of that kind of problem the entire time I have been here. Surely, each state has it's share of a$$holes, but it has been my expereince that due to the atmosphere and hustle and bustle of CT, there are a lot more thre than most other places I have been...
In CT, you have overpopulation... Traffic jams, businesses all throughout the residential areas.. craziness. Down here, everything is spread out nicely.. I love it.
You know when people ask me why I moved here, the short answer is BLOOD PRESSURE... the long answer comes in the form of a story. When I first came down hre in March of last year to work I was in a grocery store one day and another customer started speaking to me about a product... I thought to myself... WEIRDO. A little while later, and a few isles over, another customer and another conversation initiated... WEIRDO... Then when I got to the cashier, it was all talk and smiles, and I thought to myself... WEIRD - OH.
Truth was, I was the weirdo. I was so used to strangers being nice as an intro to asking you for money, or having some other alterier motive. I was used to having my change put on the counter for me to pick up myself... I was so used to the lifestyle of coming and going with no stop in between that I was overwhelmed with the atmosphere here.
I think what keeps most poeple where they are is fear... fear of leaving friends and family behind, fear of starting over somewhere, or fear of the unknown. I was very nervous about picking up everything I had, selling most of what I owned and coming here, but in the short time I have been here I have never doubted that it is one of the best decisions I have ever made for my son and I. I own a home, put a lot of nice things in it, to include a beautiful southern woman with whom I am in love, and life is good...
And oh yeah, I got a little girl on the way. Life just doesn't get any better for me... and throughout all of this, I still haven't ben out fishing, so the icing on the cake is still to come.
Life is short everyone, quit complaining and live it to the fullest. Take care.