Letter to the Editor of The Hartford Courant that has a real ring of Truth...

Leaving Connecticut is becoming the necessary choice

HARTFORD COURANT |

SEP 18, 2019 | 6:00 AM

It was sad to read the article from the Vallos family concerning their forced move to New Hampshire [Sept. 15, Insight, “We didn’t leave Connecticut. Connecticut left us”]. Their story is becoming too familiar. The cost of living, working and retiring in Connecticut has become a significant burden, especially for those folks who don’t have the luxury of a state job or pension.

Many retirees who can afford it become snowbirds, heading to Florida or other warm states for the winter and returning here during the summer months, thereby avoiding leaving family and friends altogether. Many state retirees, like former Gov. Jodi Rell, become Florida residents and enjoy the best of both worlds. They have balmy winter weather, no personal income tax, low cost of living and plenty of tax-free pension dollars to spend on the grandkids.

Unfortunately, there are many people who do not have that luxury. After working in Connecticut and contributing to the local and state economy for years, they are forced to leave family and friends behind in order to financially survive.

Something has to give.

Diane Carney, Newington
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December 30th, 2019 update: https://www.courant.com/opinion/op-ed/hc-op-rice-leaving-connecticut-1010-20191010-3l2fgknsmbaevnfhf434oshj2q-story.html

Getting a bit introspective...

Well,it's a long story but I'll shorten it.  When I first came back from Vietnam in December of 1965 my first job was at Colts Fire Arms in Hartford (piecework, making the stock for the AR15).  I did good because i was young and gung-ho (still!) but realized it was not a life's avocation. My brother Fran (Spike) had a job at the Hartford Branch of the Hartford Courant, and I thought it might be a better fit...so I applied and was hired.
Long story short I made Manager of Branch 6 in West Hartford faster than anyone else had made the jump .  Company car, pension, nice office help...all good, but the money sucked, and I had a girl in the wings (my wife Alice).  SO, I had the opportunity to intern at Allstate Insurance and that changed my life and financial prospects.  Today I re-subscribed to the Courant for 6 months...I owe them a lot!