[Manders]

Originally Posted by donassaid

Another great reason is that there is no personal property tax on cars, boats, riding lawn mowers, etc. One of the worst taxes ever. Also, no state income tax. The one thing I miss is Kroger. More reasonable grocery prices than Publix or Winn Dixie and discounts for gas.

Have you tried Kroger home delivery? We use it and save a ton of money. Plus, fuel credit can be used at gas station in local area (detail on the kroger web site). If you do sign up, use a laptop web browser, for some reason the app has issues creating a login. Driver told us kroger deliver is exploding in popularity in TV.

[Luggage]

Well I do know that when I moved from New Jersey, the auto registration fees every year were a lot lower, and also the DMV here is extremely nice and official government people no matter what their job or party are extremely responsive to my questions and my requests. Can't say that with New Jersey. And as a fact when I had some concerns several times I had to knock on my door actually sit down for a cup of coffee and talk to me.

[ThirdOfFive]

I hail from Minnesota, "the state where nothing is allowed" according to a radio pundit up thataway. Just a few advantages of being a card-carrying Floridian as opposed to a former Minnesotan...

Florida has NO STATE INCOME TAX. Minnesota taxed everything, including being one of (I recall) only three or four states that taxes 100% of retirement income.

Florida has SUNSHINE just about every day and warm temps are the norm. Mark Twain once observed that "Minnesota has 51 weeks of winter and one week of bad skiing" each year. He's uncomfortably close to being right. He also said that the coldest winter he ever spent was a summer in Duluth.

You can fish for free in Florida if you're age 60 or over. Used to be that way in Minnesota too, but over the years the minimum age went up-and up-and up. Now, it's 90! I'll be lucky, assuming I ever reach that age, that I even would know what a fishing rod is for.

Florida doesn't have to worry about winter driving conditions. In Minnesota, for the first couple of significant snowfalls every year (November, sometimes earlier) the freeways around the Twin Cities Metro resemble gigantic pinball games.

People are NICE in Florida (most of the South, actually). I never tire of waitresses or store clerks calling me "sweetie", "honey", etc. Some of them actually hug you. Back in Minnesota, often as not, a query directed to a waitress or store clerk gets you a two-word reply with irritation peeking out from just below the surface. Don't see that in Florida.

There are no words in Floridian (Floridese?) for snow shovel, ice scraper, or driveway salt.

One of the favored festive dishes in Minnesota is lutefisk (A.K.A. "Sewer trout"). Florida food on the other hand is not so repulsive that you have to pretend you love it just so your host isn't insulted.

"Stand your ground" is far better than "turn around and run like hell".

Temperatures in Florida are just numbers. In Minnesota, often as not from November through April, when the guy on the radio gives the local temperatures they are always prefaced with either "above" or "below" zero.

You don't have to chop a hole through two feet of ice to go fishing in Florida.

There is no football team in Florida called the Minnesota Vikings.

Minnesota has some beautiful lakes. But you can only see them for half of each year; the rest of the time they resemble snow-covered fields.

Florida has visible, and apparently effective, law enforcement. In Minnesota--well, let's just say it is neither one.

Florida has a tremendous number of varied and authentic ethnic restaurants. In Minnesota "fine dining" is often as not limited to Applebee's or Red Lobster.

Probably many more such reasons. But we've been here for two years now and we're more convinced than ever that we made the right move.

[DAVES]

Originally Posted by Worldseries27

the criminal element knows that under the stand your ground law they may never have their day in court

I suggest you find out what the LAW is.

[BigSteph]

As a former Virginian of 50+ years, I also miss the grocery stores. Who knew that such a small thing could be so important down here.

Wegmans, Lidl, Food Lion, Publix, Kroger, Trader Joe's, Walmart Neighborhood Market, Fresh Market, Aldi, Farm Fresh, Save A Lot, Ellwood Thompson's, Tom Leonard's, Hannaford, and numerous 1-off groceries and foreign markets -- all within the same city.


As to whether you should stay a Virginian or claim citizenry in Florida -- I don't know. As far as I've seen, the homestead and No state taxes on earnings is really all I know that gives an advantage.

My wife and I feel that each state has unique ways to generate municipal and state revenues that offsets any alleged benefit touted by the state.

If I could have a second home back in Virginia, I'm no longer sure where I would want it to be. That would be a fun excercise considering the options....

Where do/did you live in Virginia?

Originally Posted by donassaid

Another great reason is that there is no personal property tax on cars, boats, riding lawn mowers, etc. One of the worst taxes ever. Also, no state income tax. The one thing I miss is Kroger. More reasonable grocery prices than Publix or Winn Dixie and discounts for gas.

[DAVES]

Originally Posted by donassaid

Another great reason is that there is no personal property tax on cars, boats, riding lawn mowers, etc. One of the worst taxes ever. Also, no state income tax. The one thing I miss is Kroger. More reasonable grocery prices than Publix or Winn Dixie and discounts for gas.

REMINDER-We've been here for going on ten years. Prices, used to be prices have gone up throughout the nation. Taxes are also universal. People want, government should.....
and they think someone but them should pay for it.

[Petersweeney]

The first rest
stop on 95 has free orange juice!

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by Petersweeney

The first rest
stop on 95 has free orange juice!

Did they start that up again? For several years that was discontinued.

always liked stopping for the OJ.

[Rodneysblue]

Originally Posted by Bay Kid

I have been a Virginian all my life. My Florida friends have told me I should become a Florida resident. Is it really worth the change?

Just look at the Nor'easter pounding the north east today.

[Toddy]

Lived in VIRGINIA for 52 years and moved here over 15 years ago. It’s cheaper here except for HOA fees. Fees used to be $125.00. They don’t call it HOA fees. There is another fee which was always included in house selling cost but not here. I call it infrastructure fee. Again it’s call something else. I think mine was around 4,000 or 14,000. Just don’t remember. Also be careful in signing contact. There is a little sentence that you that you agree to never sued them. Cross it out and initial. Construction is so sloppy and they won’t fix expensive repairs. My sewage pipe has a belly in it and collects everything until it clogs up. This pipe runs under the garage and will cost at least $5,000 to fix. Check all outlet to make sure all ground wires are connected. If they have the cheap push-pull water turn-off change them to regular water turn offs. Check to see if they really installed roof anchors in the attic to keep roof from blowing off during hurricanes. Just a few suggestions. Otherwise, this is a great place to live. Also, this place is run by a dictator. We had a really neat place for entertainment, dancing and food called Katy Bells. He closed it. Our country clubs are joke unless you are a golfer. Good junk food and beer after game. Don’t think our golf courses are in great shape. It’s what I hear. I am not a golfer. Love it here. Most neighbors are nice. There is a group for everyone. We have over 3,000 groups. If not one for you, then you can start one. There are plenty of fun things to do. The entertainment at the squares shut down at 9:00. We like it here. There is many, many places to visit in Florida.

[jdulej]

Other than the politics of the state, which is an off limit topic, the two most glaring flaws in Florida are the lack of decent bread and decent pizza. I'm guessing it's the humidity, but not sure. We have been to all the pizza joints within 10 miles or so of TV - the best is mediocre. As for bread - none of the major supermarkets stock anything edible. Fresh Market has some half way decent loaves - their best might rate a 7. I thought that with all the urban east coasters retiring here, there would be a demand for quality, but I guess not.

[manaboutown]

I dearly love how LEOs handle situations in Central Florida. I once owned a 10 acre tomato farm in Polk County and appreciate how the the sheriff responded to an inquiry.

"I suspect the only reason 110 rounds was all that was fired was that's all the ammunition they had," Judd said. "We were not going to take any chance of him shooting back."

Officers shot suspect 68 times

[patfla06]

I grew up on Long Island by Jones Beach. It was really nice back then.
My Husband was a corporate transfer in 1997 when his company built a campus in Tampa.
Was the best thing ever to get out of NY/NJ. Moved to T.V. 8 years ago.
Son, who worked & lived in NYC moved to Miami 3 years ago.
So now the Grands are just 4 hours south on the turnpike.

Do not miss the snow, millions of people, traffic, commute to NYC,
Taxes, etc.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by jdulej

Other than the politics of the state, which is an off limit topic, the two most glaring flaws in Florida are the lack of decent bread and decent pizza. I'm guessing it's the humidity, but not sure. We have been to all the pizza joints within 10 miles or so of TV - the best is mediocre. As for bread - none of the major supermarkets stock anything edible. Fresh Market has some half way decent loaves - their best might rate a 7. I thought that with all the urban east coasters retiring here, there would be a demand for quality, but I guess not.

If you do not mind driving about 90 minutes south Mazzaro's has excellent crusty bread.

Pizza is not as good as NY but we have found places we enjoy.

[DaleDivine]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

We lived in Va for 30 years and move here 2 years ago and so happy we did.

We lived in Virginia over 50 years. Moved here in 2014. Glad we did. Only drawback is wished we had moved here sooner...