Poll: Half of New Jerseyans want out

[Deleted]

Poll: Half of New Jerseyans want out

Published: 17, 2007 at 2:21 PM

TRENTON, N.J., Oct. 17 (UPI) -- About half of New Jersey residents wish they were living somewhere else, with most citing high living costs as the reason, a newspaper poll found.

Just over half of those who said they want to move expect to follow through on it, Gannet News Service reported.

Frederick Huffenus, a retired police officer, said he plans to move to North Carolina as soon as he gets a heart transplant. He has one son already there and hopes his two children still in New Jersey will also make the move.

"I love New Jersey," Huffenus said. "New Jersey has everything I want. ... But I want that peace of mind. You're penalized for living here all your life, you work hard and save all your life, and then you're taxed."

A Rutgers University study released last week found a sharp uptick last year in out-migration.

Fifteen percent of those polled picked Florida as their destination, while 14 percent would like to go to North Carolina. A total of 21 percent would like to make a short move to nearby Pennsylvania, Delaware or Maryland.

The University of Monmouth Polling Institute surveyed 801 adult New Jerseyans. The margin of error is 3.5 percent.

[Barry]

Iwasn't included in the pole and I want out. In the 15% we want to go Florida.

[Deleted]

Didnt ask me either -- I am quite happy living in New Jersey... Working in Weehawken sucks thanks to traffic... But living in Scotch Plains isn't bad....

Altho I am getting out in a few months for a half-year...

But if the statitistics show people want out, thats a good thing -- maybe the state will try to make things better... Don't laugh - its more of a politician "losing face if they don't" reason rather than any "the people need it" one..

[CQuinn]

I don't like Hurricanes, humidity, alligators, snakes and cockroaches as big as me; but, I LOVE NY. Since I can't afford to live in Rockland or Westchester, I'll stay in NJ. With the big migration South will come tax increases for extra services...you can't win. My motto is "die owing everyone" it's the only way to leave this earth a winner.

[CQuinn]

My BIL, God rest his soul, died of lung cancer. While he had an ounce of strenght he'd drive from his home in Ct. to Atlantic City at least once a week. He gambled with credit card cash advances and he justified it by saying taxes took all his spendable cash. When he died my sister sent a death certificate to the credit card companies and they wrote the debts off...which gave them a tax advantage...my BIL finally got some of his spendable cash back.

[Deleted]

CQuinn said:

I don't like Hurricanes, humidity, alligators, snakes and cockroaches as big as me; but, I LOVE NY. Since I can't afford to live in Rockland or Westchester, I'll stay in NJ. With the big migration South will come tax increases for extra services...you can't win. My motto is "die owing everyone" it's the only way to leave this earth a winner.

Charlie, i like the way you think!

[herbs]

It's not cheap living here in N.Y., although this area is a bit cheaper than downstate. I would move to Utah where my older son and grandkids are but Utah is no bargain either. If I lived there they'd tax my pension and my social security (once I'm old enought to get it). NY doesn't do that. There's also a sales tax on groceries which NY does have, except for candy and soda and that kind of stuff. It doesn't matter where you go, you're taxed one way or the other.

[Deleted]

I happen to love New Jersey but the taxes are a killer. So here we stay.

[Deleted]

i agree with you charlie, we have the mildest weather right here. i will stay here