Originally Posted by iamjoe

I live in Florida and have been searching for construction management work for over a year. I've been in the biz for 27+ years so I am as they say "seasoned". Very little going on here so I have since gone nation-wide in my search. Would love to go back to the Chicago area but I'll go where ever I can at this point.

Originally Posted by mneal

My personal focus was to have a job I could tolerate and live where I wanted to live, hence my move to Florida.

Originally Posted by copiercat

Fla is really sucky right now,taxes,ins,will kill you not to mention that in the summer here is like living up north in the winter,kinda have to hibernate cuz its too damn hot.i would advise to pick somewhere in the middle...
The Breaking Point Could Be Near



New trends in economic activity continue to show Florida homeowners may be at the breaking point. Property taxes and insurance despite some tinkering continue to sap property owners of their ability to pay. A recent Zogby International poll shows half of South Florida residents and 37 percent statewide are considering moving out of state. Home Foreclosures continue to rise and Florida is second only to California nationwide. Florida however is closing the gap and predictions show a 27 percent rise in foreclosures as a sluggish housing market continues. South Florida has been particularly hard hit with overvalued properties and high property taxes. A lot of property owners are more than three months late and their lenders have notified them of their intent to foreclose. This in turn is going to cause late notices going out in the fall and a new glut of homes on the market by next summer. Tighter credit and fewer options for homeowners with nervous lenders is spelling disaster for Florida and across the nation. This credit crunch sent the Dow plummeting 280 points Friday alone. The impact on the economy of the excessive local government taxation is reflected in the 1.5 billion sales tax revenue shortfall to the State of Florida. The Local government continues to spend on corporate welfare and failed social programs. The insatiable appetite of Unions for excess government worker benefits has required ever higher taxes to fund their pension and health benefits plans. These perks are so generous that no private sector worker could ever dream of having them.



These results underscore the need for further reform for property owners. The voters in January will vote on whether the super-homestead amendment is right for them or reach for something more substantial. Decisions are being made by our legislative bodies that may or may not be in our best interest. The constant lobbying by outside groups has diluted what reform we get, and now we are in the midst of an economic crisis. The Orlando Sentinel has estimated that population growth in Clearwater and St. Petersburg has decreased in 2005-2006. Indicators in the housing market are not showing a rebound any time soon as residents are deciding if it’s worth staying. While all these indicators alone may not be that significant, but together pose a significant threat to Florida and the American dream of home ownership. Those that do have it are finding it increasing hard to hold onto it. Each month that goes by we are losing a piece of our state to reckless and arrogant lawmakers that have put on blinders to what is happening. The voters need to regain control of their way of life. The time may be right for a constitutional ballot amendment for November 08. If it’s a proposition 13, California equivalent or a Sales tax amendment that needs to get the job done then so be it. You decide.