info on living in Fla please...

[2Design]

taxes on food, clothing, cars, homes
intangible taxes
sales tax

hidden taxes
no income tax, right

other hidden costs

[UdoKier]

1. Year-round oppressive heat, self-centered consumerist culture, flat, ugly

Few good cultural venues in much of the state, horrible suburban sprawl in most metro areas, high air conditioning bills for at least 9 months in most of the state, poor schools, badly concieved roads & highways, highway tolls, traffic, hurricanes, millions upon millions of horrible insects, Jeb Bush, higher-than-average government corruption.

Sales taxes seem to be pretty typical. Property taxes can be fairly high.

I would never go back to Florida. The culture, the scenery, the heat,everything is just awful. The entire state seems to celebrate dumbness and despise intellectualism.

DON'T GET ME STARTED!

[Webster Green]

4. Ain't that the truth.....

What a fucking shithole! I would rather move to Antarctica than spend one day in Florida. I can't believe all the people who think its some kind of paradise. Guess they haven't gotten around too much.

[2Design]

9. what state do you live in and what are its plus and minus

where in florida did you live, what were the costs.

[UdoKier]

12. I lived in Miami.

It was a lot cheaper than San Francisco, I could've bought a condo there, but the best I could do is a 2 bedroom apt. in SF - and it's worth it. The quality of life and culture are so bad, and it's the same all over the state. There are still some single family homes around 200k in less desirable areas, though I'm sure Orlando would be cheaper.

If all you are concerned about is cost, it's probably not the most expensive place in the states, though it is much higher than the Carolinas or Texas, and again, worse quality of life.

If I had to live in the south I would think in terms of San Antonio, TX, Asheville, NC, Savannah, GA. I would steer clear of any part of Flori-duh.

But that's just me. If you like beaches, you might find them enough to compensate for the otherwise hellish surroundings.

[cureautismnow]

20. Nonsense.

I have visited every state in the USA and I would rather live in Florida than any other, save Hawaii.

Jeb-boy and his cronies are carpetbaggers who have ruined our state government, but we'll get it back in time.

[2Design]

7. what state do you live in now and what are its costs and pluses

if you have lived in several states, what are the costs and plus and minus there...

[neoteric lefty]

16. Did you live in N. Central Florida

or the panhandle? Just wondering.

[GSO]

23. Fla has its bright spots

Florida like any state has its problems, but unlike many in the continental U.S. snow, cold weather and associated problems are non existant. We do have our seasons here, though they are subtle a seasoned resident learns to appreciate the near perfect weather that reigns from October thru April.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

32. I agree with UdoKier

I can't wait to move away from Florida. My family moved down here from Maine for the weather mostly. The weather is nice, but it is about the only thing I like about this place.

Some things I don't like about Florida...

The environment does not seemed to be valued by the general population, which is a shame. In Maine, the majority of people were concerned with maintaining a clean environment. We recycled tons of stuff (plastic juice and soda bottles, aluminum cans, glass bottles, plastic milk jugs, juice boxes, newspapers, paper bags, plastic bags, etc.). Major grocery store chains in Maine even would give you discounts for reusing plastic, paper, or cloth bags. Hardly anyone recycles around here, which I find odd. I live in an apartment complex and recycling isn't even an option here. They just have one big dumpster and everything gets thrown away. I also think they are over developing the land around here. Not much thought is put into conservation. I wonder how many more years it will be before every last inch of this state is covered with either highways or strip malls?

The school systems are terrible. I know this for a fact because I taught at a public high school in central Florida for 7 months and my husband has been a teacher a different public high school for going on 3 years now. Kids in Florida are not getting the same quality education that kids in the north east are getting. The last thing I want is for my son, who is almost two, to go to school here. The biggest issue I think is the class size issue. I recall that Floridians voted to reduce class sizes in public schools a few years back, but nothing has been done about it. There are a lot of other things wrong with the schools besides class size, but I think that is the largest issue. If they could reduce the class sizes, kids could get more individualized attention, which is what they need to learn and it also makes it easier to identify learning disabilities early on. The state is not pumping enough money into the school systems to fix the problems. Teachers are way over worked and under paid (and they have to deal with disciplining 30 to 40 hellions every class period every day).

Also, the organization of school districts by counties is the numbest idea I have ever heard of, but this is what they do in Florida. There is far too much bureaucracy in these school districts. They need to be reorganized so that they will be more efficient and effective at solving problems. You wouldn't believe the hassle it is to get a teaching job around here. If they could only streamline the system more they would be able to hire more of these teachers that they so desperately need.

I agree that roads are designed poorly around here, which I think contributes to a lot of accidents. I think the speed limits are also far too high. Cities need to have pedestrian over passes at major intersections. Far too many people die just crossing the road around here.

Minimum wage is lower in Florida than it is in most states.

Florida is one of the states that does not have an equity in health insurance law. This means that health insurance companies in Florida do not have to cover contraception for women and they also do not have to cover the diagnosis/treatment of conditions caused by the use of contraceptives. I think this is plain unfair to women. There should a national law on this issue. Also, Florida has many uninsured children as they do not have a good social program in place to insure children. They do have Florida KidCare, but there are loop holes that let many kids fall through the cracks. For instance, my family is currently a one income household. My husband makes about $31,000 a year. This is a little bit over the amount that they set for a family of 3 to be able to get KidCare for free (Medicaid), but they have an option in which you can pay a low monthly payment if you make slightly more. However, you can only buy into KidCare if your kid is between the ages of 5 and 17. My child is not eligible because he is under 2.

Also, another thing that I don't like about Florida, and maybe it is a Southern thing, but people are far too open about their religions (mainly Christianity). In Maine, most people regard religion as a personal thing and it is considered rude to ask someone that you don't know very well about their religious beliefs, especially in public. I think it is a cultural difference, but something I don't appreciate and I find it offensive.

My susggestion...

If you want to live in a state that cares about and takes care of its citizens, don't live here. Florida is a state for rich people and big business.

[RebelOne]

34. I couldn't have said it better.

I have lived in No. Georgia since 1989 when I moved up here from Miami. I had lived there most of my life and I would never go back to that hell hole again if I can help it. My daughter lives in Hollywood and is always begging me to go down for a visit. I tell her no way, so she is always forced to come up here.

[r_u_stuck2]

2. taxes

Sales tax varies slightly from county to county and within cities. Each can vote special tax increases. In Pensacola (NorthWest Florida) the latest trend is to authorize MSTU's. Municipal Services Tax Units. This is because there is a 10 mil cap on real estate. Normally $25,000 homestead exemption on property taxes. We now have MSTU's for Fire Protection and several other things that do not come to mind immediately. It is just a way to raise money from residents without saying taxes.

Sales Tax is normally in the 6 - 8 % range.

Here is info on intangible taxes.

http://www.myflorida.com/dor/taxes/ippt.html

Here is the main page for Florida maybe it will help.

http://www.myflorida.com/dor/

[vetwife]

6. I will give you a totally political answer !

I live in West Ga. but I spent 10 years in Florida.

Pros......The housing is more reasonable than Ga.
Utilities are higher
No state Tax
No sales tax on food and medications
Better health services for the elderly
Beautiful in most parts of the state
Great beaches
More laid back as far as dress
The roads are better
Not too terribly congested
Beautiful parks and springs..72 year round..the springs



Cons.......No seasons really no leaves to change but it does get chilly....have seen it snow.
It is very flat
Very clanish among the natives
Either you fit in or you don't..No middle ground
Jeb Bush is Governor.
Fish and Game and wildlife have more power than any
sheriff
Illegal drugs pour through the state
Wage is lower unless you know power
You got a very divided state in some ways as far as cultural. There is no big industry to make money at.
The utilties are out the roof
gasoline is higher so is cigarettes
You can go to jail for next to nothing regarding fishing
There is voting problems
KKK is extremely big in certain rural areas.
Hurricanes
Tornadoes
Most of the hospitals and docs are for crap
HMO's are Huge down there.

this is what I know about Florida. It is hard to sum up. You have South Florida...Central, West, East and North and it is all culturally mixed up !

[qb]

3. Read a Carl Hiaassen novel for an idea of life in Florida.

I have no idea how accurate is, but his novels are a riot!

[Gato Moteado]

5. i lived in miami for several years....

....and aside from the high cost of living and high crime rate in some areas, i really loved it there. the beach, the everglades, the vibrant latin american culture. maybe it's not for everyone, but i loved it.

there are areas on the west coast of florida that are nice and peaceful. as for central florida or north florida, i'd never live there.

[2Design]

11. never have been to the everglades...what did you like there?

did you own or rent in miami....seems there is high density..what kind of work???

[GSO]

24. If your a conservationist...the Everglades will impress you

For an ecology minded looked at The Everglades, go to my site http://thealligatorsalley.com

[T Roosevelt]

8. If you like non-stop heat and beaches...

then Florida is for you. Otherwise - avoid it like the plague. Going down the toilet, with Jeb at the flusher.

[2Design]

10. do you live in florida now? If not where and what are the pluses

and minuses...of other states that you have lived in...

[T Roosevelt]

13. Right in the middle of it

central Florida - Orlando area, home of Disney and... not much else. I will say one thing, if you like to golf, you pretty much can't beat it (though 18 in the middle of summer can be pretty miserable).

[coeur_de_lion]

25. I'm a military brat, have lived in 8 different states

Like FL the best. We have beautiful weather (sorry I LIKE the heat), beautiful scenery, no snow to shovel, laid back atmosphere, less stress, cost of living is easier on the pocket, outdoor activities are limitless, for most of the year. I've ridden my bike in 80-degree weather in January. Life automatically gets better when you take away the stress that harsh winters bring about. I wear sandals year round. Snow is a distant memory. I'm spoiled for store-bought OJ because I can have fresh-squeezed most of the year.

Of course there are hurricanes, JEB, the long rainy season, the unpredictability of the weather, JEB, difficult to find a GOOD job, JEB, high utility bills, lack of cultural activities, JEB, tourists who drive like they are in NYC, JEB, hard to find good restaurants (but it is getting better), wearing sunscreen year-round, and JEB.

Other states I've lived in -- PA, TX, CO, HI, VA, NY, NJ

I miss the cultural aspects of NYC for sure. But outdoor activities make up for it somewhat. You have to make your own culture here.

We do live in a semi-police state. And we are probably going to be at the center of an election scandal again. We are heading in that direction.

[GBD4]

14. very regional

South Florida is by far the most liberal, the Panhandle and Jacksonville are all Republican, so is SW FL, Tampa and Orlando are formerly Republican but increasingly Democratic :)

Orlando has very expensive toll roads everywhere, Miami has just a few. Most people in South Florida are not native, and everyone goes their own way. The East Cost is Northeastern, the West Coast is Midwestern (traditionally).

Sales tax is 6% except Miami levied an additional 0.5% with that extra money going to county government. 6% is not bad at all comparatively. No state income tax. Social services and education are lacking because there's no state income tax for a source of major revenue. It's a booming state with increasing congestion but where I am in Broward particularly almost all new development is mixed-use (even in Dade it's becoming this way) which I think is great, higher density but smarter density.

[2Design]

15. thanks this is informative..eom

[Beearewhyain]

17. Thanks for bringing up the "regional" aspect of FL

Florida is probably the least monolithic state in the nation as far as politics and culture are concerned. It is so easy to try and paint it as one thing or the other strictly depending where you live in one of the three regions and many subregions of the state.

[Catt03]

18. I had to learn to like it

Have lived in Pa, NY, NC, GA, AK, CA and MI and FL is very different.

I love the beaches in South Florida and the Keys.

Hate the summer heat; although in the winter it is astoundingly pleasant and there are times I am glad that I don't have to deal with the cold weather.

No change of seasons and it is flat and pretty barren except for the urban sprawl along both coasts.

People are not friendly. I surmise that most have not traveled very much except from N to S and they have little idea how the rest of the country lives.

Cultural...there is very little. So if you have experienced the arts, don't expect to be entertained by them in FL.

Right to work state. You do not have a chance. Expect low wages unless you have an education and a service skill.

Terrible school systems. I think it is one of the lowest graded in the country...in the 40's somewhere. Great teachers abound but bad systems.

If you are escaping the law and want to file for bankruptcy, then Fl welcomes you. First buy a hugh house, like Jeff Skilling, then file....Florida protects you and your money.

Expect diversity and territorial attitudes. You have them all.

But the beaches and the Everglades are very special as are the Keys.

And you can still buy get some very nice affordable housing..200 thousand and up.

Good Luck.

[SixShooter]

19. Im a 4th generation native

and while everyone always complains a ton about the heat this time of the yr..I think it is worth it because in the winter, Id rather have 70/40 then 25/5 you know what I mean?

My whole family is originally from Miami. I love it down there, but it definitely has its downside. It could be a serious culture shock if you arent familiary with Latin American culture though.

Some places in FL to consider:
Sarasota(my city)
Tampa
St.Pete
Jacksonville
Ft.Lauderdale
Miami
Pensacola(beware-beautiful area but RIDICULOUSLY CONSERVATIVE!!)
Tallahassee

[coeur_de_lion]

30. SixShooter don't know if you'll see this after all this time, but

I am considering a move to Sarasota. I live in a small rural town just north of Tampa. I love it but would like to be closer to the water and have access to more of the cultural activities Sarasota has to offer. And I absolutely LOVE Long Boat Key. Just love it. Try to spend time down there every year.

I am wondering -- if I wanted to inquire about life in the Sarasota area, where would I start? Is there a website, or a relocation center or anything like that? I'm going to be in Long Boat for a few days in late Aug/early Sept and I wanted to get he ball rolling.

Thanks, for any help you can offer.

[ornotna]

31. You could start here

http://www.sarasota.com/

http://www.newscoast.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage

http://www.sarasotafl.org/

[coeur_de_lion]

36. hey thanks, those were all good links!! n/t

[Blue Wally]

21. I live in Broward

Most Democratic county in the state. No Democrat will win a statewide election unless he piles up a massive majority in Broward (and Dade and Palm Beach) to overcome the more conservative remainder of the state.

Schools suck big time here.

Roads are crowded, but are in a square grid pattern and multilaned so you have alternative routes to get somewhere particualrly if there is an accident blocking a road.

No state income tax, sales tax is 6% but doesn't apply to groceries.

Very multicultural with vibrant Brazilian, Haitian, and other ethnic communities.

Property taxes are high, but once you buy, homestead exemption limits future increases in valuation so you do pretty well.

Highend homes are expensive, but small three bedroom ranches are plentiful and can be had in the $100K-$200K range. Just don't expect to be on waterfront property at the low end.

[dryan]

22. All this stuff is unfortunately...

true, but there is a lot to be thankful for....and some reasons why Florida (duh) is the way it is.

I always warn people that the heat can be oppressive. We do not have a spring so it starts getting into the high 70s in late February. July and August are the worst. It is not unusual for people to stay in all day during those two months. One of my pet peeves are people that move here and then gripe about the heat. This is the tropics for god's sake.

Any kind of scam seems to be roadtested in Florida. You name the scam, con game, etc. and it some how got started in Florida or was perfected here.

I am not sure about our school system. I went to public schools in Orange County form elementary school through college and I felt I received a good education. I studied Spanish and French in elementary school (Lake Como in Orlando). We went to the symphony, had outside art appreciation classes, guest speakers, etc. just like my cousins did in Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, the current governor (Jeb) has instituted a grading system that takes all the fun out of learning.

Is there a derth of culture? In Orlando we have several museums, a ballet company, opera company, symphony, several theatres. If you are looking for the met or Guggenheim its not here but many local museums showcase good regional art, music, live theatre, etc.

Wages are not the greatest. Until the early sixties Florida was largely agricultural, now it is more service based (hotels, tourism) there are pockets here and there of manufacturing but not many and not enough.

No income tax and municipalities brag about low property taxes.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

33. The quality of schools

varies widely from community to community even with in the same county. Public schools in more affluent communities are far better than the ones in poor communities in terms of the variety of classes offered and the quantity/quality of materials available for classroom use. My husband works at one of the better schools in Orange County. I think kids there can get a good education if they want to (if they are self-motivated, and not motivated by grades), but don't rely on grades to adequately describe how much the kids are learning. I have noticed that the administration to be very weak and they give in to the demands of parents far too much. The administration forces the teachers to give kids higher grades than they deserve if the parents complain. I knew of a kid at my husband's school that had 4.0 GPA and in his senior year he had still not yet passed the FCAT (which tests for basic skills). He had to use a calculator to do basic math, like adding two numbers. Kids like this should not have 4.0 in high school. I was the valedictorian of my high school graduating class back in Maine and I only got a 3.9 GPA.

Orange County Schools also does not value academic honesty (which is another reason why the grade doesn't mean anything). I caught a kid cheating once (I also worked as a teacher) and I was told by an administrator that cheating is only a level one offense, right up there with talking in class. Cheating is rampant in these schools because the school district basically allows it to happen. It seems kids basically have to commit a crime before they'll consider kicking them out.

[Dirty Hippie]

26. Tallahassee is a beautiful city.

Has won awards for tree conservation. I live on 3 acres of primitive woodlands on a 1400 sq foot house that would probably go for less that 140K now.

The universities provide great cultural entertainment. Leon county is fairly liberal, we go democratic every election. Granted there is the redneck contingency...

And the heat, but we do have cold weather in the winter.


On Edit: Tallahassee is NOT flat. Nice rolling hills.

[SixShooter]

27. True that

Tallahassee is a great place. Goes Democrat in every election...but Id say its probably made up of more centrist Democrats than Broward County libs. Beautiful steep(well for me, since Sarasota where I live is like 12 ft above see level) hills and trees EVERYWHERE! It heats up in the summer but the trees provide a ton of shade...and in the winter it does get pretty cold at times. Nice spot to live in FL.

[retread]

28. But there is this ungodly odor coming from the Capital!!

*

[Dirty Hippie]

29. Did you know that Jeb

did not invite the (Dem) mayor of Tallahassee to his inaguration in spite of the fact that it was held here in Tallahassee and required enormous effort and planning by our city employees (police etc.)?

Yea the stinch from the capitol is pretty strong.

But Tally is still a great little city.

[Orangepeel]

35. Damn! This is an ugly thread!

Every place has its pros and cons and the Orlando area's not so bad.

The weather is beautiful most of the year, has easy access to beaches, and the people who say there's no culture don't know where to look. The live theater is quite good, there's a reasonable art community, lots of good restaurants, a ballet, an opera, a symphony. It's relatively multicultural.

Housing prices are climbing, but they aren't bad. Property taxes in unincorporated Orange County are taxed at a milliage rate of 4.7096 (http://www.ocpafl.org/docs/millage_rates01_by_city.html), there's a sales tax of 6.5%, and no state income tax.