SUNSHINE DOESN'T PAY THE BILLS
St. Petersburg Times - St. Petersburg, Fla.
Author: DAN DEWITT
Date: Jun 11, 2007
The bottom line
Whatever the extent of the shifting migration, the root cause is money, most analysts and demographers say: Florida didn't lose its allure; it became too expensive to compete with other Southern states.So it is across the state. Squeezed by rising property taxes and homeowners insurance rates, and frustrated by crowded roads and schools, increasing numbers of residents are moving from Florida, which since World War II has been one of America's favorite states to move to. To be sure, Florida remains a strong lure, particularly for retirees, but evidence is mounting that the migration boom it experienced in the first half of the decade is over:
- Public school enrollment, expected to climb by nearly 49,000 students last school year, dropped by 3,571, the first decline in 24 years.
- The number of Florida drivers seeking licenses in other states has increased since 2005, while the number of out-of-state drivers moving to Florida has fallen.
- Three of the nation's largest van lines moved more customers out of the state than into it last year, reversing a decades-long trend.
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